Looking to refresh your garden without wasting time or effort? Perennials are a great way to add lasting beauty to your outdoor space year after year. They come back season after season, making them a smart choice for any gardener.
This list of 21 stunning perennials will help you find the perfect plants to instantly upgrade your garden’s look and feel. Whether you’re aiming for vibrant color or interesting textures, these perennials offer something for every style and skill level.
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)
If you want a low-maintenance flower that adds color, purple coneflowers are a great pick. They stand tall and brighten your garden with their rosy, straight petals.
These plants handle heat and drought well, making them perfect if you don’t want to fuss much. Plus, they attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, helping your garden thrive naturally.
Shasta Daisy
If you want a cheerful, easy-to-grow flower, Shasta Daisies are a great pick. They have bright white petals with sunny yellow centers that brighten up any garden space.
You’ll notice these perennials start blooming in early summer and continue for months. They work well in borders or as cut flowers.
Black-Eyed Susan
If you want a splash of bright yellow, Black-Eyed Susan is a solid choice. These perennials have cheerful yellow petals with dark centers that brighten any garden space.
They grow about 24-30 inches tall and thrive in full sun. Plus, they bloom from midsummer until frost, giving you long-lasting color. You’ll also attract pollinators, which is great for your garden’s health.
Russian Sage
If you want a low-maintenance plant that adds color, Russian Sage is a solid choice. It has grayish-green leaves and slender stems with small lavender-blue flowers.
You’ll like that it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Once established, it’s drought-tolerant and attracts pollinators, making it great for a lively garden. Check out more about Russian Sage and growing tips here.
Yarrow
If you want a low-maintenance plant that adds color, yarrow is a solid choice. It grows quickly and handles heat, drought, and cold pretty well.
You’ll love its flat-topped flowers that come in various shades like white, yellow, pink, and red. Plus, yarrow attracts pollinators, which is great for your garden’s health.
It thrives best in full sun with fast-draining soil, making it easy to care for and durable in many climates. For more details, check out this yarrow guide.
Agastache
If you want a low-maintenance perennial, Agastache is a great choice. You’ll enjoy bright flowers in pink, blue, purple, and orange that attract hummingbirds and pollinators.
This plant is drought-tolerant, so it fits well in gardens where water is limited. Its spicy scent also adds a nice touch to your outdoor space. Check out more about growing Agastache here.
Butterfly Bush
If you want to attract butterflies, the butterfly bush is a great choice. It grows quickly—over 2 feet per year—and blooms in mid-summer with beautiful, fragrant flowers.
You’ll enjoy watching a variety of butterflies visit, including swallowtails and skippers. It prefers full sun and can reach up to 12 feet tall and 8 feet wide.
Coreopsis
If you want bright, cheerful flowers that aren’t fussy, coreopsis is a great pick. These plants bloom for a long time and handle most soil types without much trouble.
You’ll love how easy they are to grow and how well they fit in almost any garden style. Plus, some varieties resist deer, which is a nice bonus.
Catmint
If you want a low-maintenance perennial, catmint is a solid pick. It grows up to 3 feet tall and blooms all summer with long-lasting, fragrant flowers.
Its gray-green foliage adds texture and color to your garden, and it adapts well to different soil types. You can learn more about growing catmint here.
Salvia
Salvia is a great choice if you want colorful, low-maintenance flowers. You’ll find blooms in purple, pink, white, and more, which attract hummingbirds and pollinators.
These perennials handle dry conditions well, making them perfect for gardens that don’t get much water. Plus, many types grow fast, so your garden will fill in quickly. Learn more about these versatile plants here.
Perennial Geranium
If you want a low-maintenance plant, perennial geraniums are a great pick. They bloom from late spring to early summer and come with a subtle spicy scent that helps keep deer and rabbits away.
These hardy plants do well in full sun to part shade and thrive in average, well-draining soil. You can learn more about their benefits from this collection of award-winning hardy geraniums.
Hardy Hibiscus
If you want big, bold flowers, hardy hibiscus are a solid choice. These perennials can grow tall, with huge blooms that grab attention in any garden.
They die back in winter but come back strong each spring. With proper care, your hardy hibiscus can last for many years. Some varieties even show colorful foliage to spice up your garden.
Hosta
Hostas are perfect if you want low-maintenance plants for shady spots. Their large, textured leaves come in shades of green, blue, and variegated patterns.
You’ll also get spikes of flowers in pink, white, or lavender during the growing season. They pair well with other shade lovers like astilbe or heuchera, creating a nice mix of textures and colors in your garden.
Heuchera
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Heuchera, also known as coral bells, adds great color to your garden with its glossy, scalloped leaves. You’ll find shades from deep purple to bright yellow, perfect for shady spots.
These plants are easy to care for and bloom with delicate flowers on tall stems. They work well in beds, borders, or containers.
Bee Balm
If you want a splash of color, bee balm is a great pick. Its bright red, pink, or purple flowers attract pollinators like bees and hummingbirds.
Plant bee balm in well-drained soil and give it plenty of space—about 18 to 24 inches apart. It spreads quickly, so be ready to manage its growth to keep your garden tidy.
Bachelor Button
If you want a pop of bright color, Bachelor Buttons are a great choice. They usually bloom in vibrant blue but can also show pink, white, or purple shades.
These flowers are easy to grow from seed and will happily reseed themselves, giving you new blooms year after year. You can find a variety of seeds, including tall and dwarf mixes, to fit your garden space.
Daylilies
If you want low-maintenance flowers with vibrant colors, daylilies are a great pick. They bloom in a wide range of shades, from soft pastels to bold reds.
Some types, like the reblooming varieties, will give you flowers more than once in a season. You’ll get a longer bloom time with less effort. Check out options like the coppery red ‘Open Hearth’ if you want eye-catching, large flowers for your garden.
Astilbe
If you have a shady spot, Astilbe is a great choice for your garden. You’ll get feathery plumes in shades of red, pink, or white that brighten up darker areas.
These perennials also come with soft, fern-like leaves that add nice texture. They do well in moist soil, making them low maintenance for you. Check out varieties like Astilbe ‘Red Sentinel’ for some vibrant color that stands out.
Sedum
Sedum is a super easy plant to grow, making it perfect if you want something low-maintenance. Its fleshy leaves help it handle drought, so you won’t have to water it much.
You can find sedum in many colors and shapes, from tall varieties to low-growing types. This versatility means you can fit it into almost any spot in your garden.
Lamb’s Ear
Lamb’s Ear is a soft, fuzzy perennial that feels great to touch. You’ll love how it spreads quickly and fills in garden spaces.
It thrives in full sun but can tolerate some shade. Plus, it’s drought-tolerant and does well in slightly poor soil. For more tips, check out how to grow and care for Lamb’s Ear.
Lupine
If you want tall, colorful spikes in your garden, lupines are a great choice. They come in shades of blue, purple, and white, making a bold statement.
Lupines also help your soil by fixing nitrogen, which benefits nearby plants. Plus, they’re pretty low-maintenance and fit well in cottage gardens or meadows. You can find perennial lupine seeds online to get started easily.