10 Beautiful Biennials to Grow in Your Garden
What are Biennials?
Biennials are plants that complete their life cycle in two years. In their first year, they grow a rosette of leaves and store energy. In their second year, they bloom, produce seeds, and then die.
Biennials are easy to grow from seed and many are native to the British Isles. They’re a great way to add color and variety to your garden.
Best Biennials to Grow
There are many beautiful biennials to choose from. Here are 10 of our favorites:
- Angelica sylvestris: This tall, stately plant produces large leaves and clusters of white flowers. It’s a great choice for adding height and drama to your garden.
- Arctic poppies: These delicate flowers are surprisingly tough and easy to grow. They come in a variety of colors, including white, yellow, and orange.
- Foxgloves: Foxgloves are a classic cottage garden flower. They produce tall spikes of bell-shaped flowers in a variety of colors.
- Common sweet William: This fragrant flower is a favorite of bees and butterflies. It comes in a wide range of colors and patterns.
- Aquilegias: Aquilegias are also known as columbines. They produce delicate, nodding flowers in a variety of colors.
- Hesperis matronalis: This biennial is also known as sweet rocket. It produces fragrant, purple flowers in the spring.
- Teasels: Teasels are a great choice for wildlife gardens. They produce tall, spiky stems with purple flowers.
- Nicotiana sylvestris: This fragrant flower is also known as tobacco plant. It produces white flowers that open at dusk.
- Hollyhocks: Hollyhocks are tall, stately plants with large, showy flowers. They come in a variety of colors, including pink, red, and yellow.
- Honesty: Honesty is a biennial that produces delicate, white flowers in the spring. After the flowers fade, it produces papery seedpods that are a popular addition to dried flower arrangements.
How to Grow Biennials
Biennials are easy to grow from seed. They can be sown directly in the garden in late spring or early summer. Water them well and keep the soil moist.
Once the seedlings have emerged, thin them out so that they are spaced about 6 inches apart. Biennials will need to be watered regularly, especially during hot, dry weather.
In the fall, mulch around the plants to protect them from the cold. Biennials will overwinter and bloom again the following year.
Tips for Growing Biennials
- Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil.
- Sow the seeds in late spring or early summer.
- Water the plants regularly, especially during hot, dry weather.
- Mulch around the plants in the fall to protect them from the cold.
- Deadhead the flowers to encourage new blooms.
Biennials vs. Short-Lived Perennials
Some plants that are sold as biennials are actually short-lived perennials. This means that they will live for more than two years, but their flowering performance will diminish after the first year.
If you’re not sure whether a plant is a biennial or a short-lived perennial, it’s best to treat it as a biennial. This will ensure that you get the best blooms from the plant in its first year of flowering.
