September 19, 2026 - Issue #792 Read in Browser

"To dig one's own spade into one's own earth! Has life anything better to offer?" — Beverley Nichols

Growing Perennials: From Planting and Care to Dividing and Multiplying Perennials provide years of color and beauty with far less work than annuals, and they cost a fraction of what you'd spend replanting every spring. This complete guide walks you from choosing the right plants for your site through planting, care across the seasons, growing from seed, and multiplying your garden with divisions. You don't need to be an expert to grow perennials; many types are easy and forgiving, requiring only basic soil preparation and watering during their first season.

Transplanting and dividing: when to move a plant, how to dig it, and how to help it settle Timing, hole size, root balls, whether to cut the top back, and what to do about the wilting, reddening, and yellowing that follow a move, with specifics for trees, shrubs, perennials, brambles, bulbs, and vines.

Russian sage questions: rooting cuttings and why division usually fails, what deadheading really does, when to cut the plant back, and stems that go powdery white before the plant dies Most of what goes wrong with Russian sage comes from treating it as a herbaceous perennial when it is a woody subshrub, and that one distinction decides how you propagate it, when you cut it back, and whether it survives its second winter.

How to Grow and Care for Hostas An ideal foliage plant for shady areas, hosta grows well under deciduous trees, in borders, and as a ground cover. Foliage height ranges from 6 inches to 3 feet, with taller flower spikes appearing in early to mid summer.

Bearded Iris Full sun, sharp drainage, and a rhizome left proudly exposed: the simple formula for bearded iris that bloom for decades, plus how to coax rebloomers into a second show.

All-American Daylilies Are daylilies the best all-round perennial? Many gardeners think so.

Russian Sage Airy spires of purple-blue over silvery foliage from midsummer into fall, on a drought-tolerant plant that blends with nearly everything and asks for almost nothing.

Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Alice Baier') Hybridizer: James Gossard Year of Registration or Introduction: 2018 Foliage type: Semi-evergreen Scape height: 33.00 inches Bloom size: 7.50 inches Bloom time: Early midseason Plant Traits: Rebloom, Diurnal Bud Count: 21-25 Branching: 4-way Bloom Form: Single Color description: Cream white with a large green throat. Plant Habit: Herb/Forb Life cycle: Perennial Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F) Flowers: Showy, Fragrant Ploidy: Diploid Parentage: My Cup Overflows x Rose F. Kennedy

Aeonium (Aeonium davidbramwellii 'Sunburst') Plant Habit: Cactus/Succulent Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade Water Preferences: Mesic Plant Height: 12 to 24 inches (30-61cm) Plant Spread: 12 to 24 inches (30-61cm) Leaves: Unusual foliage color, Evergreen, Variegated Flowers: Showy Flower Color: White Flower Time: Summer Suitable Locations: Xeriscapic Uses: Provides winter interest Wildlife Attractant: Bees Resistances: Drought tolerant Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger, Needs excellent drainage in pots Awards and Recognitions: RHS AGM

Lavender Scallops (Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi) Plant Habit: Cactus/Succulent Life cycle: Perennial Sun Requirements: Full Sun, Full Sun to Partial Shade Water Preferences: Mesic Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 9b -3.9 °C (25 °F) to -1.1 °C (30 °F) Plant Height: 18 to 30 inches Plant Spread: 12 to 24 inches Leaves: Unusual foliage color, Evergreen, Other Flowers: Showy Flower Color: Other Bloom Size: Under 1" Flower Time: Late spring or early summer, Summer Suitable Locations: Houseplant, Xeriscapic Uses: Groundcover Resistances: Humidity tolerant, Drought tolerant Toxicity: Leaves are poisonous, Roots are poisonous, Other Containers: Needs excellent drainage in pots

Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Delldicated') Hybridizer: Tom Burseen Year Of Registration: 2019 Year Of Introduction (May Differ From Registry): 2020 Seedling Number: 16-1004A Classification: Tall Bearded (TB) Registered Height: 35 inches (89 cm) Bloom Season: Early, Mid, Early Mid Flower Form: Ruffled Bloom Color Description: Light blue standards, violet blue washed centers, apricot glow at base; creamy yellow falls, violet blue over light blue wash around beard Beard Color: Light blue, tipped orange Style Arm Color: Light blue, violet blue washed centers, apricot glow at base Fragrance: Slight, Sweet Awards: Honorable Mention, Award of Merit Life cycle: Perennial Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35) Flowers: Showy, Fragrant Ploidy: Tetraploid Parentage: Half Past Happy X 13-537: (10-212: (Western Ways x 08-651: (06-10: (Yuppy Puppy x (00-406: (98-690: (95-4: (92-10: (Eyes Right x 90-33: (87-77: (Somsee Somsigh x Bronze Sculpture) x 88-463: (86-164: (83-329: (Curtain Call x Galen) x 84-160: (Porta Villa x Risque)) x 86-17: (84-32: (Holiday Spain x Porta Villa) x Mandolin)))) x Godsend) x 95-350: (Pagan Pink x Filibuster)) x 97-379: (94-63: (Mauvelous x Schubertiad) x 94-115: (Amelia's Orchid x Pagan Pink))) x 00-368: ( 98-185: (95-427: (93-178: (Orange Blotter x Thornbird) x 93-156: (Stingray x Thornbird)) x Armadillo Run) x 97-1210: (95-330: (92-24: (Best Bet x Magician's Apprentice) x 93-228: (Thornbird x He Man)) x 94-379: (Miss Piggy x Pass the Shades))))) x 06-86: (Lost and Found x Talk Show Mania))) x Super Buzz)

Red Crassula (Crassula coccinea) Plant Habit: Cactus/Succulent Sun Requirements: Full Sun Water Preferences: Mesic, Dry Mesic, Dry Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 9a -6.7 °C (20 °F) to -3.9 °C (25 °F) Plant Height: 12 - 18 inches Leaves: Evergreen Flowers: Showy Flower Color: Red Flower Time: Summer Wildlife Attractant: Hummingbirds, Butterflies Resistances: Deer Resistant, Drought tolerant Pollinators: Moths and Butterflies Containers: Needs excellent drainage in pots

Rose (Rosa 'Chicago Peace') Photo by Bea10 "A cluster of large blooms on a shoot."

Aeonium (Aeonium davidbramwellii 'Sunburst') Photo by Baja_Costero "Late summer doldrums"

Red Crassula (Crassula coccinea) Photo by Hortica "This plant was odd in flowering on the downlow."

Miniature Dwarf Bearded Iris (Iris 'Be Brief') Photo by Valery33

Saxifrage (Saxifraga 'Labe') Photo by kniphofia "In the alpine house"

Orchid (Cattleya) Photo by jandjsellard "Bloom Today"

Apple (Malus domestica 'Beni Shogun') Photo by Newgreen

Caladiums (Caladium) Photo by JimKlaiber

Dahlia 'Fiona' Photo by Melissamaeday

Dahlia 'Bora Bora' Photo by Bea10 "A striking color combination, visible like a beacon from far; a must have in the garden."

Engaging threads from our forums: Thread Subject Forum Replies Fig looking leaves? Plant ID 15 Vine dying, need assistance, unsure how to help it Ask a Question 6 Untitled Roses 18 Willow Tree Ask a Question 13 Ornamental Grasses. Ask a Question 7 What is this plant? Plant ID 6 tree roots Ask a Question 8 Can Yellow Iris be cut back? Ask a Question 4 Cactus mystery Ask a Question 3

The numbers from this week: 240 members joined. 1,777 posts written in our forums. 359 photos posted to the plant database.

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