What does this mean?

[vikkib]

I'm having a look through some flower books and a couple of times I've seen the phrase 'perennial, generally grown as an annual'.

Can anyone tell me why that would be done?

I could understand it if they weren't hardy but the stocks I'm looking at are hardy to minus fifteen!

[veggiechicken]

Probably looks better in its first year or is used as a bedding plant and replaced by summat else.
Like wallflowers, in bedding schemes, they're ripped out after flowering - I leave mine for a few years until they exhaust themselves

[vikkib]

Probably looks better in its first year or is used as a bedding plant and replaced by summat else.
Like wallflowers, in bedding schemes, they're ripped out after flowering - I leave mine for a few years until they exhaust themselves

Aha! That makes sense! Thanks VC.

[Two_Sheds]

see also runner beans: perennial, but grown as an annual in the UK

[vikkib]

see also runner beans: perennial, but grown as an annual in the UK

Ooooh, like pepper and chilli plants! I don't think I fancy trying to overwinter runner beans though!

[Two_Sheds]

RustyLady's done it. You only need to overwinter the roots, much like you would a dahlia: cover it in a thick mulch and pray for not much frost

[veggiechicken]

Is it Verinda who has a 4 year old runner bean plant?