by Jennifer Poindexter
Are you interested in growing a perennial garden around your home? Do you feel unsure of which flowers you should plant in this garden?
You’re in the right place. I’m going to walk you through a list of popular perennial flowers which should work well in most perennial gardens.
Whether you need a splash of color to brighten your home or if you need a touch of lush, green elegance to brighten up a section of your yard, this list should have something for you.
Here are the most popular perennial flowers to amp up your perennial garden.
1. Hardy Hibiscus
Do you love the way hibiscus look, but you don’t live in a tropical climate to enjoy them year after year? You should try planting the hardy hibiscus.
These flowers are hardy in planting zones four through nine. They should be planted in full sun as well. If you live in these planting zones and can provide the right growing conditions, the hardy hibiscus could be a great plant for your perennial flower garden.
2. Black-Eyed Susan
You must be careful which variety of black-eyed susan you choose for your perennial garden. Though many varieties are perennial, some are biennial. This means, they’ll produce in year two and not return.
If you choose the proper variety, you can enjoy black-eyed susans for many years. These flowers are hardy in planting zones three through nine and must be provided a minimum of six hours of sunlight each day.
3. Salvia
Salvia is a great perennial to have around. They can handle extreme heat and drought. Plus, the deer don’t love them, so this alleviates that threat.
However, salvia can grow to be quite tall. Most varieties reach between two and three feet in height. Plan for this when planting this perennial flower. If you live in planting zones four through ten, this could be a great addition to your perennial flower garden.
4. Siberian Iris
Siberian iris is one of my favorite perennial flowers. I love their color varieties and unique blooms. They also can handle colder weather.
These perennial flowers are hardy in planting zones two through nine. If planting them in a colder climate, be sure they’re provided full sun.
If you live in a warmer planting zone, you can get away with planting the Siberian iris in partial shade. This flower is a great choice for adding unique charm to your perennial flower garden.
5. Tickseed
Don’t let the name of this flower turn you off. In fact, each variety is quite cheerful as they come in bright colors and have full blooms.
Be mindful to choose perennial varieties of tickseed, as some varieties are annuals. However, after picking the right variety, they should thrive in planting zones four through ten.
6. Daylily
I don’t know about you, but I love perennial flowers that add beauty, color, and a sense of cheerfulness around my property. If this is what you desire in your perennial flower garden, a daylily might be the right choice.
These flowers thrive in planting zones four through nine. They must be planted where they’ll receive ample sunlight. If you can provide this, you should be off to a great start in caring for this plant.
7. Astilbe
Astilbe is a dramatic flower which can add a lot of color and height variety to your perennial garden. They have mounding, lush leaves that form the foundation of the plants.
When in bloom, they produce tall, vibrant flowers. You can have this eye-catching flower in your perennial garden in planting zones three through eight. They must be provided partial shade and plenty of moisture.
8. Dianthus
I love dianthus and grow it around my home because it’s an easy flower to maintain. These plants produce gorgeous, colorful blooms.
They thrive in planting zones three through nine. Dianthus should be provided a minimum of six hours of sunlight and well-draining soil. Give them what they need, and you could have consistent beauty for many years in your perennial garden.
9. Blanket Flower
Blanket flowers remind me slightly of the Gerber daisy. Their blooms look similar. However, the blanket flower is much easier to care for.
These flowers grow as perennials in planting zones three through nine and are known for producing many blooms per plant. They also don’t face many threats in the garden. If you need a low-maintenance flower for your perennial flower garden, the blanket flower could be for you.
10. Russian Sage
Would you like a plant that produces plenty of color? Russian sage is a larger plant which can reach heights between three and five feet.
However, it also produces beautiful lavender blooms. It grows well in planting zones five through nine, can handle clay soil, and needs full sun. Another big-ticket item, when caring for this plant, is to ensure the soil drains adequately. Meet these few needs, and you could have another great option for your perennial flower garden.
11. Peony
Do you live in a colder climate? Peonies could be a great fit for your perennial flower garden. These flowers are hardy to zone three and remain this way to planting zone eight. If you provide them with full sunlight and soil that drains properly, you should have few problems.
The reason peonies do so well in cooler climates is because the cold winters help them form better blooms. Add this cold-loving flower to your perennial growing space if your planting zone, and garden, create adequate growing conditions.
12. False Indigo
Do you need a larger plant for your perennial garden? Don’t skip over false indigo. This plant produces gorgeous blooms and has a shrub-like appearance. It can grow to be three feet tall and five feet wide.
False indigo is hardy in planting zones five through nine. It also produces a variety of colorful blooms, depending upon which type of false indigo you plant. If you’re in the right planting zone, this perennial flower could brighten up your garden for many years.
13. Lavender
Lavender is one of those plants which can make your yard or garden area appear as though it’s blanketed in purple.
If you need a larger plant that produces gorgeous colors, consider adding lavender to your perennial garden. This plant can be grown as a perennial in planting zones seven through nine.
14. Catmint
If you have neighborhood cats, you don’t have to be fearful about growing this plant. Like lavender, catmint produces lush green foliage and small purple blooms.
Though the name is similar to catnip, this plant doesn’t draw cats. However, it’s fragrant and is a great way to add a subtle dash of color to your perennial garden. It will need plenty of sunlight and well-draining soil to thrive under your care.
15. Asters
Asters remind me of colorful daisies. They frequently come in pinks and purples and an array of sizes. The flowers can range in height from one foot to four feet tall.
If you’d like a flower to add to your perennial garden, consider this variety as they are hardy in planting zones three through eight. They do prefer to grow where they’re provided with full sun, soil that’s slightly sandy, and a growing space where the soil is well-draining.
16. Hosta
If you aren’t great at growing plants, the hosta plant is a great choice for you. These plants have a desire to live.
Therefore, they grow in a variety of settings and return each year. Hosta plants grow in planting zones three through nine. They do prefer to grow in shadier locations but need soil that’s well-draining.
17. Sedum
Do you like to grow flowers which are great for making flower arrangements? You should consider growing sedum. These plants have long green stems, with green foliage, and blooms which stand erect at the top.
You can grow these flowers as perennials in planting zones three through ten. They also need loamy soil that’s well-draining and full sun. If you grow these flowers in your perennial garden, be prepared for visitors. These plants tend to draw both butterflies and birds to their growing spaces.
18. Yarrow
Yarrow is another long-stemmed plant which produces green foliage and small blooms which grow in bunches.
These flowers can brighten up your growing space if you live in planting zones three through nine and if provided with well-draining soil. Yarrow doesn’t require a ton of extra care as they prefer dryer conditions.
19. Allium
Allium flowers almost remind me of a plant from a Dr. Seuss book. They grow on long green stems and produce a ball of blooms at the top.
They’re an excellent way to add color and design to a garden area. You can have these unique blooms in your yard each year, if you live in planting zones three through nine.
20. Tall Garden Phlox
Do you need cheery flowers to brighten up a dull yard? You can have this in a perennial plant by growing tall garden phlox.
These plants produce small flowers which grow in clusters. Keep in mind, they need full sun and can grow to be anywhere from two to four feet tall. Also, they’re hardy in planting zones four through eight.
21. Pincushion Flower
I love how perennial flowers not only come back each year but their designs are unique. The pincushion flower is a wonderful example of this.
The blooms on this plant look like a pincushion with needles sticking out of it. Unfortunately, these plants don’t care for extremes in temperature. Therefore, they’re only hardy in planting zones three through seven.
22. Coral Bells
Coral bells are another variety of fun plants. The foliage forms beautiful mounds in an array of colors. Once the plants begin to bloom, they produce long shoots with bell shaped flowers stemming from them.
If you need a blooming, mounding flower, coral bells could be what you’re searching for. They’ll serve as a perennial in planting zones four through nine.
23. Coneflower
Coneflowers remind me of black-eyed susans. They have daisy-like petals with a distinct center. The further the blooms open, the lower the petals drop.
The way the blooms open makes the flower take on a cone shape, which explains the name. If you’d like unique blooms with plenty of color, consider adding coneflowers to your perennial garden. They’re hardy in planting zones five through eight.
24. Shasta Daisy
Shasta daisies are a unique perennial. Where most perennials last for approximately a decade, these flowers last only a few years.
However, you can plant more of them each year for a brighter display which will last longer. If you need a low-maintenance flower, consider the Shasta daisy. They’ll need partial shade and well-draining soil. Plus, they only last as a perennial in planting zones four through nine.
25. Chrysanthemum
When I think of perennials, my mind instantly goes to growing chrysanthemums. These flowers come in a variety of deep or bright colors and bloom anywhere from July through October.
If you’d like a colorful way to welcome fall around your home, mums are hardy in planting zones five through nine. Some hardier varieties can even survive in planting zones three and four as well.
26. Buttercups
Our last popular perennial flower is the buttercup. In some planting zones, these flowers must be grown as annuals.
However, if you live in a warmer climate, they’re one of the most popular perennials. Buttercups are hardy in planting zones eight through eleven and are typically one of the first signs of spring in these areas. If you need a cheerful flower to welcome spring, consider planting buttercups in your perennial garden.
You now have quite a few flowers to choose from when deciding what to plant in your perennial flower garden.
Depending upon which planting zone you live in, you should be able to create a gorgeous growing space which will add color to your yard for years.
Learn More About Popular Perennial Flowers
https://web.extension.illinois.edu/perennials/directory.cfm
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/perennials
Comment on catmint — the neighborhood cats love it. I had to put a fence around my smaller plant to keep the cats from lying in it and squashing it. It seems to be recovering.