Gardening: Always blooming marvellous

Ali Rochford: For plants that give you a decent return on your investment, look no further than perennial bloomers.

You can use perrenials to build a herbaceous border like this one at Kilmokea House, Co Wexford Pictures: Ali Rochford

If gardens were investment firms, and plants the portfolios, you might say that herbaceous perennials would be the out-and-out star performers. Yes, trees can live for hundreds of years, provide shade and shelter; bulbs look after themselves and are guaranteed to provide much needed spring colour; shrubs provide the backbone of the garden and give it structure. But to my mind, it is the herbaceous perennials that are the real no-risk investment.

Generally ...