If you dream of a garden that grows more beautiful with each passing year, requires less replanting, and supports pollinators and biodiversity, then perennials are your best friend.
Often called the backbone of the garden, perennials offer long-term structure, reliable blooms, and seasonal interest. Once planted, they return year after year, becoming more vigorous and rewarding with time.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll explore the world of perennials—from selecting the best varieties for your climate and soil to designing with color, texture, and height. You’ll also discover the benefits perennials offer for your garden’s health, your wallet, and even your mental well-being.
Let’s get planting!
Perennials are plants that live for more than two years. Unlike annuals, which must be replanted each spring, perennials regrow from their root systems every season after going dormant in winter.
Type | Characteristics |
---|---|
Herbaceous | Die back to the ground in winter, regrow in spring (e.g., daylilies, peonies) |
Woody | Maintain structure above ground (e.g., lavender, shrubs like hydrangea) |
Evergreen | Retain leaves year-round in milder climates (e.g., hellebores) |
🌿 Some perennials bloom for a short time but make up for it with strong foliage or by supporting seasonal rhythm in your garden.
Once established, perennials return year after year, often increasing in size and number. This means less work and more reward.
While initial care matters, mature perennials often require minimal watering, fertilizing, and pest control.
Perennials add a base layer to your garden layout, providing texture, height, and rhythm across the seasons.
Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds thrive on the reliable blooms of many perennial species.
Though they cost more upfront, perennials pay you back year after year, unlike annuals that need replanting every season.
Your zone determines which plants will survive winter in your area. Use this map to find your zone.
Full sun: 6–8 hours/day (e.g., coneflowers, black-eyed Susans)
Part sun/shade: 3–6 hours/day (e.g., hostas, bleeding hearts)
Full shade: <3 hours/day (e.g., ferns, astilbe)
Test for drainage and pH. Amend with compost if needed. Most perennials prefer well-draining soil.
For continual color, mix early, mid, and late bloomers. This supports pollinators and keeps your garden interesting year-round.
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
Daylilies
Sedum
Bee Balm
Salvia
Blanket Flower
Coreopsis
Lantana (tender perennial)
Yarrow
Hellebores
Hostas
Astilbe
Columbine
Japanese Anemone
Lavender
Russian Sage
Agastache
Gaillardia
Penstemon
Designing a perennial garden is like painting with living color. Here are some top design principles:
Back: Tall (Joe-Pye weed, delphiniums)
Middle: Medium (coneflowers, yarrow)
Front: Short/groundcover (creeping thyme, sedum)
Pair soft foliage (e.g., lamb’s ear) with spiky shapes (e.g., liatris) for visual interest.
Complementary colors: purple and yellow, red and green
Monochromatic for calm, cohesive looks
Vibrant mixes for energy and pollinator appeal
Plant in drifts or clusters, not singletons, and repeat plants throughout the garden for harmony.
Perennials make excellent companions for other plants. Here are some effective combinations:
Perennial | Companion | Benefit |
---|---|---|
Lavender | Roses | Deters pests, enhances fragrance |
Yarrow | Tomatoes | Attracts beneficial insects |
Coneflower | Milkweed | Supports pollinators |
Salvia | Zinnias | Balanced color and bloom time |
Companion planting promotes garden health, biodiversity, and beauty.
Choose healthy plants or divisions with strong roots.
Dig hole twice the width of root ball.
Mix compost into soil and place plant at the same depth it was growing before.
Water thoroughly and mulch around the base.
Spring: Cut back dead foliage, fertilize with balanced compost
Summer: Deadhead faded blooms to encourage reblooming
Fall: Divide overcrowded clumps, add mulch for winter
Winter: Let some seed heads stay for wildlife; cut back in early spring
Most perennials benefit from division every 3–5 years. This keeps them healthy and allows you to expand your garden for free!
Best in early spring or fall
Dig up the clump and gently split roots using hands or spade
Replant sections 12–18 inches apart
Great for:
Hostas
Daylilies
Iris
Shasta Daisy
Sedum
In colder zones, some tender perennials (like dahlias) won’t survive winter outdoors.
Dig up tubers after first frost
Dry for several days
Store in a cool, dry place in peat moss or newspaper
Pollinators are in decline. Growing native, nectar-rich perennials can support their survival.
Echinacea (butterflies)
Milkweed (monarchs)
Bee Balm (bees, hummingbirds)
Liatris (pollinator magnet)
Goldenrod (late-season nectar)
Gardening isn’t just good for your landscape—it’s great for your health and happiness.
Light exercise and mobility
Vitamin D from sun exposure
Fresh air improves lung function
Reduces anxiety and stress
Boosts mood and mindfulness
Promotes a sense of purpose and accomplishment
Watching a perennial bloom return each year builds a connection with nature’s cycles.
Perennials are the unsung heroes of every successful garden. They anchor your landscape with enduring beauty, invite pollinators, save time and money, and offer a deeper connection to the natural rhythms of the earth.
Whether you’re starting a pollinator haven, a woodland oasis, or a low-maintenance front yard design, perennials are your secret weapon. The best time to plant them was yesterday—the next best time is today.
So, choose a few favorites, prep your soil, and watch your garden grow stronger, fuller, and more beautiful with each passing season.
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