Arricca Elin SanSone is a freelance writer, editor, and digital content developer. She specializes in lifestyle and interior design content with a focus on gardening. Arricca earned dual bachelor’s degrees summa cum laude in English and classics from Hiram College, as well as an MBA cum laude from Georgia Southern University. Before writing full-time, Arricca studied in Rome, traveled in Europe, and taught school in Asia. With over a decade of experience, Arricca has pitched, researched, and crafted fresh story ideas and content to appeal to national audiences. She has written thousands of articles for print and digital publications such as Country Living, Good Housekeeping, Prevention, House Beautiful, and more. 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A lot of work can go into planning out a garden before you ever get near the soil! After designing the layout and figuring out where the sunny and shady spots are going to be, you may want to plan out a mix of both annual and perennial flowers.
Annuals are nice for adding variety and color—and of course you can change them from year to year. But a solid base of perennials keeps you from having to start over every season, and gives you a pallet to work with. There are shade-loving perennials, but also plenty of sun-loving perennials with striking flowers that, once established, can be largely hands-off. Reliable perennials can be great for attracting pollinators, which will help keep your garden vibrant.
If you know what USDA Hardiness Zone you're in, then you can start to think about what plants you may want. (Keep in mind that the zone map has just recently been updated.) To best catch the eye, it's useful to plant a variety of colors. But also keep in mind the heights of flowers and the bloom times.
Some other tips for planning a garden:
It helps to know what kind of soil you have, how it drains, as well as the PH levels of your soil, all of which can vary by region. You can send a sample of your soil—along with a few dollars–to your local Cooperative Extension, and they will tell you everything you need to know and everything you need to do to improve it.
"Full-sun perennials" need about 6 to 8 hours of direct light daily in order to thrive. If a space is on the shady side, avoid planting these plants.
Plant tags will tell you everything you need to know about how much sun, what kind of soil, and ideal zones that variety needs. Don't have a a lot of land? No worries. Many of these will work just as well for container gardens. Here, some of the best sun-loving perennials.
Photos from Japan, Asia and othe of the world//Getty Images
If you crave vibrant color and showy flowers, plant a hardy hibiscus in your garden. With huge blooms that can reach the size of dinner plates, these perennials instantly transport you to the tropics.
Dahlias really like full sun, but as with most plants, if you live in a super hot part of the country, you should try to provide them with a bit of afternoon shade.
This native milkweed, called Asclepias tuberosa, not only has striking bright-orange flowers, but it's also a reliable attractor for pollinators of all kinds, but especially monarch butterflies. It tops out at 2-2 1/2 feet.
If you're looking for pretty flowers and fabulous foliage, Canna lily is the right pick for you. This hummingbird attractant likes the heat and the sunshine, where it thrives.
This shrubby plant with glossy dark green foliage has lush, exuberant flowers with rich fragrance in late spring. Don’t plant too deep or they won’t bloom. The ants that visit the flowers aren’t pests; they’re sipping the nectar.
Abundant spiky purple flowers and lacy gray-green leaves adorn this upright shrubby plant. It blooms mid- to late summer and tolerates a range of soil types.
These graceful, elegant flowers bloom for weeks in late spring to early summer. The plants typically last only a few years, although they often drop seeds which start new little plants. Columbine also produce more blooms with some deadheading.
With every color of the rainbow, you’ll find a type to love. But here’s the kicker: If you want mums to come back every year, plant them in the spring. If you plant in the fall (like most people do), the plants don’t have time to get established in time to survive winter.
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9 Varieties to try: Hillside Sheffield Pink, Matchsticks Learn more: How to Grow Chrysanthemums
These mounding perennials (not to be confused with the type you usually see potted on a window sill) have a long flowering period and spicy fragrance. They’re sturdy plants that quickly double in size. Early summer is peak bloom.
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8 Varieties to try: Rozanne, Biokovo Learn more: 25 Most Fragrant Plants
These early summer bloomers are hardy, fast-growing and fuss-free. Their pink, purple, or white flowers bloom for weeks in the landscape, and the foliage has a pleasant, light minty scent.
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8 Varieties to try: Walker’s Low, Blue Wonder Learn More: 20 Fast-Growing Plants
Big, gorgeous daylily blooms appear early to midsummer. These flowering perennials multiple quickly, so you can divide in a few years and gain more plants. Fun fact: Daylilies aren't acutally lilies! But they are actually beautiful. There are cultivars for nearly every hardiness zone.
Beautiful pale purple flowers, silvery foliage, and appealing fragrance make this perennial herb an all-around winner in any garden setting. The woody classic is cranky about being moved once established, so pick a spot and stick with it.
Hardiness Zones: typically 5 to 10, depending on variety Varieties to try: SuperBlue, Phenomenal Read more: How to Grow Lavender
Bright daisy-like blooms come in a profusion of colors and sizes. They flower from early to midsummer for weeks. Keep the seed heads in place over the winter for the birds. The fragrant flowers can be used fresh or dried for echinacea tea!
These bullet-proof perennials come in every size, shape, form, and color from upright to ground-hugging. They’re an excellent choice in dry, sandy soils.
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9 Varieties to try: Dynomite, Angelina, Autumn Joy Learn more: How to Grow Autumn Joy Sedum
These bold, dancing blooms flower for a few weeks in early summer. They’re best planted en masse. Make sure you buy a type that is perennial (which come back from the roots), because some poppies are annuals (which are grown from seed).
