Adding soil to existing perennial bed

This is going to sound like a really silly question, but I'm a new gardener.

I have two beds with existing perennials, and both really need to have the soil built up by 2 or 3 inches. When I add soil, will I have to dig up all my perennials and plant them more shallowly? If I add it in fall, will they compensate next spring by reaching further to get to the surface, or will it stop them from growing?

I know that every gardener will add organic matter over time. I just wonder how much to add without "drowning" the plants in soil.

Lono,

Sorry no one has responded yet to your question. Maybe you could add a layer of compost now and if you anticipate having to replant the perennials, wait until fall or spring and add the rest of the soil when the plants have a better chance of surviving root disturbance. Flowers with a crown such as delphinium need to have their crown exposed. Otherwise, I try to make sure new growth is exposed to the light.

You might try posting your question on the perennials forum.

Thank you for your response, Peckhaus. I didn't think of posting to the perennials forum, but I did make mention of it in another thread on GardenTalk. I believe their consensus was the same as yours: that they would probably (eventually) have to be moved.

In the possibly vain hope that I won't have to move them, I'll post each specific plant on the perennial forum. :)

Well, many perennials will like or need being lifted and divided after they've been there a few years anyway.