Sow These Biennials Now to Ensure They Bloom Beautifully Next Year.
All the flowers you scatter in your garden have a certain life cycle. There are annual plants that will last only one season and die at the end. There are perennial plants that come back year after year. And then there is the mysterious world of the biennale . These are plants that can somehow survive the winter and come back for a second season, but are too lazy to stick around after that. Biennials have a life cycle of two years instead of one, and are also prolific self-seeding plants.
You should sow your biennials now and get them in the ground early enough that they receive six to eight weeks of sunlight before the fall rains and cold weather arrive. They will spend the winter gaining root strength. By next summer they’ll be established enough to put on a show.
Digitalis
I often talk about foxglove as a perennial because once it’s established in your garden, it will self-seed so profusely that you’ll see it every year. But the majestic foxglove thorns are actually a biennial plant, so every two years the plants will sway through your garden. Foxgloves require almost no care once established. They continue to live without your help.
Dear William
Also known as clove , many of us overlook the usefulness of Sweet William because of how varied its colors and patterns can be. These flowers reach a maximum height of about 12-14 inches and are mostly found in a pink band of color. However, the markings on the flower vary greatly and the field of the carnation is breathtaking.
Columbine
If you see a water catcher on a seed packet, you won’t think much of it. In the wild, the columbine is a magnificently sculpted flower that I always thought resembled a mobile. The flowers sway on the stems like little fireworks in the garden. Like Sweet William, columbine comes in a variety of colors and patterns.
Phlox
If you like hydrangea, large balls of phlox flowers have a similar vibe. In fact, like hydrangea, phlox now comes in several types, from panicles that form clumps into cones to trailing versions that cover the ground in lush blooms.
Mallow
Like the foxglove, the mallow rises straight into the air on giant spiers, along the stems of which are entire flowers located, rather than sprays of small bells like foxgloves. The advantage of their height is that hollyhocks can stand apart from bushes and other denser plants, peeking out from behind them. They also make an excellent boundary against fences.
Dara
Garden lace, as I call it, dara , is simply a flowering carrot. Dara with tall cut and return stems is a great option if you love bouquets as the perfect filler. Dara spreads prolifically, so be careful and pull it out in late summer before it scatters seeds everywhere.