If you want flowering garden plants for your border, perennials are the answer. They’ll be producing flowers from early spring until well into autumn. Perennials can even enliven a garden during the winter.
Year-round
Perennials do exactly what their name suggests. Every spring, their first fresh green leaves start peeking above the ground: always a welcome sight. When you select perennials with a range of flowering periods, you’ll be enjoying spectacular floral displays in your garden all season long.
Mix & match
Primulas (Primula) and Lungwort (Pulmonaria) are beautiful spring-flowering perennials. Many perennials, such as Masterwort (Astrantia) and phloxes (Phlox), bloom during the summer. These summer-flowering plants also include some that just keep on blooming their hearts out. Good examples are Purpletop Vervain (Verbena bonariensis) and Indian Feather (Gaura lindheimeri) since they produce flowers until late autumn. Typical autumn-flowering perennials include the autumn-flowering asters (Aster) and Japanese Anemone (Anemone). Some perennials such as the Christmas Rose (Helleborus) even bloom during the winter.
Groundcovers in bloom
Groundcovers are often used to create maintenance-friendly gardens. A good idea because groundcovers suppress weeds. And, if you want lots of flowers in your garden, groundcovers will serve this purpose as well. You can choose from many perennials that both cover the ground and produce flowers. Myrtle (Vinca) might be the most familiar, but you could also consider Barrenwort (Epimedium), Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) and Cranesbill (Geranium).
Flowering garden plants that attract butterflies
You’ll also be doing butterflies a favour by planting flowering perennials. Autumn-flowering asters (Aster), teasels (Dipsacus) and Boneset (Eupatorium) are perennials that will have butterflies as well as other beautiful or beneficial insects flocking to your garden!
Tips
Wait until spring to cut back perennials that lose their leaves in the autumn. This allows you to enjoy their winter silhouettes.
Also interesting:
Foxgloves for a hint of wilderness
Lavender: more life in your garden
Peonies: flamboyant perennials
