Summer perennials
The term perennial is derived from Latin and means “through year” (per annus), thus describing a plant that lives for more than two years. Perennials differentiate plants that are shorter lived like annuals and biennials. Perennials have little or no woody growth and this distinguishes them from trees and shrubs which are also technically perennials.
Perennials form an essential part of our Nu-Leaf product collection and planted together with our annuals, will enable you to grow spectacular garden beds providing colour to your garden throughout the year, year-after-year!
herbaceous perennials
Flowering perennials that bloom and grow over the spring and summer months and then die back over the colder months, reappearing the following spring from their root-stock are known as herbaceous perennials. Often perennials that are native to a particular area, are treated as the same as an annual in a non-native environment, for example, where they are grown in a colder climate than found in their native habitat. Perennials are more than often the dominant plants found in natural ecosystems, and together with their larger root systems are usually better competitors than annual plants.
Summer annuals
In the gardening almanac, an annual plant survives for just one growing season. Many food plants for example, are annuals. At Nu-Leaf we focus on summer annual bedding plants that provide gorgeous displays of summer colour in your growing beds. The seed-to-seed life cycles of our summer annuals typically last for several months. We also take great pride in the unbeatable value our summer annuals provide. Tray-for-tray, quantity, quality and price, together with our free delivery service, you won’t find better value anywhere!
At Nu-Leaf, where it is available, we only use F1 hybrid seeds. F1 stands for Filial 1 which is the first generation of selective growing plants. Hybrid plants refer to a selective breeding of a plant by hand cross pollination from two different parent plants producing spectacular results. This divergence between parent lines also produces plants that are more hardy and vigorous.
grasses and groundcovers
Groundcovers are typically used to enhance difficult garden patches and areas of high traffic, in between stepping stones, under trees or embankments. They refer to any plant that grows over an area of ground and in an ecosystem they provide protection from erosion and drought. They are also used to inhibit weed growth.
Nu-Leaf produces a variety of these plants, from the lovely mint scented Mentha to our best-selling Ophiopogon; this little dwarf mondo grass with its narrow dark green leaves, and compact habit, is ideal between pavers, or as a labour-free carpet under trees – and it is frost tolerant. Our Convolvulus Mauritanicus produces masses of blue flowers, and is an ideal full sun groundcover that cascades over low walls and rockeries.
