Perennial plants can live for several years. Unlike annual or biennial plants, they don't reproduce solely from seed. Each season, they start a new growth cycle from their bulbs, rhizomes or roots, which can withstand winter temperatures that can be very low. Although some species can retain their aerial parts during the cold season, they generally do not produce wood, unlike trees or shrubs. This is the case, for example, with Melissa, which resurfaces every spring from its root system. Some plants are perennial in their native climate, but not necessarily in cooler latitudes. For example, certain species can be grown perennially in the south of France, whereas in the north, the annual cycle is imposed by the lack of winter warmth. We have therefore chosen to place here species known to be perennial in various Mediterranean climates, in the knowledge that when it comes to gardening, nothing is ever really established, and that everything is possible and worth trying!
