Understanding
Plants
Annuals
Flower, Herb, and Vegetable annuals are plants that have a complete lifecycle in one season. These plants do not frost over and bloom again the following year. Some may give seeds off although at a much lower rate than perennials. Gardening with annuals can make the landscape dynamic from year to year, offering variety without long-term commitments.
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Annuals, if used correctly, and in pairing with perennials, can give gardens an excellent layout. Annuals attract pollinators, are pleasing to the eye, and create a lot of flowers in return for hard work and dedication for the season.
Perennials
Perennial flowers, herbs, and vegetables, on the other hand, come back year after year. This recurrence can make them more expensive as an upfront investment, although can get great returns throughout the years to come.
On average, the life span of a perennial varies between three to five years compared to an annuals' one.
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Many perennials do not require much water once established within the ground allowing for low maintenance. Additional benefits of perennials are, if native, they provide excellent habitat for pollinators. There are possibilities for perennials to spread their seeds and thus propagate their return. Some need more attention and or maintenance than others with things like splitting.