These unfussy, long-lived plants pump out beautiful foliage and flowers year after year. Plant in fall or spring when cooler temperatures help them get a healthy start.
Set out these flowers (and one gorgeous foliage plant) in fall or spring for beautiful garden color year after year.
Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily)
Flowers of the evergreen hybrids come in shades of purple with dark flecks and last well in bouquets. Alstroemeria aurea blooms come in shades of yellow and orange.
The 2-to 3-foot tall plants produce flowering shoots as long as the soil doesn't get too hot. (Twist the shoot off at the base to keep them coming).
> More about growing Alstroemeria
Aster x frikartii
Delicate-looking flowers on ultra-tough plants tolerate just about any soil type. 'Mönch' grows to 2 feet-tall and pumps out 2 1/2-inch lavender-blue flowers almost all year if spent ones are removed.
'Wonder of Staffa' is another favorite with lavender blue blossoms.
> More about growing asters
Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii)
Loose spikes of lavender-blue flowers cover the soft, silvery-green mounds in late spring and early summer.
As soon as blossoms fade, shear plants back by half, or cut faded flower stems to the ground to encourage rebloom.
Plants (to 1 foot tall) make attractive, informal hedges.
> How to grow catmint
Coneflower (Echinacea)
Colorful and super tough, 'Ruby Star' from Monrovia nurseries has large pinkish-purple blooms with pronounced coppery centers.
The plant grows 2-feet tall; the flowers are 4 inches across. Among the many showy hybrids are 'Orange Meadowbrite', butter-yellow 'Sunrise', and reddish-orange 'Sundown'.
> More about growing coneflowers
Coreopsis 'Mango Punch'
The low, mounding perennial covers itself in summer with mango-orange flowers that have a red blush.
We love the fresh, fruity hue of this new variety. Clip the faded blooms so the flowers will keep coming.
> More about growing Coreopsis hybrids
Euphorbia characias wulfenii
Upright stems crowded with narrow blue-green leaves form a dome-shaped bush 4 ft. high and wide.
Chartreuse flower clusters appear in late winter or early spring (cut spent ones out at the base).
> More about growing Euphorbia characias wulfenii
Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica)
Must-haves for lightly shaded woodland gardens, these much-loved plants bear tiny but exquisite blue flowers in spring in mild climates.
'Baby Blue', a hybrid from Proven Winners, has true blue flowers and grows 6 to 8 inches tall.
> More about growing forget-me-not
Gaillardia x grandiflora
Cheerful daisylike blooms in various warm shades of yellow, bronze, and red. Many varieties are available, with single or double flowers.
Ones we love: foot-tall 'Goblin' with deep red flowers bordered in yellow; 'Yellow Queen', pure yellow flowers (2 1/2 feet tall), and orange 'Tokajer' (3 feet tall).
> More about growing gaillardia
Gaura (G. lindheimeri)
White flowers cluster like butterflies atop tall spikes on these airy 2½- to 4-foot-tall plants. Selected forms include 'Siskiyou Pink' (to 2 feet tall), with rose-pink flowers and 'Whirling Butterflies' (to 3 feet tall), with white flowers.
> More about Gaura
Geum chiloense
Tall flower spikes grow from mounds of velvety foliage to 15 inches high, 2 feet wide.
'Lady Stratheden' has clear yellow blooms; 'Mrs Bradshaw' has double scarlet blooms. Both have a delicate wildflower look.
> More about geum chiloense
SEE ALL 20 FAVORITE PERENNIAL FLOWERS
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