How to Pick Perennials for Continuous Garden Color

As we all try to get gardening, put an eye on your flower bed designs and see if you might like more perennials that just keep giving and growing every year.

Cynthia Bee shares how to plan for and pair those perennials.

All-stars are perennials which bloom MOST of the season. Here is a few of our favorites:


Sundancer Daisy


“Coral Canyon” Diascia


“Moonbeam” Coreopsis

Season Spanners are long-blooming perennials that will provide consistent color for 6-8 weeks.


Early Spring- Rockcress (variegated leaf is the best)


Mid-Spring- “May Night” Salvia or other in the same family


Summer- Gaillardia


Fall- “Xenox” Upright Sedum

Foliage Stars-colorful foliage is the designers secret for creating non-stop color. Some foliage favorites include:


Variegated Rockcress


“Lemon Fizz” Santolina


“Dark Towers” Penstemon


Partridge Feather


“Southern Comfort” Heuchera

Fillers- if the above three types of perennials are included, fill in with whatever your heart desires. Fillers may include ornamental grasses and groundcovers as well as perennials.

Here are some perennials combinations that work well together:

Dry Shade- “Burning Heart” Bleeding Heart + “Fire Alarm” + “Silver Bouquet” Pulmonaria

Full Sun- “Golden Jubilee” Hyssop + “Dark Towers” Penstemon + Salvia

Native (super waterwise)- Tufted Evening Primrose + Sundancer Daisy + Silver Sage

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