THE speaker for the April meeting of Newton St Cyres Garden Club was Mark Robertson, a garden designer speaking about perennials.

They can be defined as non-woody plants that die down to ground level in winter and re-emerge as buds in spring.

Well-known examples are lupin, delphinium, rudbeckia, and miscanthus.

The newer way of planting perennials can be seen at the Hauser and Wirth Garden at Bruton in Somerset, designed by Piet Oudolf.

An older-style planting was shown of the curved boarder planting at Bristol Zoo.

Tender perennials need frost protection and are often propagated by cuttings before winter and kept safe from frost, for example penstemons and pelagoniums.

Aquatics like flag iris are another set of perennials.

A very big group are grasses in all their diversity so shape, size colour and form.

They have a look that can last through much of the winter to the great benefit of wildlife. Wild flower meadow are quite an inspiration, and at the RHS gardens at Rosemoor, Torrington, they are using the parasitic plant yellow rattle to lower grass fertility so that the flowers are not overwhelmed by the sward.

Traditional perennial herbaceous boarders are cut down and mulched each year, lifting and dividing every three or four years.

The new perennial movement embraces drift planting and "the beauty of dying off".

This is greatly beneficial for birds and wildlife. Natural prairie is an inspiration and there is a fine line between natural looking and untidy.

Plants that go well together are called plant associations. Harmonising colours and shapes that flower at the same time. The main shapes are buttons, daisies, plumes and umbels.

The trend is towards sustainable landscape, as used at the London Olympic Park.

They used swales or ditches that were planted to slow rainwater drainage and enhance biodiversity as well as being beautiful. Another urban example is the main library in Birmingham’s roof garden.

An urban area can also be considered less of a security risk if planted perennials rather than shrubs. Better for biodiversity also.

It is a planning requirement that 30 per cent of new housing should be open space. This promotes mental and physical health. Plenty of outdoor safe activity room to combat obesity and depression. Plenty of perennials bring so many benefits to the environment.

Jane Timlett