These easy plants deliver long-lasting blooms with minimal effort
Plan ahead by planting low-maintenance perennials in May for the promise of long-lasting colour well into the summer months. From pretty peonies to lupins, these varieties deliver long-lasting blooms with minimal effort (and will even return next year with the right care).
'This is the perfect time to be planting perennials. Before now, you would have been lifting and dividing them just as they come into growth, but they generally will now be well into growth and readily available to buy and plant,' says Jack Stooks, King Charles' former senior gardener, who is currently working with Savoo.
'Every year, they will just keep coming back, so they are great to buy as opposed to annuals or bi-annuals. Once you have them, you can split and divide them every few years, and they keep making more and more plants for you.'
It's also a great way to fill your borders for less. 'Perennial plants are great for saving money, as you only need to buy them once. Unlike annual plants, which potentially can only last one season, perennials continue to grow and bloom every year. This means you spend less on new seeds or plants,' says Jack. 'Over time, they also spread and fill your garden, giving you more plants for extra cost.'
Take a look at the perennials to plant in May:
Stalwarts of beautiful herbaceous borders, delphiniums offer structure and height to every garden. You can buy them in May as potted plants, or as bare-root varieties in very early spring or autumn.
'Other ones that you can't split are divided but are still great to plant now are delphiniums, but ideally, you want to look for plants you can split and divide as an easy way to increase the volume in your garden and save money,' says Jack.
'Peonies are particularly good at this point in the year,' says Jack, who explains that they come back year after year.
To plant peonies in May, opt for potted varieties (not bare roots, as these are best kept for autumn) and place them in full sun with well-draining, nutrient-rich soil. Water thoroughly after planting and keep the soil moist during warm spells.
'Plants like alchemilla mollis are a great one that keeps coming back,' says Jack. 'Hosters is another one you can split. Ideally, you want to look for plants you can split and divide as an easy way to increase the volume in your garden and save money.'
Both hostas and alchemilla mollis should be planted now to help them establish before summer.
Jack also recommends tall and towering lupins for May. Perfect for bringing colour to garden borders, plant yours in full sun with well-drained soil.
May is the perfect time to plant them out as seedlings, but if you missed that window, you can also purchase them as potted plants. They'll die down in winter and re-sprout the following spring.
According to Jack, other perennials to plant in May include geum plants, dornicum, and geraniums.
'Typically, a herbaceous perennial garden would be an old-fashioned type of garden, and these plants were all easily available. Some of them will die back in the winter, and you can cut them back,' says Jack. 'Then in the spring, they will come back and you can split and divide them.'
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