May is the perfect time of year to plant perennials and also when most local nurseries have the most selection of perennials in stock. In this post, I decided that it would be a good time to talk about my favorite perennials. I will be listing fifteen of my favorite perennials for sun, part sun and shade. (Five that are ideal for sun, five that are ideal for part sun and five that are ideal for shade). I have chosen these perennials because of hardiness, ease of care, spring and summer interest, and color variety.
Full Sun:
Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun'- Blanket Flower
Gaillardia are one of my favorite perennials for sunny borders. The plants have always performed well in my garden with bright reddish-orange centers and yellow around the edges of the petals. Their non-stop bloom from late spring through late summer are sure to be show stoppers and the plants are always full of blooms. I listed the cultivar 'Arizona Sun' here because that is my favorite cultivar that has always performed well for me. These are short plants that only reach 1/2 to 1' tall. Gaillardia are also drought tolerant, once they are established. As an added bonus, these plants attract birds and butterflies.
Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Phlox paniculata- Garden Phlox
Phlox is another one of my favorite perennials for use in sunny perennial gardens. The showy clusters of blooms on top of the bushy plants add great color to gardens everywhere. The flowers come in light pink, dark pink, light purple, dark purple and white. Phlox usually blooms from mid summer until early fall and grows to about 1 1/2- 2' tall.
Phlox paniculata (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Delosperma- Ice Plant
Delosperma is great as a ground cover for sunny rock gardens or perennial borders. These succulent plants are full of daisy-like blooms from early summer to early fall. The flowers come in pink, red, purple, yellow, and orange. The plants are drought tolerant and prefer sandy soils kept on the dry side.
Delosperma (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Echinacea purpurea- Purple Coneflower
Purple Coneflowers have dark red-brown centers and light purple petals. The great thing about these plants is that they attract bees and butterflies. Purple Coneflowers are great for the sunny perennial garden and top out at 2-5' tall. Echinacea blooms from early to late summer.
Echinacea purpurea- Purple Coneflower (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Baptisia australis- Blue False Indigo
I first saw this plant in a garden on a garden tour that I was on a couple of years ago and knew that I had to have it. This is a bushy plant with dark green-silver leaves and is full of pea-like blooms all over the plant. (This plant is in the Pea Family). The blooms are a light-purplish-blue in color and attract birds and butterflies. Baptisia is a great addition to any sunny perennial garden. This plant grows to 3-4' tall and blooms from late spring to early summer.
Baptisia australis (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Part Sun:
Agastache- Giant Hyssop
This plant has small, attractive trumpet shaped flowers in colors ranging from orange, pink, red and purple. Agastache tolerates part sun and grows to about 2-3' in height. A great thing about this plant is that it attracts butterflies. It usually blooms from early summer to early fall.
Agastache (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Amsonia hubrichtii- Blue Star
I learned about this plant when I was in college and didn't really like it at first, but it grew on me since then and a now I adore the plant. Amsonia hubrichtii features feathery foliage and tiny powdery blue flowers from mid to late spring. This plant gets to be about 2-3' tall and attracts butterflies. I also love how the leaves turn a pretty yellow color in the fall, too.
Amsonia hubrichtii (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Lilium, sp. -Asiatic/Oriental Lily
These can be grown from bulb or plant. Asiatic Lilies come in white, yellow, red, pink, and orange. Oriental Lilies also come in a variety of colors, but usually are a mixture of two colors, with the center being one color and the outside of the flowers being another color. They come in color combinations such as yellow and orange, white and pink, etc. The flowers are showy and normally bloom in early summer. Asiatic and Oriental Lilies tolerate part shade as well as full sun. Lilies require regular, even moisture, but should not be allowed to dry out or get too wet. Usually reaching a height of 3-4' tall, these plants may require staking. After the foliage and stems turn yellow, they can be cut back.
Lilium, sp. (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Aquilegia canadensis- Columbine
Columbine is a great plant for the perennial garden that receives part sun. Blooming in mid- late spring, this plant has basal foliage with clusters of blooms that rise up above in the center of the plant. The flowers come in pink, purple, yellow, and red. Grows to be 2-3' tall.
Aquilegia canadensis (Photo Courtesy of Danielle Charlton)
Chelone lyonii- Pink Turtlehead
Pink Turtlehead is a great perennial for gardens that receive part sun and are even great for rain gardens. The flowers are pink and there is even a cultivar with white flowers. The flowers supposedly look like turtleheads, which is where this plant gets its common name. Chelone blooms from mid summer to early fall and gets to be about 2-4' tall.
Chelone lyonii (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Shade:
Lamprocapnos spectabilis- Bleeding Heart
Bleeding Heart is by far one of my favorite perennials for the shade garden. Its a bushy plant with tiny heart shaped pink and white flowers. This plant blooms from mid to late spring and gets to be about 2-3' in height.
Lamprocapnos spectabilis (Photo Courtesy of Danielle Charlton)
Trillium- Wood Lily
Trilliums are ideal for shady woodland gardens and are great for spring interest, blooming in mid to late spring. The flowers come in maroon, yellow, orange, and reddish green in color. Growing to 1-1 1/2' tall, the plant dies back in early summer.
Trillium (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Heuchera- Coral Bells
Heuchera is better known for its foliage of all different colors than flowers. It has small, insignificant flowers from early to mid summer on long stalks that rise above the foliage. The foliage comes in colors of green and white, orange, yellow, brown and dark purple. Its a perfect addition to any shade garden.
Heuchera (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Helleborus- Hellebore (Lenten Rose)
The attraction of Hellebore is that they have dark green leaves that are held on the plant year round. Flowers appear around early to mid spring and range in colors from purple, pink, lime, white, red, and yellow. The blooms usually hang down like bells. The plant is perfect for the shade garden, and only reaches 1/2-1' tall.
Helleborus (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Pulmonaria- Lungwort
Lungwort is perfect for the shade garden with its green leaves with white spots and purple, pink or blue flowers. It blooms in mid spring and is low growing, at about 1/2-3/4' tall.
Pulmonaria (Photo Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden)
Bibliography: Missouri Botanical Garden, Plant Finder. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org