Why Gardens with Annuals & Perennials Look Better

If you want your garden to look full, dynamic, and colorful all Summer, the secret is to plant a combination of both Perennials and Annuals!

Perennials are the steadfast, essential foundation to a blooming garden bed, lasting year after year without the need to replant. We love how perennials introduce texture and consistency, and get larger in the garden each season.

However, no flower garden bed is complete without the non-stop blooms and array of flower shapes and colors that annuals provide. Annuals allow you to incorporate constant blooms into a border and inject fresh color and textures each season when replanted.

Here’s a basic breakdown of the difference between annuals and perennials and some of the things they each have to offer:

Designing a Flower Bed with Annuals & Perennials

Flower Bed Color Selection

Select flower colors that speak to you—colors can calm or enliven and set the tone for the feeling of the garden, be it subdued, romantic, or energetic. Some of our favorite color palettes are illustrated in our Garden Design Guides. Each guide has a comprehensive list of plants that can help you achieve the look!

Whichever colors you prefer, lean into the flower and foliage tones that make them sing and avoid over-cluttering your border with colors that don’t match the palette.

Flower Bed Layout & Design

Begin designing your flowering border or garden bed with some key perennials in mind. Consider the main months that you want to enjoy the space, and choose plants that bloom during that time period. You can plant blooming perennial plants in any layout, but an easy recipe to follow is to plant in vignettes with groups of 3–5 plants that look good together, placing the taller plants toward the back or middle of the border.

Adding annuals to planting beds each year allows you to make changes and subtly reinvent the look of your space without moving plants or fundamentally changing it. Insert annuals into pockets that felt thin or less full the previous season. One trick is to buy and plant annuals while they are still very small—the roots will grow in and amongst existing plants without added competition or stress.

Annual & Perennial Flowering Combinations

Similar Flower Shapes: For a clever yet cohesive approach, double flower shapes of perennials with annuals that echo the same look. The annuals will increase the intensity of the bloom and extend the period of blossom, and the perennials will provide steady texture and a huge floral display during their bloom season. When it comes to your favorite flower shapes, more is really more!

Contrasting Textures: Take a moment to consider the leaf shape, texture, and size when pairing up annuals and perennials. Introduce plants with contrasting textures in foliage or flowers to achieve a look that is engaging and elevated.

Dennis’ 7 Dees Garden Centers feature a gorgeous range of annual and perennial plants all year long, and our knowledgeable staff is here to help you choose the perfect combination for your Pacific Northwest garden. We love working with customers and offering expert advice and inspiration on how to create a beautiful and thriving outdoor space!