With all of the cold temperatures that most of the U.S. has been experiencing, it seems like most everyone is looking forward to spring. So on that note, let’s talk about hearty and beautiful perennial plants that can bloom nearly all summer long in most of the midwest and northern growing climates.
Most of the plants in this list are also quite hearty and tend to live long lives in the garden, when properly cared for. This list is not all inclusive, but all of the featured plants in this article are considered to have a long bloom period as well as a long life. Of course the conditions of your garden and your care habits can dramatically affect both the length of the bloom period, as well as the overall life of the flowering plants. This means that if one of the plants in this list dies in your garden, something wasn’t right for the plant to thrive. This could relate to anything from the amount of sun that the plant received in its planted location, soil chemistry, wind conditions, or the way that you cared for the plant, this would include everything from fertilizing, watering, and even mulching of the flower beds.
Above all, the most important factors for ensuring that your perennial plants perform year after year is that you match the plants with your hardiness zone, sun, and water requirements. If you plant a perennial that is suited for a level 8 hardiness zone in a level 4 zone, the winter temperatures will get too cold, and the plant will die over the winter. Obviously, if you plant a full shade plant in full sun, that will also kill the plant. The bottom line is to follow the basic planting instructions that come with the plants when they are purchased from the nursery.
Here is the list of long living and long blooming perennials that are sure to make your flower garden a show stopper. This list includes both the botanical and common names:
- Achillea – Yarrow
- Ageratum – Floss Flower
- Allium – Flowering Onion
- Anemone – Wind Flower
- Campanula – Canterbury Bells and Clips
- Chrysanthemums- Mums
- Coreopsis – Tickseed
- Delphinium -Larkspur
- Dianthus – Pinks
- Dicentra – Bleeding Heart
- Doronicum – Leopard’s Bane
- Echinacea – Coneflower
- Gaillardia – Blanket Flower
- Geranium – Cranesbill
- Gypsophilia – Baby’s Breath
- Hemerocallis – Daylily
- Huechera – Coral Bells
- Monarda – Bee Balm
- Phlox
- Physostegia – Obedient Plant
- Platycodan- Balloon Flower
- Rudbeckia – Black-eyed Susan
- Sedum – Stonecrop
- Veronica – Speedwell
- Viola – Violet
As long as you provide appropriate care for these perennials, they will provide summer-long color in your yard for years to come.
