Biennial plants. What are they? – planting, care, photos, how to grow and harvest

Special plants in the flower world. They live longer than one season, but do not belong to perennials. Many gardeners may not even notice their disappearance in the third year, since most species give abundant self-seeding. Among the biennials, there are many magnificent forms and early flowering species. Their seeds should be sown in the garden at the beginning of summer, and at the end of summer or autumn, the mature plants should be planted in a permanent place in the garden.

By winter, plants grow strong roots and vegetative mass, making it easy to tolerate winter. In the spring or summer of the following year, the plants bloom. Having given all their strength to lush, abundant and bright flowering, by autumn they die off. But with careful care and favorable weather conditions, some species can live another two or three years (but flowering in subsequent years will not be as plentiful).

Especially popular in the design of the garden are early flowering species. They hibernate with green leaves, and in the spring, as soon as the snow melts, they begin to grow intensively and decorate the flower beds. At this time, when perennials are just thinking of “waking up”, and annuals are just hatching their seeds. And by planting early-flowering biennials with spring-flowering bulbous plants, the garden will acquire divine charm.

Biennial flowers that will decorate your garden from spring to late autumn:

1. Pansies (violet or viola)

Bright and compact bushes are indispensable in spring landscape design. They decorate flower beds, alpine slides, garden vases and balcony boxes. It is used as a ground cover plant, making out the near-trunk circles of trees and shrubs. Pansies bloom from early spring to autumn, some varieties until the first autumn frosts. Plant height ranges from 15-40 cm (depending on the variety).

Bushes are compact and semi-sprawling. The flowers are solitary, large in size, 5-8 cm in diameter (there are varieties with miniature flowers). The color of the flowers is varied: white, blue, light blue, lilac, yellow, red, burgundy and almost black. Flowers are monophonic, tricolor and combined color.

Pansies need to be planted in open sunny places or in light partial shade. Soil prefers loose and fertile. The plant is very sensitive to moisture: with an excess, it gets wet; with a deficiency – the flowers become smaller, and then in general, flowering stops. Therefore, observe the “golden mean”.

2. Forget-me-nots

Unusual decoration of the garden. Numerous, blue flowers will not leave anyone indifferent. Forget-me-nots bloom from April to June. Their height is 15-35 cm. Flowers are not only blue, but also white and pink. Prefer loose, light and moderately moist soils. Excess moisture causes root collar rot.

Lack of moisture causes rapid shedding of flowers. The place should be semi-shady, ideally – plant them under the sparse crowns of trees or shrubs. Ideal with tulips, daffodils, daisies, pansies.

3. Daisies

Highly ornamental flowering plant. Flowering begins in April and continues until autumn. The height of the bushes is 15-20 cm. The flowers are simple and double, white, pink, yellow, cream, purple and red. Use them to create patterns in flowerbeds and lawns, plant them in garden vases and balcony boxes, decorate paths and borders with them.

Daisies love sunny places, but they also tolerate light shading. The soil should be loamy, loose and nutritious. Very sensitive to lack of moisture, from which their flowers become smaller and flowering stops. Daisies die in heavy soils. In the third or fourth year, the plants do not disappear, but run wild (the flowers lose their varietal qualities).

4. Foxglove

Blooms from June to August. The plant is 60 to 150 cm high, has candle-shaped inflorescences (40-60 cm long), consisting of flowers resembling a thimble or a bell, 3-4 cm long. The flowers are white, pink, cream, purple, red with dark patches inside the corolla. Plant foxgloves in groups in the back of the flower bed for a more dramatic floral effect.

Grows well in both sun and partial shade. The soil is not demanding at all. Cold hardy and drought tolerant. But it develops best on moderately moist, nutrient-rich, loamy soils. Be careful, foxglove is a poisonous plant!

5. Turkish carnation

Blooms from May to August. The height, depending on the variety, varies in the aisles of 15-60 cm. The flowers are collected in inflorescences (simple or double) with a diameter of 10-12 cm, of various colors: white, pink, red, burgundy. The flowers are bicolor, one-color, with spots. The flowers have a delicate pleasant aroma. You need to plant carnations in open sunny places, but in partial shade it also grows well. Blooms profusely only on fertile, moderately moist soils. It is very popular among gardeners due to its unpretentiousness.

6. Stock rose (mallow)

It blooms from June to September. In the second year after sowing, the mallow throws out long peduncles 160-250 cm high, on which up to a hundred flowers bloom (from bottom to top) (up to 150-200 pcs.). The flowers are simple, bell-shaped or double, pompon-shaped. The color of the flowers is white, yellow, cream, orange, red, burgundy, purple. Mallow is an indispensable plant in country-style gardens (rural gardens).

For abundant flowering, mallows need bright canopy light, permeable, light and fertile soils. They need supports, as long flower stalks break easily during winds and rains. Does not tolerate waterlogging, drafts and strong winds. Adult plants do not tolerate transplantation, as they have a long, taproot.

Less common biennials, such as the middle bell and bearded bell, lunaria, Siberian primrose, evening primrose, are also able to decorate your garden beyond recognition.

Published: 03.09.2014