For more tips click on the categories at the top of the page.

A perennial flower garden can provide many years of beauty and enjoyment. Careful selection of plants and planning can result in a full season of color. Perennials often require less maintenance than some annual flowers. Once established, they generally require less water than annuals and often have fewer pest problems. And most importantly, gardening designs is an individual thing and no two gardeners are going to agree on what makes a great garden design. Maintenance during the growing season consists of periodic weeding, removal of spent blossoms (deadheading), staking if necessary, and insect and disease control. Depending on species, early spring or fall maintenance consists of trimming and removing old leaves and stems. After three to five growing seasons, some perennials may need to be divided to prevent overcrowding. By definition - perennials are considered to be ornamental plants that do not die after one season. This does not mean they live forever. Some perennials are considered to be short-lived, lasting only 2-3 years and not all perennial plants are hardy in all areas. If a plant is considered a tender perennial in your zone, whether it survives next year depends on the winter conditions. Knowing your garden zone allows you to determine what plants will best survive in your area, unless you are the adventuresome type, like Tony Avent, plant explorer and owner of Plant Delights Nursery Inc - I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself ... at least three times.

Basic Gardening Tips Compost is the best organic fertilizer to enliven your soil. It contains virtually all the nutrients a living plant needs, and delivers them in a slow-release manner over a period of years. Adding compost to your garden is a long-term investment, helping to feed plantings for years. Synthetic fertilizers can actually destroy the beneficial organisms and organic matter within soil and only provide a short fix. Group plants by their requirements, sun, shade, water, high maintenance, etc. You can still mix in different bloom times and variations in color, form and texture. Make low maintenance perennials the backbone of your garden. Raised beds and containers garden are much easier to control. Beds raised up by 6 inches or more will require less fertilizer and water; are easier to maintain; promote better plant and root growth; keep weeds from your garden; prevent soil compaction; provide good drainage; and you will be saving your back. Reduce watering, weeding and fertilizing requirements with mulch.

For more tips click on the categories at the top of the page.

Plant

Easy to Grow

Filtered sun/light shade

Showy flowers

Lawn Alternative

Some traffic

Full Sun

Tolerates deep shade

Good near ponds

Good for topiaries

Drought Tolerant

Deer resistant

Damp/wet soil tolerant

Salt Tolerant

ACORUS

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AJUGA

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ARDISIA

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Asiatic Jasmine

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ASPIDISTRA elatior

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Aster

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Astilbe

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CAREX

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CERATOSTIGMA p. Plumbago

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CHRYSOGONUM

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COREOPSIS

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COTONEASTER

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DELOSPERMA c. Iceplant

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DIANTHUS

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ECHEVERIA r. 'Topsy Turvy'

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ECHINACEA

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EUONYMUS f. 'Coloratus'

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EUONYMUS f. 'Gracillis '

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EUONYMUS f. 'Kewensis'

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Ferns (in general)

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FICUS p. Creeping Fig

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FICUS p. 'Variegata' Variegated Creeping Fig

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GUARA l. 'Siskiyou Pink'

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Plant

Easy to Grow

Filtered sun/light shade

Showy flowers

Lawn Alternative

Some traffic

Full Sun

Tolerates deep shade

Good near ponds

Good for topiaries

Drought Tolerant

Deer resistant

Damp/wet soil tolerant

Salt Tolerant

HEDERA a. 'Algerian'

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HEDERA a. 'Varie. Algerian'

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HEDERA h. 'Ann Marie'

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HEDERA h. 'English'

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HEDERA h. 'Gold Child'

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HEDERA h. 'Ingelise'

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HEDERA h. 'Ivalace'

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HEDERA h. 'Needlepoint'

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HEDERA h. 'Teardrop'

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HELLEBORUS

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HEMEROCALLIS

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Hostas

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HYPERICUM calycinum

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IBERIS s. 'Candytuft'

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IRIS

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LAMIASTRUM

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LANTANA

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LAURENTIA f. 'Blue Star Creeper'

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LEUCANTHEMUM shasta 'Becky '

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LIRIOPE muscari

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LIROPE spicata

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LYSIMACHIA nummularia 'Aurea' 'Creeping Jenny'

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MAZUS reptans

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NEPETA x. 'Walker's Low' (Catmint)

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Ophiopogons (mondo)

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Pachysandra

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Phlox

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RUBUS c. 'Creeping Raspberry'

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RUDBECKIA

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SALVIA

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SCABIOSA

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Sedums (in general)

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SEMPERVIVUM Hens & Chicks

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THYMUS

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TRADESCANTIA p. 'Purple Heart'

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VERBENA

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VERONICA

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VINCA major

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VINCA minor

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Plant

Easy to Grow

Filtered sun/light shade

Showy flowers

Lawn Alternative

Some traffic

Full Sun

Tolerates deep shade

Good near ponds

Good for topiaries

Drought Tolerant

Deer resistant

Damp/wet soil tolerant

Salt Tolerant

Tolerates Full Sun ABELIA ACORUS ASTER CAREX CERATOSTIGMA CHRYSOGONUM COREOPSIS DELOSPERMA DIANTHUS ECHEVERIA ECHINACEA EUONYMUS FICUS HEDERA HEMEROCALLIS HYPERICUM IBERIS IRIS LAMIASTRUM LANTANA LAURENTIA LEUCANTHEMUM LIRIOPE muscari LIRIOPE spicata MAZUS MUHLENBERGIA NEPETA PANICUM PENNISETUM PHLOX ROSES RUBUS RUDBECKIA SALVIA SANTOLINA SCABIOSA SEDUMS SEMPERVIVUM THYMUS TRACHLEOSPERMUM TRADESCANTIA (syn.: Setcreasea) VERBENA VERONICA VINCA major Green Roof Plants ACORUS AJUGA ASTER CHRYSOGONUM COREOPSIS DELOSPERMA DIANTHUS ECHINACEA HEMEROCALLIS HYPERICUM IBERIS LEUCANTHEMUM LIRIOPE muscari LIRIOPE spicata MAZUS MUHLENBERGIA NEPETA PANICUM PHLOX RUBUS RUDBECKIA SEDUMS SEMPERVIVUM THYMUS VERBENA

Showy Flowers ABELIA AJUGA ASTER ASTILBE CERATOSTIGMA CHRYSOGONUM COREOPSIS DELOSPERMA DIANTHUS ECHEVERIA ECHINACEA HELLEBORUS HEMEROCALLIS HYPERICUM IBERIS IRIS LAMIUM LANTANA LAURENTIA LEUCANTHEMUM LIRIOPE muscari LYSIMACHIA MAZUS MUHLENBERGIA NEPETA PANICUM PENNISETUM PHLOX ROSES RUDBECKIA SALVIA SANTOLINA SCABIOSA SEDUMS SEMPERVIVUM THYMUS TRACHLEOSPERMUM VERBENA VERONICA VINCA major VINCA minor Good Erosion Control (Sun & Shade) COTONEASTER (sun) EUONYMUS (sun & shade) HEDERA (sun & shade) HYPERICUM (sun) LAMIASTRUM (sun & shade) LIRIOPE muscari (sun & shade) LIRIOPE spicata (sun & shade) MAZUS (sun) OPHIOPOGON (shade) PACHYSANDRA (shade) PANICUM (sun) PHLOX (sun) RUBUS (sun) TRACHLEOSPERMUM (sun & shade) VINCA major (sun & shade) Damp Soil Tolerant ACORUS FERNS (in general) IRIS LIRIOPE muscari LIRIOPE spicata LYSIMACHIA MAZUS

Drought Tolerant ABELIA ACORUS AJUGA ASPIDISTRA CERATOSTIGMA COTONEASTER DELOSPERMA DIANTHUS ECHEVERIA ECHINACEA EUONYMUS FICUS HEDERA HELLEBORUS HEMEROCALLIS HOSTA HYPERICUM IRIS LANTANA LEUCANTHEMUM LIRIOPE muscari LIRIOPE spicata MUHLENBERGIA NEPETA OPHIOPOGON PANICUM PHLOX ROSES RUBUS RUDBECKIA SALVIA SANTOLINA SCABIOSA SEDUMS Native CHRYSOGONUM COREOPSIS ECHINACEA FERNS HEUCHERA IRIS MUHLENBERGIA PANICUM PHLOX RUDBECKIA Between Stepping Stones AJUGAS (some) EUONYMUS Kewensis LAURENTIA LYSIMACHIA MAZUS OPHIOPOGON THYMUS TRACHLEOSPERMUM VINCA minor Good For Topiaries EUONYMUS FICUS HEDERA LAURENTIA LYSIMACHIA OPHIOPOGON THYMUS

Deer Resistant ABELIA ACORUS AJUGA ARDISIA ASPIDISTRA ASTER ASTILBE CAREX CERATOSTIGMA COREOPSIS COTONEASTER DIANTHUS EUONYMUS FERNS HELLEBORUS HYPERICUM IRIS LAMIASTRUM LANTANA MUHLENBERGIA NEPETA OPHIOPOGON PANICUM ROSES SANTOLINA SEDUMS THYMUS TRACHLEOSPERMUM VINCA major VINCA minor Lawn Alternatives AJUGAS EUONYMUS HEDERA HYPERICUM LAMIASTRUM LAMIUM LAURENTIA LIRIOPE muscari LIRIOPE spicata MAZUS OPHIOPOGON PACHYSANDRA VINCA major VINCA minor Salt Tolerant DIANTHUS EUONYMUS HEDERA HEMEROCALLIS LIRIOPE spicata SANTOLINA Tolerates Deep Shade AJUGA ASPIDISTRA FERNS HEDER HELLEBORUS HEUCHERA HOSTA LAMIASTRUM LAMIUM LIRIOPE muscari LIRIOPE spicata OPHIOPOGON PACHYSANDRA TRACHLEOSPERMUM VINCA major VINCA minor