The Perennial Flower Garden

Perennial Blooms

What Exactly IS a Perennial? Perennials are defined as plants that live for three years or longer. They are different from trees and shrubs in that they do not have woody stems. Most often, garden perennials are considered herbaceous. Ok, herbaceous....so what's that? Essentially, herbaceous perennials make up a broad category of garden plants, including many flowering plants and grasses. Most herbaceous perennials die to the ground in the winter with root systems intact, then send out new growth in the spring. Some don't die completely to the ground in cold seasons, but remain as small tufts of foliage that spring up with warm weather.

Perennials are versatile, offering lasting, reliability in your garden. They bloom year after year, and when the time comes, they quietly fade into the quiet stillness of winter. If you are just developing a perennial garden, fill in the spaces with splashes of annuals color.

Picture if Available

Flower Name Colors

Physical Description

Suggested Uses

Liatris White, rosy purple, violet

This wildflower is also known as Gay-Feather for its numerous, floffy, feathery spikes of lavender flowers opening from the top down. Hardy plants bloom summer to early fall.

Perennial. Blooms midsummer well into fall. Grows to 3 feet; plant in sun or partial shade. Zones 3-10.

Sea Lavender Lavender, blue and white.

Lavender is on the fringes as a perennial, since it is often classefied as a shrub. Gray-green foliage contrasts with purple to lavender flowers.

Perennial. No cutting garden would be complete without it. Prefers full sun and grows 2 to 3 feet. Zones 4-10

Blue Flax, blue, red, yellow and white.

Blooms open on sunny days, but close at night and over-cast days. The flowers live only one day, however the plants bloom from early spring to late fall.

Perennial. 1 to 2 feet tall; full sun; zones 4-10

Lupines Red, pink, blue, purple, yellow, orange, white and bicolors.

Lupines offer dramatic spires. Plants form bushy clumps with dark green leaves resembling an open hand. Tall, pointed flower spikes come in many colors.

Perennial. Most grow 4 to 5 feet tall. Use lupines in natural areas, in small groups or as accents. They prefer well-drained soil and plenty of water. Zones 4-9.

Peony

Up to 10 inches wide, single, double and semi-double; the colors range from white to deep rose. The foliage is deeply veined, and is attractive all season long. Dense foliage clumps range 1 to 4 feet wide.

Perennial. Give peonies full sun and rich, well-drained soil. Height is 1 1/2 to 3 feet; zones 2-9

They are hardy and easy to grow, need no attention and thrive in sun and heat. Plant in groups for a colorful screen or border backdrop.

They bloom from July to frost, 3 to 4 inch ruffled crepe-paper-like blossoms.

Perennial. 3 to 4 feet tall; full sun; zones 4-9

Phlox Red, pink, white, blue, apricot, purple and rose.

Intense color and varying growth styles make these indigenous perennials excellent choices for the home garden. They bloom from spring into autumn; flowers consist of clusters or single star-shaped blossoms.

Perennial. Use as massed color, tall background plants and small border specimens. Give full sun to part shade and deep, rich, well-drained soil. May need staking. Zones 3-10

Balloon Flower

Round, balloon-like buds give way to bright star-shaped flowers. The plants reach 2 feet in height with oval, medium green 3 inch leaves.

Perennial. Use the flowers for cool accents and massed in beds and borders. Prefer partial to full shade in warm climates but tolerate full sun in cool regions. They need average, well-drained soil and regular watering. Zones 3-9

Potentilla, Cinquefoil

Free-flowering, blanketed with dazzling flowers from June to September. Easily grown in any well-drained, fertile soil. Prefers sun or partial shade.

Perennial. Useful for ground covers or borders. Grows 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall. Zones 5-9

Rudbeckia

Coneflowers brighten perennial borders and meadow and wild gardens with months of late season color. Flowers are daisy-like in shades of orange and yellow, and some are double-petaled. Tall, tough, and easy to grow in all but soggy soils, they are cheerful and showy in a vase.

Perennial. Full and partial sun; 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 feet tall. Zones 3-10

Scabiosa - Pincushion Flower

Scabiosa has stamens resembling tiny pins surrounded by colorful, soft, rounded petals and is valued for its unique form. Blossoms are 2 to 3 inches and come in blue or white on 2 foot stems. Foliage grows in clumps whith deeply cut, slender, medium green leaves.

Perennial. Useful for cut flowers, borders or rock gardens or look lovely massed together. Prefer full sun and average to sandy, well-drained soil. Zones 3-10

Sedum

Drought tolerant, these plants make terrific ground covers. The taller versions look good in borders. The foliage is evergreen, and crushes easily.

Perennial. Prefer full sun. Zones 3-10

Potentilla, Cinquefoil

Free-flowering, blanketed with dazzling flowers from June to September. Easily grown in any well-drained, fertile soil. Prefers sun or partial shade.

Perennial. Useful for ground covers or borders. Grows 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall. Zones 5-9

Oriental Poppy Orange, peach and red.

Huge, brilliantly colored blossoms add bold drama to the perennial garden. Cup-shaped, silky, tissue-like flowers, up to 5 inches wide, bloom on fern-like wiry stems.

Perennial. Plants grow from 2 to 4 feet tall. Eye-catching planted in mixed borders in sunny, well-drained locations. Zones 2-9

Oriental Poppy

See above information.

Perennial. See above information.

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Last Updated July 10, 1998

Picture if Available	Flower Name Colors	Physical Description	Suggested Uses
	Liatris White, rosy purple, violet	This wildflower is also known as Gay-Feather for its numerous, floffy, feathery spikes of lavender flowers opening from the top down. Hardy plants bloom summer to early fall.	Perennial. Blooms midsummer well into fall. Grows to 3 feet; plant in sun or partial shade. Zones 3-10.
	Sea Lavender Lavender, blue and white.	Lavender is on the fringes as a perennial, since it is often classefied as a shrub. Gray-green foliage contrasts with purple to lavender flowers.	Perennial. No cutting garden would be complete without it. Prefers full sun and grows 2 to 3 feet. Zones 4-10
	Blue Flax, blue, red, yellow and white.	Blooms open on sunny days, but close at night and over-cast days. The flowers live only one day, however the plants bloom from early spring to late fall.	Perennial. 1 to 2 feet tall; full sun; zones 4-10
	Lupines Red, pink, blue, purple, yellow, orange, white and bicolors.	Lupines offer dramatic spires. Plants form bushy clumps with dark green leaves resembling an open hand. Tall, pointed flower spikes come in many colors.	Perennial. Most grow 4 to 5 feet tall. Use lupines in natural areas, in small groups or as accents. They prefer well-drained soil and plenty of water. Zones 4-9.
	Peony	Up to 10 inches wide, single, double and semi-double; the colors range from white to deep rose. The foliage is deeply veined, and is attractive all season long. Dense foliage clumps range 1 to 4 feet wide.	Perennial. Give peonies full sun and rich, well-drained soil. Height is 1 1/2 to 3 feet; zones 2-9
	They are hardy and easy to grow, need no attention and thrive in sun and heat. Plant in groups for a colorful screen or border backdrop.	They bloom from July to frost, 3 to 4 inch ruffled crepe-paper-like blossoms.	Perennial. 3 to 4 feet tall; full sun; zones 4-9
	Phlox Red, pink, white, blue, apricot, purple and rose.	Intense color and varying growth styles make these indigenous perennials excellent choices for the home garden. They bloom from spring into autumn; flowers consist of clusters or single star-shaped blossoms.	Perennial. Use as massed color, tall background plants and small border specimens. Give full sun to part shade and deep, rich, well-drained soil. May need staking. Zones 3-10
	Balloon Flower	Round, balloon-like buds give way to bright star-shaped flowers. The plants reach 2 feet in height with oval, medium green 3 inch leaves.	Perennial. Use the flowers for cool accents and massed in beds and borders. Prefer partial to full shade in warm climates but tolerate full sun in cool regions. They need average, well-drained soil and regular watering. Zones 3-9
	Potentilla, Cinquefoil	Free-flowering, blanketed with dazzling flowers from June to September. Easily grown in any well-drained, fertile soil. Prefers sun or partial shade.	Perennial. Useful for ground covers or borders. Grows 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall. Zones 5-9
	Rudbeckia	Coneflowers brighten perennial borders and meadow and wild gardens with months of late season color. Flowers are daisy-like in shades of orange and yellow, and some are double-petaled. Tall, tough, and easy to grow in all but soggy soils, they are cheerful and showy in a vase.	Perennial. Full and partial sun; 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 feet tall. Zones 3-10
	Scabiosa - Pincushion Flower	Scabiosa has stamens resembling tiny pins surrounded by colorful, soft, rounded petals and is valued for its unique form. Blossoms are 2 to 3 inches and come in blue or white on 2 foot stems. Foliage grows in clumps whith deeply cut, slender, medium green leaves.	Perennial. Useful for cut flowers, borders or rock gardens or look lovely massed together. Prefer full sun and average to sandy, well-drained soil. Zones 3-10
	Sedum	Drought tolerant, these plants make terrific ground covers. The taller versions look good in borders. The foliage is evergreen, and crushes easily.	Perennial. Prefer full sun. Zones 3-10
	Potentilla, Cinquefoil	Free-flowering, blanketed with dazzling flowers from June to September. Easily grown in any well-drained, fertile soil. Prefers sun or partial shade.	Perennial. Useful for ground covers or borders. Grows 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall. Zones 5-9
	Oriental Poppy Orange, peach and red.	Huge, brilliantly colored blossoms add bold drama to the perennial garden. Cup-shaped, silky, tissue-like flowers, up to 5 inches wide, bloom on fern-like wiry stems.	Perennial. Plants grow from 2 to 4 feet tall. Eye-catching planted in mixed borders in sunny, well-drained locations. Zones 2-9
	Oriental Poppy	See above information.	Perennial. See above information.