18 Jul Top Perennial Choices for Your Garden
Searching for the ultimate plants to dress up your landscape? Perennials are the answer. Check out our top perennial choices for your garden. They are durable, long-blooming and low maintenance. Furthermore, you don’t have to plant them every year!
Why choose perennials? It is tough to top the selection available in perennial plants. Range of color, textures and variety of form make the options endless. Well designed perennial gardens can provide an array of blooms from spring to fall.
Whether they are used in natural native plantings, to complement a pond, or a colorful addition to a shady area, perennials offer a wide variety of choices. They can be planted in the spring, summer or fall and they’ll return bigger and better the following year. Periodic deadheading will encourage them to produce more blooms.
Perhaps the hardest part of growing perennials is deciding which ones to plant. We’ve chosen ten of our favorite top perennial choices for your garden. We think these are among the best choices for every garden. They are low maintenance and provide interest in multiple seasons. The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) is an excellent resource for more information on perennial varieties.
Plants for Sunny Areas
Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldstrum’
Commonly known as Black-Eyed Susan, they are native to North America. It’s a great addition to meadow gardens. Butterflies love this plant for its’ nectar, while birds feast on the seeds in the winter.
Hemerocallis ‘Happy Returns’
Happy Returns is a favorite at our garden center. The soft yellow bloom is a terrific accent to any garden.
Coreopsis ‘Zagreb’
Commonly known as moonbeam coreopsis this plant is perfect for the front of a sunny garden. Butterflies and other pollinators love it. ‘Zagreb’ is a compact plant that produces deep yellow blooms that last throughout the summer.
Scabiosa columbaria ‘butterfly Blue’
Add a beautiful shade of blue to your sunny border. Scabiosa is a delicate looking plant in appearance, but a strong performer in the garden. Best of all, it blooms from spring until frost.
Shasta Daisy ‘Becky’
We love Shasta daisies. They have vibrant white blossoms with a classic yellow center that last and last. This sturdy perennial is a must for any sunny garden. If you love daisies, you’ll love ‘Becky’.
Pennisetum alopercuroides ‘Hamlin’
Hamlin is a dwarf grass that is an excellent choice for container gardens. Plant in the middle of a container and surround it with your favorite annuals. It also performs well in the garden as a border plant. It’s pretty plumes add an additional pizzazz.
Lillium ‘Stargazer’
Stargazers are a hit with hummingbirds and butterflies. You’ll love them too. Blooms are large, fragrant and long lasting. Stargazers are also a great flower to cut and enjoy indoors. They can grow up to 4′ tall so they’re an excellent choice in the back of a flower bed.
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
‘Autumn Joy’ features beautiful grey, green foliage. The foliage alone is a beautiful addition to the garden, but the bloom adds the finishing touch. The blossoms open into a dusty pink that gradually turns a reddish bronze towards fall.
Plants for Shady Areas
Astilbe ‘Visions’
Visions produces a pretty magenta pink bloom in early to mid-summer. ‘Visons’ are a sturdy plant that are more drought tolerant than earlier astilbe varieties. Plant in clumps on a woodland border. Excellent compliment to ferns.
Hosta ‘Patriot’
Hostas are the perfect accent for a shady area. ‘Patriot’ has heart shaped leaves with a wide white edge. This variety clumps well and produces a pretty lavender bloom in mid summer.
For more information on planning a perennial bed, check out Perennial Beds and Borders.
We offer a wide variety of perennials for you to choose from. Our associates will be happy to assist you in finding the right choices for your garden.