Perennial flowers are wonderful additions to any garden because they come back year after year without needing to be replanted. There's nothing like doing the work once, and reaping beautiful rewards again and again!
There are so many lovely perennial flowers to choose from, offering a wide range of colors, shapes, and growing conditions.
Here are 15 of our favorites that are easy to grow, offer lovely color and varied foliage, and hold up to even harsh winters.
1. Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Hirta):
These cheerful yellow flowers with dark centers are easy to grow and attract pollinators. Resistant to heat and drought they are sure to come back year after year.
Pollinators especially love these bright and friendly flowers too!
2. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea):
The Purple Coneflower is a Drought-tolerant plant known for its medicinal properties.
This plant produces lovely colorful, pinkish-purple daisy-like flowers that attract pollinators. It's also a sturdy, bright bloom that adds pop to freshly cut bouquets as well!
3. Daylilies (Hemerocallis):
Available in a wide range of colors, daylilies are low-maintenance and bloom profusely in summer. Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are not to be confused with true lilies (Lilium).
Daylilies are beautiful perennials but the bloom is not good for a long lasting cut flower. The true lily bloom lasts several days longer and is what you often see in cut flower bouquets.
4. Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum):
With its classic white petals and yellow centers, the shasta daisy adds a bright touch to any garden.
Similar to the common roadside daisy, the Shasta daisy has larger, richer blooms. They bloom every spring or early summer, and stick around most of the summer, for a bright stash of cheer that's long lasting.
5. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia, syn. Salvia yangii):
This drought-tolerant plant features lavender-blue flowers and silvery-gray foliage, adding texture and color to the garden.
Needing minimal care, this lovely perennial is hardy down to zone 5. Russian sage is from the mint family and spreads fairly easily.
6. Hosta (Hosta spp.):
Hostas tolerate shade and have a lush foliage. They come in various sizes and colors, and produce lovely spikes of flowers in summer.
Popular for its easy care, this beginner-friendly plant is a great foundation for any landscaping plans, especially in areas without abundant sun.
7. Peony (Paeonia):
Peonies are cherished for their large, fluffy, fragrant blooms in shades of white, pink, and red, and they can live for decades with minimal care.
These sturdy flowers last so well in cut flower arrangements, and the buds can even be stored in the fridge to take out and enjoy in a week or two, extending the season even further.
8. Lavender (Lavandula):
Lavender is an aromatic herb that produces spikes of purple flowers and thrives in sunny, warm, well-drained, full sun locations.
Lavender has many culinary and homeopathic uses, making it a jack of all trades that's been cherished in home gardens for centuries. With a little care, lavender can winter over even in zone 5.
9. Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.):
Coreopsis is also known as Tickseed. These cheerful daisy-like flowers come in various colors and bloom from summer to fall.
The flowers don't have much of a fragrance but the foliage smells slightly like Anise. They need lost of sun and good soil drainage.
10. Sedum (Sedum spp.):
Also known as stonecrop, sedums are drought-tolerant succulents with clusters of star-shaped flowers that attract pollinators.
This easy care perennial blooms from mid summer to fall, and grows well in shallow soil. Thought it will tolerate shade, it prefers full sun. Hardy down to zone 3, this lovely plant is a great addition to gardens in cooler climates!
11. Salvia (Salvia spp.):
Salvia is another lovely perennial from the mint family.
It grows tall spikes of blue, purple, or red flowers beloved by hummingbirds and butterflies. It's an incredibly hardy plant that is heat tolerant, frost tolerant, and even drought tolerant.
12. Astilbe (Astilbe spp.):
Astilbe is low maintenance and thrives in moist, shady areas. Feathery plumes of flowers tower over the foliage, in shades of pink, red, white, and lavender.
It has ornamental fern like bronze tinted green foliage, and spreads nicely, while not being invasive.
13. Bee Balm (Monarda):
Bee Balm has spiky fragrant flowers in shades of pink, red, and purple, which attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
It's a reliable, easy plant that loves well-drained soil and can survive and bloom even in a bit of shade. Bee balm is also considered a soothing herb, with various uses.
14. Blanket Flower (Gaillardia):
Blanket Flower thrives in dry sunny conditions. It has vibrant flowers with red or yellow petals and brown centers.
Slowly spreading, this bright and cheerful flower can eventually blanket an area.
15. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium):
Yarrow is tough and colorful North American native perennial. It has clusters of tiny flowers in shades of white, yellow, pink, or red.
Yarrow attracts pollinators and thrives in sunny and dry conditions. Yarrow is also an herb with a long history of medicinal use.
21 Traditional Must-Grow Plants for Home Medicinal Gardens
There's a wonderful movement toward growing things more like our great-grandmothers did, establishing kitchen gardens just outside the kitchen door, and carving out space for medicinal gardens.
Here's a list of 21 treasured plants that have historically been grown with the goal of supporting health. Some of these were included in herbal texts dating back as far as the 1500's, so you know they have a long history! Any of these can easily be grown by the home gardener with a little care.
21 Ways to Add Whimsy to Any Garden
Sweet little simple touches make it more fun to spend time in the garden, and more time in the garden is good for both body and soul!
If you're feeling that desire to transform your garden into a magical paradise, here are some 21 great ideas that add a bit of fun and whimsy to any garden space.
Laurie Harmon
Laurie is using her experiences and education to help others by authoring the blog seekingserenityandharmony.com
Laurie received her Liberal Arts & Sciences Bachelor’s
as well as minors in psychology and in early childrens services from University of Maine when she was 51.
You may have seen her interviewed on a few chronic illness blogs about her health conditions.
Laurie's mission is to advocate for children and animals while also breaking the stigma that mental health issues carry.
Her favorite activities are reading and making
children laugh. However, her greatest interests are her family.
Gluten-freee desserts and a good nights sleep Is a must for her. Not at the same time of course.
Laurie tried adulting by holding down jobs outside the home. It is time to finally venture into her dream of being a writer and putting her words out there for the world in hopes to help someone else.
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