Yahoo Lifestyle Every Spot in the Garden Needs a Few of These Perennial Plants
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
We’re firm believers that a well-tended garden should have plenty of both annual flowers and perennial plants. Annuals give you a chance to experiment year after year with various colors and shapes. But a good combination of shade-loving and sun-loving perennials is like the backbone of a well-plotted landscape, creating continuity over the years and preventing gardeners from having to start from scratch every spring.
Related: The Exact Difference Between Annual and Perennial Plants
If your idea of perennial plants is limited to high-maintenance hedges and monotone grasses or ground cover, then we hope this list will inspire you to think otherwise. While perennials don’t always have the bright, showy flowers that annuals boast, there are plenty with lovely vibrant flowers, and plenty of others that offer colors and visual interest in their leaves.
One thing to keep in mind: Perennials can be slow to take off. They usually start to kick into high gear by the third year in the ground, but if you’re worried about a spot looking patchy, you’ll want to plant enough that they don’t have to spread over-far to fill in a spot.
You’ll also want to make sure you read the plant tags and descriptions. Choose plants that will survive winters in your USDA Hardiness zone. (Find your zone here.) Note: The hardiness zones were updated in 2023, so be aware your zone may have changed.
One easy way to do this is to look for varieties that are being sold at your local plant nursery or store. Buying local, from a trustworthy source, generally helps ensure the plants you get will do well in your area.
Finally, make sure to plant your perennial flowers and plants so that they get the right amount of sunlight. Full sun means 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day, while part sun is about half that. Shade means no direct sunlight, or only a little mild morning sunshine.
Hostas
There are good reasons you tend to see these unassuming plants poking up in practically every garden or landscape: They love shade and will happily fill in around a tree or along a fence or wall.
They have lovely variegated leaves, and it’s not difficult to find a variety that’ll grow in most hardiness zones. Plus, they’re pretty unfussy.
The biggest problem is with deer—if you have regular visits from Bambi, they’ll head straight for these plants. But we have some ideas for what to do in our guide!
Get the Guide: How to Keep Hosta Plants Thriving
Hydrangea
For stunningly beautiful flowers that come back year after year, it's hard to beat a lovely hydrangea! These long-blooming plants are incredibly popular and for good reason. They do take some care—specifically deadheading each season, but the small amount of work is well worth it. If you’ve got a sunny spot in your yard that’s just asking for some color, get yourself a plant and reap the rewards.
Get the Guide: How to Care for a Hydrangea
Perennial Geranium
Perennial geraniums have a spicy scent that keeps deer and rabbits at bay. These low-growing beauties bloom in late spring to early summer. They spread rapidly and do best in part sun.
Learn More: 38 Dear-Resistant Plants
Helenium
This is also known by the fun name "sneezeweed," not because it causes hay fever, but because people used to make the dried petals into snuff.
This pretty orange-flowered perennial is a bright addition to mixed borders. Give it full sun for summer blooms. Pollinators love it!
Related: The Best Orange Flowers to Make Your Garden Pop
Coreopsis
These cheerful blooms float above their grass foliage. It's a reliable full-sun performer, attracting tons of butterflies and bees.
Related: 22 Flowering Plants That Attract Bees
Balloon Flower
Bright blue, pink or white flowers—shaped like balloons before they bloom—are a must-have in the perennial garden.
They prefer full sun but tolerate a little shade.
Related: 21 Garden Layout Ideas for Every Size Garden
Japanese Painted Fern
Got shade?
These colorful ferns are no-muss, no-fuss plants. Deer and rabbits also leave them alone!
Aster
Asters are a great native collection of different species. Pollinators such as bees and butterflies rely on them for late-season food. They come in various shades of purple and pink and are long-lived perennials, thriving for a decade or more in full sun.
Related: How to Design a Pollinator Garden That Actually Works
Astilbe
This underrated perennial should be part of any shade garden. The feathery plumes come in many different colors, from pink to white to hot pink.
Butterflies love it!
Related: These Shade Perennials Thrive Outside the Sun
Roman Chamomile
Yes, you can make tea from these dried flowers! (You can also make a pretty tasty cocktail.)
Make sure to plant sun-loving Roman chamomile, a low-growing perennial, and not the annual, called German chamomile.
Related: How to Grow Chamomile In Your Garden
Chrysanthemum
Nothing says fall like sun-loving mums! They're perennial if you get them in the ground early in the season (spring through mid-summer) so that their roots can get established.
If you plant them too late in fall, they may not have enough time to get settled before winter, but you can treat them as annuals.
Related: How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Chrysanthemums
Salvia
These gorgeous blooms do best at the back of your border in full sun.
They're drought tolerant once established and bloom mid to late summer for several weeks. Also, deer tend to leave these plants alone.
Keep Reading: 20 Drought-Resistant Plants
Hellebore
Your garden doesn't have to be colorless all winter long! Plant these exquisite shade lovers, which are also known as Lenten roses because they typically bloom around Lent in mid to late winter.
Related: 20 Winter Flowers That Add Life to a Snowy Garden
Columbine
Columbines come in an array of colors and delightful forms. They bloom in spring and provide early season food for pollinators, such as hummingbirds.
Related: 21 Best Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds
Shasta Daisy
How can you not smile when you see these cheerful plants? Shasta daisies are tough perennials that are drought tolerant once established.
Give them full sun, and you'll enjoy their happy blooms for years.
Related: How to Grow Daisies
Astrantia
This cottage garden favorite deserves a space in your garden! Its beautiful flowers bloom for a long time from early summer to early fall. Pollinators adore it, and the flowers are lovely in a cutting garden or dried.
Related: Here's How to Grow an At-Home Cutting Garden
Thrift
The grassy foliage of this plant is attractive all season long, but the tiny ball-shaped flowers that pop up in late spring and early summer are the reason to plant this adorable perennial.
Thrift takes full sun in cooler climates but will tolerate part shade in warmer regions.
Related: 30 Best Spring Flowers to Plant In Your Garden
Coneflower
Coneflowers come in a staggering array of colors, ranging from pink to salmon to orange and everything in between.
They prefer full sun and range in height from 12 to 36 inches tall, so read the tag so you plant them accordingly in your mixed border.
Related: 33 Ideas for Making Flower Beds Look Stunning
Iris
With more than 70,000 named varieties, you'll find an iris that will look smashing in your garden!
Give them full sun and they'll be happy. Divide them to make new plants when they get overcrowded in a few years (you'll know it's time because they will stop blooming as profusely).
Related: How to Care for Irises Like an Expert
Amsonia
Amsonia is a lesser-known perennial, but it's definitely worth planting in your garden.
Masses of star-shaped blue flowers appear in late spring to early summer.
Related: 56 Back Yard Ideas for Small Budgets
Daylily
Poor soil? Grow daylilies! They thrive in all sorts of soils conditions.
As you'd guess, each flower lasts for only one day, but there are multiple buds on each stem. Give them full sun. But think twice about planting if Bambi likes to visit your garden: These are one of their favorite foods.
Related: 17 Best Cottage Garden Ideas for a Picture-Perfect Space
Sedum
Sedum has fleshy leaves, so it's drought-hardy and sturdy. It comes in an astonishing number of forms. Look for low-growing or creeping types, as well as more upright varieties such as autumn joy, which make long-lasting cut flowers. Give it full sun.
Get the Guide: How to Care for Autumn Joy Sedum
Baptisia
This striking-looking perennial, also known as false indigo, is lesser-known, but it's a gorgeous plant!
Available in bright purple-blue, pink or lemony-yellow, this perennial loves full sun. The handsome seed pods remain after the flowers fade.
Keep Reading: 28 Garden-Ready Purple Flowers
Lavender
Lavender blooms for weeks throughout the summer, depending on the type. Make sure you choose a variety that's hardy to your USDA planting zone.
Harvest the dried buds for teas, scones, or scented sachets. Or mix up some refreshing lavender limeade!
Get the Guide: Your Complete Guide to Growing Lavender
Penstemon
Penstemon, also called beardtongue, has tall upright spikes of flowers in pink or purple with green or burgundy foliage.
This is a popular plant with hummingbirds.
Related: The Best Hummingbird Nectar Recipe
Bee Balm
As you'd guess from the name, bees (and pollinators of all kinds!) love this plant. Its fringed flowers come in pinks, reds, and purples.
Plant it in full sun in huge swaths for the best impact.
Shop Now
Related: How to Attract Mason Bees to Your Garden
Tradescantia
Also known as spiderwort, this perennial has pretty grassy foliage and bright purple flowers.
It doesn't mind different kinds of soils but does best in moist, well-drained areas. Give it full sun.
Dianthus
This short-lived sun-loving perennial comes in many forms, from creeping to upright. Some varieties are sweetly scented. The flowers have fringed petals and come in every color including pink, white, coral, and peach.
Related: 30 Pretty Pink Flowers for Your Garden
Lamb's Ear
Yes, this sweet perennial does have fuzzy, silver foliage like a lamb's ear!
It tolerates even poor soils. Though it prefers full sun, it will grow okay in shade, too.
Related: 25 Plants That Thrive in the Shade
Creeping Thyme
You might not think of this herb as ornamental, but planted en masse, it's quite striking!
Many different varieties exist, but they're all hardy, drought-tolerant, and don't mind poor soil. Plant it on a hillside for erosion control. It needs full sun but will tolerate some shade.
Related: 20 Perennial Herbs for the Tastiest Garden Ever
Heuchera
Heuchera is grown more for its flashy foliage, which comes in every color of the rainbow, than its tiny spikes of flowers. However, the flowers do attract pollinators such as hummingbirds.
You Might Also Like
