Here are 28 recommended perennial garden plants that are almost foolproof. Most plants will not flourish each and every garden season, but if you pick five or 10 plants from this list, you have a good chance of enjoying fabulous results in your new garden Yarrow grows 2 to 4 feet tall and blooms from early summer all the way into fall. Cut back following the initial bloom, and remove dead stalks from the garden at season’s end.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 10 (depending on cultivar)Color Varieties: Pastels, rust, deep red, yellow, whiteSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Any well-draining soil
Bugleweed can be invasive in some regions if it naturalizes, so take care to keep it confined on your property. Warning: All parts of this plant are poisonous if eaten.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Color Varieties: Blue, violetSun Exposure: Full sun to partial shadeSoil Needs: Medium-moisture, well-drained soils; tolerate moderately dry soil
Check on details for the species you are buying. Some prefer moist woodland conditions, others are alpine species that need good drainage. Most Columbines spread readily by reseeding. If you want to keep the flower bed tidy, remove seed pods following bloom.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9 (varies depending on species)Color Varieties: White, pink, lavender, peach, blue, yellow, bi-colorsSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained soil
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8Color Varieties: Lavender, blue, white, Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shadeSoil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained soil; prefers slightly acidic conditions
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Color Varieties: BlueSun Exposure: Part shadeSoil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained soil
The stems should be pruned down to 8 to 12 inches above the ground in early spring, which prompts new growth. Not all varieties are hardy in northern climates, so check carefully before buying. Dwarf varieties also are available and popular with gardeners with limited space. Warning: Butterfly bush is considered an invasive plant in some regions, so check before you plant it, and make sure it does not spread outside the garden.
USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9Color Varieties: White, purple, pink, red, yellowSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained soil
USDA Growing Zones: Perennial in zones 9 to 11; planted as an annual in all zonesColor Varieties: White, pinks, purples, blueSun Exposure: Part shadeSoil Needs: Cool, moist, well-drained soil
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9Color Varieties: Yellow, orange, pink, red, bi-colorSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil
Once known primarily as “purple coneflower,” cultivars with other colors have recently been developed, often through hybridization with other Echinacea species. These plants are known to attract birds (mostly finches) and butterflies. Birds like the seed heads in winter, too, so leave the stems and flower heads in place rather than cutting them back after frost. Coneflower readily spreads by self-sowing its seeds, or you can propagate new plants by dividing the roots.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8Color Varieties: Purple, pink-purple, white, yellow, orange, redSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil
Warning: All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested and have been known to be fatal if eaten by pets.
USDA Growing Zones: Perennial in zones 7 to 11; grown as an annual everywhere Color Varieties: Red, pink, magenta, yellow, creamy whiteSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Tolerates any well-drained soil
The varieties normally grown are annuals, but they readily reseed themselves in the garden. Be forewarned that when hybrid varieties self-seed, the offspring may revert to a different appearance. Like many daisy-like plants, blanket flowers are attractive to butterflies and birds, and if the dried seed heads are left on the plants, birds will feast on them into the winter.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 10; usually grown as annualsColor Varieties: Mahogany, red, yellow, orange, bi-colorSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil
After the first flowering period is complete, lightly cut back the foliage to shape the plant and revitalize it for a second fall bloom period.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9Color Varieties: Blue, pinkish purpleSun Exposure: Full sun / partial shadeSoil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained soil
USDA Growing Zones: Perennial in zones 8 to 10, usually grown as annualsColor Varieties: Shades of white and vivid yellow, orange, pink and redSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Rich, medium moisture, well-drained soil
Daylilies spread in clumps which should be divided about every three years. Overcrowding will inhibit flowering. They can be lifted and split in early spring to increase your stock or share plants with others. This is perhaps the most essential of all flowering plants for beginning gardeners.
USDA Growing Zones: 1 to 11, depending on species and varietyColor Varieties: Yellow, orange, red, purple, white, pastels, bicolorsSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained soil
If growing coral bells in full sun, make sure to keep it well watered to prevent foliage from declining. Remove the stems of spent flowers to prompt additional blooms.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8Color Varieties: Foliage colors include burgundy, silver, butterscotch, bronze, and yellow; flowers are red, white, coral, or pinkSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Rich, medium moisture, well-drained soil
Hostas are incredibly easy to grow, but they are susceptible to damage from slugs and snails. Hostas do best with morning sun but afternoon shade.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Color Varieties: Foliage ranges from pale yellow to deep blue-green; flowers are white or lavenderSun Exposure: Partial shade to full shade; yellow varieties are best at tolerating sunSoil Needs: Rich, moist, well-drained soil
Some varieties favor warmer climates, but there are iris suitable for even subarctic environments. The most popular type, the tall bearded iris, may need staking to prevent the flower stalks from falling over.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Color Varieties: White, yellow, shades of purple and blue, bicolorsSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained soil
Lavender’s hardiness is affected by winter dampness. Shallow rooted, this plant will decline in wet soil. Cut back stems to 1/3 their height following bloom to boost root growth and extend the life of the plant.
USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 10, depending on species; grown as annuals in cooler climatesColor Varieties: Lavender, white, yellowSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil
Shasta daisy will attract pollinator insects and it is extremely drought-tolerant. Plants will readily self-seed in the garden.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 10Color Varieties: White with gold centersSun Exposure: Full sun / partial shadeSoil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil
Many varieties are available, ranging from 1 to 8 feet in height with a wide range of bloom colors. The flowers appearing in mid to late summer are bowl or flat-shaped and usually extremely fragrant—too much so for some people. Removing spent flowers will often prompt additional blooming. Some types require a period of cold dormancy making them suitable for warmer climates. The related group of lilies, the Asiatic lilies, are equally easy to grow for beginning gardeners.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8Color Varieties: White, yellow, pink, red, orangeSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Rich, medium moisture, well-drained soil; does best in slightly acidic soil
Lupines can sometimes be brought down by unusually hot summers. Hot, humid weather can also foster slugs and aphids that destroy the plants, but it is no great challenge to plant more seeds.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8Color Varieties: White, red, pink, yellow, blue, purple, bicolorsSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Rich, medium-moisture soil; prefers slightly acidic conditions
If you want daffodils to naturize in your lawn (a popular strategy), then you will need to limit your use of lawn chemicals and weed killers on the lawn, since these will quickly ruin your daffodil bulbs.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 11Color Varieties: White, yellow, peach, pink, bicolorsSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Rich, medium moisture, well-drained soil; prefers slightly acidic conditions
Paeonia is a large genus of flowering perennials, but the familiar garden peony consists mostly of cultivars of the P. lactifllora species. Recent cultivars have returned to single flowers that don’t collapse under their own weight. A delightful specimen plant is the fern-leaf peony (Peonia tenuifolia), expensive to purchase but a true conversation piece in the garden. So-called tree peonies are shrubby hybrids derived from Paeonia suffruticosa; these are not the same easy-care garden peonies best suited for beginning gardeners.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8Color Varieties: White, pink, red, purpleSun Exposure: Full sun / partial shadeSoil Needs: Rich, medium moisture, well-drained soil
Black-eyed Susan is a short-lived perennial or biennial, but it grows easily from seeds and will readily self-seed itself in the garden. Leave the flower heads in place; they will serve as food for winter birds.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Color Varieties: Yellow, orange-yellow with dark centersSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Average moisture, well-drained soil
Meadow sage is a favorite of butterflies and other pollinators. If planting it as part of a butterfly garden, make sure to avoid the use of pesticides of any kind.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9Color Varieties: White, Violet-blueSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil
Pincushion flowers bloom non-stop, attract butterflies, and require little more than some deadheading to keep the blooms going. This is a very easy-care plant, though the roots may rot if it soaks in wet soil.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7Color Varieties: Pink, blueSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Light, well-drained soil; doesn’t tolerate wet soils
Like other sedums, this is a fleshy-leaved perennial. ‘Autumn Joy’ is one of the taller forms at 2 to 3 feet in height. The dense flat-topped clusters of mauve pink, rust, or red flowers appear in very late summer through fall, gradually deepening in color. The ‘Autumn Fire’ cultivar had a tighter growth habit that doesn’t flop over as readily as does ‘Autumn Joy’. Avoid the flopping problem by planting ‘Autumn Joy’ in full sun and in dry soil.
USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Color Varieties: Mauve pink, rust red, purpleSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil
Tulips will naturalize easily in colder climates, but in warmer climates the bulbs need to be planted as annuals, as the bulbs require a cooling period to bloom. In cooler climates, fall is the time to plant tulip bulbs for the following spring. Tulips are all spring bloomers, but within the group are varieties that bloom in very early spring, mid-spring, and late spring into early summer.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 6 (There are a few that can survive in Zones 7 and 8.) Color Varieties: White, yellow, pink, red, purple, bicolors Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil Needs: Medium moisture, well-drained soil
