6 Popular Perennials to Brighten up Your Garden

The New Year provides a pause in the gardening calendar for homeowners to reflect and reimagine their gardens. In the depths of winter, with the whole growing season ahead, it is easy to get excited about plans for a vibrant new flowerbed, or vegetable patch bursting with fresh produce.

Perennials confer significant advantages over annual plants, chief among them the fact that they do not need to be replaced every year. This makes them a great buy from a financial perspective. Since they will not need replanting, perennials are a great choice for time-strapped gardeners seeking to create an attractive yet low maintenance outdoor space.

There are many factors to consider when selecting the right plant for the right space in your garden. With a little planning, you can stagger blooming times, adding color to your garden from early spring to the first frosts of fall. In this article, we share six popular perennials to add interest and vibrance for years to come.

1. Campanula

The Campanula family consists of more than 300 species of mostly perennial plants. Also known as Bellflowers, the genus is popular for its long flowering displays. It can be used to brighten up borders and beds in cottage gardens or add a splash of color to rock gardens.

Cold-hardy, Campanula mostly grows in Zones 4 to 8, preferring cooler summer climates. Their growth habit varies from one cultivar to the next. Some species, like Campanula glomerata, grow up to be elegant, tall garden plants ideal for cutting. Others, like Campanula carpatica, creep close to the ground, making them excellent groundcover or edging plants.

2. Siberian Iris

This graceful plant brings beauty to both sunny and shaded aspects. It blooms in late spring to early summer and retains its foliage for the rest of the season. Popular in Zones 2 to 8, Siberian Iris must not be allowed to dry out. Other than requiring regular watering in dry weather, Siberian Iris is a low maintenance garden plant that is largely unbothered by diseases.

In addition to the traditional blues and purples, there are some exciting new strains, like White Swirl. Butter and Sugar is a appealing shade of yellow, the classic Caesar’s Brother boasts vivid purple blooms, and Silver Edge is a beautiful light blue variety. Pink cultivars like Pink Haze are also available today, providing a beguiling show of butterfly-like flowers in late spring.

3. Shasta Daisy

Native to Europe, the cheerful Shasta Daisy has naturalized throughout North America. Blooming from late spring to fall, the flower has white petals surrounding a yellow center, just like a traditional daisy. However, it stands up to three feet tall. The plant’s opulent green foliage lasts year-round in Zones 5 to 8.

It is a good idea to cut Shasta Daisy flowers before they go to seed, since they can be aggressive growers. The genus is an excellent choice for cut flowers, their blooms lasting a week or more in an arrangement.

4. Lavender

One of the most colorful and fragrant of all herbs, Lavender flowers can be dried to make scented sachets or put in potpourri. Lavender is an also an effective insect repellant, driving flies and mosquitos from your garden while simultaneously attracting butterflies and bees.

Appropriate for Zones 5 or 6 to 9 depending on species, Lavender thrives in well-drained, alkaline soil, positioned in a sunny site.

5. Geranium

Numerous different Geranium cultivars are available today. Their blooms come in a variety of colors, including peach, white, red, pink, magenta, blue, and purple.

Geranium flowers are typically cup-shaped. They are around an inch across and attract bees and butterflies with their heady scent. Harding Geraniums can be used in a variety of different ways in garden landscaping. They make great border plants and add a splash of color to part-shade locations, with newer varieties like Rozanne blooming all summer long.

6. Hostas

A firm favorite among gardeners, hostas are prized for their foliage as much as their flowers. The Hosta family originated in Asia, having been introduced to Europe in the 18th century. There are more than 2,500 Hosta cultivars today varying considerably in leaf shape, texture, size, and color.

Hostas are generally considered an easy, low-maintenance plant to care for, although there are a few factors to consider if you want to help your plants to reach their full potential. Although they are renowned as shade lovers, optimum placement and care varies from one cultivar to the next. A good rule of thumb with hostas is the deeper the leaf color, the more shade the plant will tolerate, with variegated types requiring more sunlight to keep stripes vivid gold or white.

Hostas require a fertile soil, with slightly acidic pH. When planting, you should dig a hole around a foot deep, ensuring it is wide enough to accommodate the spread of a full-sized plant, making it easier for the roots to establish themselves and begin their horizontal spread.

Hostas are an excellent choice for those seeking to create a tranquil oasis, adding lush green touches of the tropics to any garden.