Perennial Plants for All Seasons
We all know that one of the perks of gardening with perennials is the fact that you will not have to replant them every year. They’re hardy, they’re beautiful; but consider this: your garden can have an ever-changing palette of colors and textures as the seasons progress. And yes, that includes winter! This is all without a lot of effort on your part. Just a little bit of planning, and some helpful input and tips from the plant geeks at Fairview, and you are off and running!
Spring Blooms
Let’s start with spring bloomers. Creeping phlox and Candytuft are extremely popular. They are low-growing, spreading bloomers that also just happen to be evergreen. They come in various shades of white, pink, purple and blue and are happiest in full sun.
Peonies love full-to-part sun and demonstrate their beauty with lush foliage and gorgeous, fragrant blooms in almost every color. Irises come in many varieties, such as German bearded, Siberian and flag irises. Some like it dry and others like it moist, but they all need the sun.
Have you got more shade than sun? No problem. Pulmonaria (aka Lungwort) has interesting foliage and tiny flowers in shades of pink, purple and blue. Woodland phlox blooms have a delicate violet-like fragrance. Of course you know about lily of the valley! Their perfume has no equal. Coral bells and Euphorbia both have long-lasting spring flower stalks, and also have the benefit of being evergreen. Perennials that take your garden from spring into the early summer in part shade to part sun are Astilbe, Columbine and Bleeding Heart.
Summer Heat Lovers
Ah, summer! Be prepared for an explosion! Just name your color, and we have a perennial for you! Plants that bloom the entire summer season in the sun are Coreopsis, Daisies, Gaillardia (aka blanket flower), Gaura, and certain varieties of Nepeta (aka catmint), Dianthus, Achillia (aka yarrow) and meadow sage.
Lantana is a perennial favorite – pun intended! Blooms that kick in a little later on are Russian sage, Goldenrod, Penstemon (aka beardtongue), Bee Balm and Red Hot Poker.
For the full-to-part shade garden, check out toad lily and spotted dead nettle.
Fall Favorites
Take your garden into fall with prolifically blooming asters in shades of pink, white and purple. Helianthus blazes in shades of gold and yellow, beginning in late summer and carrying on into autumn. This is a great time of year for many of the Coral Bells (Heuchera), for even though they consist of only foliage at this point, autumn-inspired colors abound.
Winter Wonderland
Oh, yes, we have a special perennial for winter. Hellebores (aka Lenten rose) are an evergreen plant for the full-to-part shade. They sport an elegant, romantic flower in muted shades of purple, red, pink, green, yellow and white. Some varieties begin blooming as early as mid-winter, and continue to early spring.
You can plant a perennial garden that continuously blooms throughout the entire year with changing colors! We at Fairview are happy to help. Remember, we love our gardens, too!