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how to be a gardener - The complete online guide BBC Homepage Lifestyle Gardening Part One Part Two Are you signed in? Go here for more information Understand plants Plant types Annuals and biennials Perennials and bedding plants Woody plants Evergreen and deciduous plants Bulbs Climbers Plant names Test your knowledge Go further Plant lists Interactives Glossary Credits Programme information Help with plugins Gardening newsletter Site map
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2 - Plant types Print page Perennials This time the Latin ' perennis ' means 'many years'. Sometimes called 'herbaceous perennials', which simply means they 'disappear' in winter. In fact, they die back to a rootstock where next year's shoots are protected and then magically grow back each spring. For example, delphiniums, hostas, lupins, primroses. Perennials Survive frost and stay in the ground all year round, for example, peony and lupin. Half-hardy perennials (tender perennials) Will not survive frost and must be brought indoors during the winter, for example, pelargonium, fuchsia, and heliotrope. Individual microclimates and good free-draining soil can make an enormous difference to their ability to survive the winter. Bedding plants Bedding plants are really all plants that, irrespective of their growing habits, are used to make a temporary show. For example: hardy bulbs (hyacinths and tulips), hardy and half-hardy perennials (chrysanthemums), and even tender shrubs (castor oil plant).
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Pelargonium But 'bedding' is usually taken to mean those half-hardy annuals or half-hardy perennials planted out to make a splash of colour in the summer. For example; petunias, begonias, pelargoniums and calceolarias. Gardening links Find out more about taking delphinium cuttings and growing chrysanthemums and fuchsias on the main site. Previous Next
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2. Understand plants Introduction Plant types Annuals and biennials Perennials and bedding plants Woody plants Evergreen and deciduous plants Bulbs Climbers Plant names Test your knowledge Go further
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Plant lists View plant list on: Hardy annuals Half-hardy annuals Biennials Hardy perennials Half-hardy perennials Find thousands more plants in the BBC Gardening database .
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