Perennials are the stalwarts of our garden borders, providing colourful garden flowers, year after year. There are many different types, including herbaceous perennial, short-lived perennial, woody perennial and hardy perennial. Strictly speaking, trees and shrubs are perennials, but we tend to think of perennials as long-lived plants. Most perennials flower in spring, summer, or fall, but a few bloom in winter. Many of them also have pretty leaves.
There are perennials for every garden style, aspect, and soil type. They come in a range of sizes, from low-growing herbaceous plants for the front of a border to medium-sized ones for the middle to huge ones a couple of meters tall for the back. They establish and grow quickly, with most reaching their full size in a few growing seasons. Many perennials make good cut flowers and the more compact varieties are excellent for growing in pots. Most are flowering plants that are very attractive to pollinators.
After a long winter, we all look forward to the first signs of spring. As the weather warms, it’s time to prepare your garden beds and start planning which plants to add for a beautiful spring landscape. Perennials are an excellent choice, providing years of easy-care color and visual interest. Here are my top 13 perennial picks for a spectacular spring garden.
1. Peonies
Peonies are beloved for their huge, fluffy blooms in late spring. These classic perennials come in single, semi-double and double flower forms, with colors ranging from white, pink, red, yellow, coral, and purple. Give peonies plenty of space in full sun and well-drained soil. The plants can grow quite large over time.
2. Irises
Bearded irises are another perennial spring favorite, with their tall stalks of ruffled blooms in nearly every color except true red and pure white. For best growth, plant them in full sun and well-drained soil. Cut back the spent flower stems after blooming, and divide congested clumps every few years.
3. Columbines
Columbines produce delicate, bell-shaped blooms atop lacy, mounded foliage in spring. They come in colors like red, yellow, pink, purple, white and blue. Grow columbines in partial shade to full sun and average to poor soil. They readily reseed.
4. Coral Bells
The beautifully ruffled foliage of coral bells emerges in striking colors like chartreuse, silver, purple and rose in spring. Spikes of small, bell-like blooms appear in late spring. Grow coral bells in partial shade with rich, moist soil.
5. Catmint
Catmint is a carefree perennial that blooms prolifically with blue flowers for weeks in late spring Its fragrant, gray-green foliage remains attractive all season. Catmint thrives in full sun and average soil Shear spent flowers for repeat blooms.
6. Foxgloves
Foxgloves produce tall spires lined with tubular blooms in late spring and early summer Flower colors include purple, pink, yellow and white Though biennials, they readily self-seed. Grow foxgloves in partial shade to full sun in rich, moist soil.
7. Poppies
Poppies provide a quick burst of cheery color in late spring and early summer The tissue paper-like blooms come in shades of red, orange, pink, yellow and white Most poppies thrive in full sun and poor to average soil. Allow some spent blooms to go to seed for new plants.
8. Lavender
Lavender is treasured for its fragrant purple flowers and silvery foliage that begin blooming in late spring. The aromatic blooms and leaves are perfect for drying. Grow lavender in full sun and well-drained soil. Clip back spent flowers to encourage bushy growth.
9. Lady’s Mantle
Lady’s mantle is prized for its ruffled, chartreuse foliage that forms a lovely mound emerging in spring. Tiny chartreuse blooms appear in late spring and early summer. It thrives in partial shade and moist soil. Both the leaves and blooms make nice cut flowers.
10. Lupine
Lupine produces showy, dense spikes covered in pea-like flowers in beautiful shades of blue, purple, pink, red, yellow and white in late spring. Lupines thrive in average to poor soil in full sun. Allow some seed pods to form for new self-sown plants.
11. Geranium
Hardy geranium’s saucer-shaped blooms in shades of magenta, purple, blue, pink and white appear in late spring. The mounded plants have deeply cut, attractive foliage even when not in bloom. Grow geraniums in partial shade and rich, moist soil.
12. Lavandula angustifolia
English lavender bursts into bloom in late spring with its iconic fragrant purple flowers and silvery foliage. Blooms and leaves are perfect for drying. Grow in full sun and well-drained soil. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage bushy growth.
13. Tulips
Few flowers embody spring better than tulips! Plant bulbs in fall for vibrant blooms the following spring. Tulips come in almost every color and work nicely with other spring perennials. Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil.
Incorporating a variety of these easy yet eye-catching perennials will give you non-stop color in your spring garden. With proper planting and care, they will return reliably for years of enjoyment.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/close-up-image-of-the-beautiful--summer-flowering-pink-echinacea-purpurea-flower-also-known-as-the-coneflower-1165682952-9150ccbc848c4ed88432229c792b2080.jpg)
20 top perennial plants to grow
Yarrow is an herbaceous perennial and makes a colourful summer display in a sunny spot. It grows big, flat heads with lots of tiny flowers on stems that rise above groups of feathery, green or silver grey leaves. Yellow varieties predominate and there are reds and oranges too.
Height x Spread: 45-75cm x 45-60cm
Michaelmas daisies, also called asters, are a popular herb in late summer and fall garden borders. They have lots of “daisy” flowers on strong stems that come in bright pinks, mauves, purples, and white. An excellent plant for pollinating insects too. Prefers sun.
H x S: 30-75cm x 45cm
Bergenia is a tough perennial plant with big, round, evergreen leaves that are sometimes called “elephant ears.” It does well in any good soil and makes a great ground cover in sun or shade. Large clusters of pink, white or purple flowers are borne in late winter and early spring.
H x S: 30-45cm x 45-75cm
Crocosmia is a herbaceous perennial growing from bulb-like corms. Crocosmias are also known as montbretia, although this tends to refer to the common species Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora. This has naturalised in many areas and is considered to be invasive. It is against the law in England and Wales to plant or help this species grow in the wild because it is on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. You should stop them spreading from your garden and avoid purchasing or accepting gifts of these species.
The cultivated varieties are less likely to become invasive. From early to late summer, they shine with orange, red, or yellow flowers on thin stems. They also have pretty, lance-shaped, fresh green leaves. Great for introducing a vertical element to a border. Grow in sun or part shade, and shelter in cold areas.
H x S: 60-90cm x 30-40cm
Beautiful flowers cover the tall stems of delphinium. The flowers open from the bottom to the top over time, giving the plant color for many weeks. Blue is the predominant shade, as well as white, pink and mauve. Young stems and leaves that have been split up are appealing to slugs and snails. You can protect your plants with barrier granules or an eco-friendly bait. Grow in sun or part shade.
H x S: 60-90cm x 30-45cm
Sea holly has beautiful, often architecturally shaped or variegated leaves and tall stems with blue flowers that bees love in the summer. Prefers sun and free-draining soil and is ideal in gravel gardens too.
H x S: 45-60 m x 30-45cm
Euphorbias are interesting for a long time because they have both beautiful, architectural leaves and big heads of “flowers” in colors like lime, yellow, and orange-red. These are papery bracts, not flowers, which is why they last for months rather than weeks. Many varieties keep their foliage and form through winter. This huge and diverse plant group offers something for every garden situation.
H x S: 15-120cm x 45-120cm
Geraniums are a large and varied group of plants that look great along borders, in raised beds, and under bigger plants. Most flower in summer and length of flowering period varies hugely. ‘Rozanne’ is an outstanding variety that blooms for many months. Hardy herbaceous geraniums mustn’t be confused with frost-tender geraniums, correctly known as pelargoniums, widely used for summer pots. Most do best in sun although several species thrive in shade.
H x S: 30-90cm x 30-90cm
Hellebores are winter/spring-flowering perennials, including Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) and Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis). The pretty leaves stay green most of the time, and the flowers come in shades of pink, purple, white, and green. Many hellebores are happy in shade although a few require sun. Winter-flowering varieties are particularly important for bees emerging early in the year.
H x S: 30-50 cm x 30-40cm
Daylilies have colourful, lily-like open trumpet blooms borne in clusters on sturdy stems. The name comes from the fact that each flower only lasts one day, but there are so many of them that they make a nice show over a few weeks in the summer. A wide colour range includes yellow, orange and red. Grow in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil.
H x S: 30-60 cm x 45-60cm
Heucheras are known for having interesting leaves all year long. Their scalloped-edged leaves come in neat clumps and come in a wide range of colors, such as lime-green, yellow, purple, and orange. Slender spires of white flowers appear in summer, but foliage is the big attraction. Grow in sun or part shade.
H x S: 30-45cm x 30-45cm
Hostas are mostly grown for their big, pretty leaves that come in a lot of different shades, like glaucous blue, green, and leaves with white or yellow spots on them. Flowers are also borne in summer, but foliage is the main attraction. Hostas thrive in full or partial shade and prefer moisture-retentive soil. Slugs and snails, on the other hand, like them and eat holes in the leaves, which doesn’t usually kill the plant but does make the leaves look bad. Hostas also do well in pots, where it’s easier to protect plants from slugs.
H x S: 30-75 cm x 30-75 cm
Oriental poppy, Papaver orientale
Oriental poppies bear enormous, showy blooms in spring and early summer, followed by decorative seedheads. Colours include pink, red, coral and white, mostly with contrasting black centres. The fern-like fresh green leaves appear very early, with flowers appearing in mid spring. Then the whole plant goes dormant and dies back by summer. Easy to grow, in any reasonable soil and in sun or part shade.
H x S: 60cm x 45-60cm
Primroses are loved for their early flowers; the name “prima rosa” comes from the Latin word for “first rose.” In mild areas, our native primrose starts to bloom in the winter. There’s a huge range of colourful varieties as well as moisture-loving primulas for damp soil.
H x S: 15-60cm x 15-45 cm
In the spring, lungwort is a beautiful plant that can also be useful. It can grow in both sun and shade and forms low, spreading clumps that can be planted under trees and shrubs. Bees love the blue, white or pink flowers. Some pulmonarias have prettily marbled leaves, too.
H x S: 30cm x 45 cm
Best Perennials to Plant in Spring (2024)
FAQ
Can perennials be planted in the spring?
What is the longest blooming perennial?