Landscape Plants in Gainesville yards are often loved for the beauty they add to homes and businesses year after year. Perennial plantings are the majority of those landscaping plants. While not all perennials need time to look and do their best, this is a common enough phenomenon that there is an actual adage for it "The first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year they leap!" But what does that really mean?
The First Year They Sleep
The time to plant in your Gainesville yard finally comes, so you hire a landscape company to design a beautiful landscape for you. It is beautiful and you couldn't be more proud - if only the plants were a little bit larger. You've waited 3 months to see them grow and nothing happens. The plants just sit there, taunting you, seemingly content to laze the summer away without growing much bigger.
Now if you had a tool to see underground, you could take a look and see that while it's true that nothing much is happening above ground, there is a lot happening down under. Roots are what's happening. Some perennials spend most of their energy the first year creating a great root system, instead of growing a lot on top, and that is the basis for great plants in the long run. Well-developed roots are better at finding and taking up both water and nutrients, not to mention anchoring the plant in place and keeping the plant healthy which translates into better yard pest and disease resistance, too.
The Loropetalum is a classic example of a Gainesville landscape plant that sleeps, creeps and then leaps. I've planted several of these at my current home, but they were mostly in a holding pattern their first season. Now that they are going into their second summer in my yard, I'm seeing more flowers and stems, but I am expecting them to do something even more spectacular next year.
The Second Year They Creep
In a perennial's second year, even though you can't see them, the roots are growing bigger and stronger. You'll notice that there is more foliage and flowers than the first year. That's important because the leaves are the "engine" for the plant -- they absorb the sun's rays which create food and energy for the plant. Although their growth is appreciated in year two, it still isn't at the level most hope for if planted for privacy or screening.
The Third Year They Leap
In their third year, most shrubs and trees burst into full glory. The roots are now very well-established, they are growing strong. It is almost as if the plants do 2 years of growing in one year to make up for the sleeping and creeping! It'll leave you thinking "Now THIS is what I was talking about!"
One of landscape contractors' biggest struggles is planning for a "wow" effect right after everything is initially installed, while also planning for the growth of the plants not to be crowded in 3-5 years as they grow to maturity. If compensating for full growth of all the plants, the initial yard renovation can look bare and underwhelming. However, planting the beds to look full when first installed will give your lawn maintenance service nightmares of trimming to keep everything from growing together and looking like a jungle in a couple years. The key is balance in having immediate appeal while also planning ahead for growth and maintenance.
One of the biggest keys to our success is in the initial appointment to discuss your expectations for your yard, and following with the desires for plant sizes and ongoing maintenance of the landscape. If this consultation is something you think you could benefit from, please call our office at (352) 378-LAWN (or text us at 352-378-5296) for a landscape proposal at your earliest convenience.