Deseret Nursery Perennial Farm

  Perennial plants are soft-tissue (herbaceous) or semi woody garden plants that typically return for multiple, years. Their longevity can vary greatly.  Realistically, most perennials bloom for 6-8 weeks.  Perennials offer a refreshing interlude experience of unique color and texture that are not found in trees, shrubs and annuals. 

As long as you are expending yourself, and applying water, more should be in the garden equation than just grass, trees and shrubs. In addition, they are an ideal vehicle to saving water in the landscape.  Perennial plants are essentially like a home appliance.  They require some care, and they may eventually wear themselves out.

Growing Perennials in Utah

There are an abundant amount of perennials that thrive in our climate.  The state of Utah offers some unique climatic situations, however.  Our lack of humidity in the summer makes the sun more intense in the heat of the day.  But it also makes the shade less intense.  Many plants labeled for full sun in other areas of the country, will not take our full sun. Their location must be shifted to be adjacent to shade, partial sun or partial shade.   

 Mulching around the plants helps to keep the soil cool.  Quite often if the roots are cool, the plant is happy.   Radiating sources of heat such as the side of a house, pavement, or gravel mulches can greatly add to heat accumulation.

  The PH of our soil and alkalinity also affects certain plants and their ability to metabolize certain nutrients.  This inability can be buffered by shifting them to shade, or part shade. 

 You hike down the wilderness trail and you see some flowers growing along the side. There is a part of you that wants some of them to be growing in your home yard.  But perennials  need to be what we call adaptable. Can you readily propagate it? Can you grow it in nursery containers? Is the bloom or foliage significant enough that enough people will buy it? Will it grow in the home landscape in Utah?  The fact of the matter is that most Utah and intermountain native plants are not adaptable to the home landscape. 

Fortunately there are many perennials that can be sourced from around the world that are adaptable to Utah, are superior in the home landscape, and offer even greater xeriscaping possibilities.