When it comes to creating a beautiful, low-maintenance garden, perennials are your best friend. These hardy plants return year after year, offering reliable structure, vibrant color, and seasonal interest to your borders. Whether you’re designing a new garden layout or refreshing existing beds, choosing the right perennials can make all the difference.
Below are ten of the best perennial plants to plant in borders—chosen for their beauty, ease of care, and ability to thrive in a variety of conditions.
1. Salvia (Salvia nemorosa)
Bloom Time: Late spring to fall
Sun Requirements: Full sun
Why it’s great:
Salvia brings long-lasting spikes of purple, blue, or pink blooms and is a magnet for bees and butterflies. Its upright growth adds vertical interest to borders, and it pairs beautifully with roses or ornamental grasses.
2. Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
Sun Requirements: Full sun
Why it’s great:
Coneflowers are tough, drought-tolerant, and pollinator-friendly. Their daisy-like flowers come in a variety of colors and provide months of color—plus, birds love the seed heads in fall.
3. Catmint (Nepeta faassenii)
Bloom Time: Early summer to early fall
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Why it’s great:
This easy-care perennial produces masses of lavender-blue flowers and has fragrant foliage that resists deer and rabbits. It’s a great filler plant that softens the edges of borders.
4. Daylily (Hemerocallis)
Bloom Time: Early to late summer
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Why it’s great:
Daylilies are tough, reliable, and come in an astounding range of colors and sizes. Although each bloom lasts only a day, established clumps produce flowers for weeks.
5. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’)
Bloom Time: Mid-summer to fall
Sun Requirements: Full sun
Why it’s great:
With cheerful golden-yellow petals and a dark center, this perennial provides a bold splash of color and attracts pollinators. It’s great for late-season interest and is very low maintenance.
6. Hosta
Bloom Time: Summer (for flowers, but foliage is the main attraction)
Sun Requirements: Shade to part shade
Why it’s great:
Perfect for shaded borders, hostas offer lush, textured foliage in a variety of green, blue, and variegated tones. They’re a go-to plant for adding structure and contrast.
7. Peony (Paeonia lactiflora)
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Why it’s great:
Peonies are the stars of late spring gardens, with huge, fragrant blooms in shades of pink, white, and red. Though they bloom for a few weeks, their foliage remains attractive all season.
8. Sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile)
Bloom Time: Late summer to fall
Sun Requirements: Full sun
Why it’s great:
Also known as “Autumn Joy,” sedum thrives in poor soils and requires minimal care. Its succulent-like leaves and late-season blooms provide crucial color when many other plants fade.
9. Geranium (Cranesbill)
Bloom Time: Late spring to early fall
Sun Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Why it’s great:
Hardy geraniums are versatile, pest-resistant, and offer a spreading habit ideal for the front of borders. Some varieties even offer attractive fall foliage.
10. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Bloom Time: Summer
Sun Requirements: Full sun
Why it’s great:
Lavender adds a fragrant, Mediterranean touch to borders with its purple spikes and silvery foliage. It thrives in well-drained soil and attracts pollinators while repelling pests.
Tips for Planting a Beautiful Perennial Border
- Layer wisely: Place taller plants like peonies and coneflowers in the back, medium-height varieties like catmint in the middle, and low growers like hardy geraniums in front.
- Mix bloom times: Choose plants with staggered flowering seasons to ensure continuous color.
- Add structure: Combine perennials with evergreen shrubs or ornamental grasses for year-round interest.
Final Thoughts
A well-planned perennial border brings beauty and biodiversity to your garden with minimal effort year after year. By incorporating a mix of colors, heights, and bloom times, you’ll create a dynamic display that evolves with the seasons.
Which of these perennials is your favorite? Let us know in the comments—or share your go-to plants for borders!
