Last Updated on: 12th October 2024, 07:57 am
Choosing the best perennials.
Picture this: you step into your garden; it’s bursting with vibrant color—bright, lush, full of life—all without constant upkeep. Sounds ideal, right? The secret? Choosing low-maintenance perennials and ornamental grasses that thrive with minimal care.
Start by considering your garden’s sunlight and soil. Whether you’ve got sunny spots, shady corners, or challenging soil, selecting the right mix of perennials will ensure long-lasting beauty with little effort.
Here are the top 28 low-maintenance perennial plants and ornamental grasses that handle the work, letting you enjoy the results.
1. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp.)
These easy-care perennials thrive in tough conditions—poor soil, drought, pollution. Their vibrant yellow blooms attract pollinators, making them a reliable choice for low-maintenance gardens.
Whether adding new plants or enhancing existing beds, Black-Eyed Susans are an easy win.
Light: Full sun
Size: Up to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide
Bloom Time: Summertime to early fall
Flower Color: Yellow with black centers
Zones: 3-9
2. Aster (Symphyotrichum spp.)
Asters bring vibrant color to the garden just as the season begins to fade. Their blooms serve as a vital stop for migrating Monarch butterflies, offering nectar during their long journey south.
Asters are reliable, low-maintenance perennials to extend your garden’s beauty into fall in direct sunlight or part shade.
Light: Full sun
Size: Up to 4 feet tall
Bloom Time: Late summer to fall
Flower Color: Purple, pink, white
Zones: 4-8
3. Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)
Bleeding Heart is one of spring’s most captivating blooms. It makes a brief but stunning appearance during the cooler days of the season. Its distinctive pink, heart-shaped flowers, complete with a droplet-like tip, give it a romantic, dramatic flair.
Once the temperatures rise, the plant recedes, adding a touch of mystery to its beauty- best suited for a woodland setting.
Light: Partial shade
Size: Up to 3 feet tall and wide
Bloom Time: Spring
Flower Color: Pink, white
Zones: 3-9
4. Peony (Paeonia spp.)
Peonies are prized for their showy, fragrant blossoms and long lifespan. Blooming in early spring, they offer lush green foliage, adding beauty to the landscape even after the flowers have faded.
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Size: Up to 3 feet tall and wide
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Flower Color: Pink, white, red
Zones: 3-8
5. Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)
Blazing Star dazzles with its bold spires. Thanks to its thick, water-storing underground stems, known as corms, it thrives in tough, dry conditions. Perfect for rock gardens, it brings striking vertical beauty to challenging spaces.
Its unique resilience and beauty make it a standout plant for tough spots.
Light: Full sun
Size: Up to 4 feet tall
Bloom Time: Summer long
Flower Color: Purple
Zones: 3-9
6. Blanket Flower (Gaillardia spp.)
With vibrant yellow blooms accented in red or orange, Blanket Flower adds warmth and energy.
Thriving in dry, sunny areas, it’s a tough yet colorful filler plant that brings lasting beauty where other plants may struggle.
Light: Full sun
Size: Up to 2 feet wide, 3 feet tall
Bloom Time: Summer to fall
Flower Color: Red, orange, yellow
Zones: 3-10
7. Astilbe (Astilbe spp.)
Astilbe is a top pick for shade. It thrives in filtered sun and partial shade, producing feathery, showy blossoms that brighten up any shade garden.
Light: Partial to full shade
Size: Up to 3 feet tall and wide
Bloom Time: Summertime
Flower Color: Pink, white, red
Zones: 3-8
8. Baptisia (Baptisia spp.)
Also known as false indigo, Baptisia is a hardy native that produces bold spikes of blue or purple blooms in late spring. Once established, its deep taproot makes it highly drought-resistant.
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Size: Up to 4 feet tall and wide
Bloom Time: Late spring
Flower Color: Blue, purple
Zones: 3-9
9. Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.)
Daylilies are true workhorses in the garden, with vibrant blooms and long, arching green leaves. These hardy perennials thrive with minimal care, adding bold color and texture.
Light: Full sunshine to part shade
Size: Up to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide
Bloom Time: Late spring to fall
Flower Color: Yellow, red, orange, pink
Zones: 3-9
10. Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp.)
Towering over other perennials, Joe Pye Weed provides seasonal interest with showy clusters of pinkish-purple flowers. Its height and beauty make it an ideal companion for true grasses in sunny, moist areas.
Light: Full sunshine
Size: Up to 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide
Bloom Time: Mid-summertime to fall
Flower Color: Pinkish-purple
Zones: 3-9
11.Catmint (Nepeta spp.)
Catmint is a vigorous perennial, showcasing graceful stalks of blue, white, or pink blooms in spring.
It quickly reblooms after cutting back the blossoms.
Plant this hardy bloomer in large drifts or clumps to create a stunning, continuous display of color.
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: Up to 2 feet tall and wide
Bloom Time: Spring to fall
Flower Color: Lavender, purple
Zones: 3-9
12. Bee Balm (Monarda spp.)
Want a stunning pollinator garden filled with low-maintenance perennial flowers? Bee Balm is perfect. Its vibrant, mophead-like blooms draw bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators.
These rabbit-resistant plants thrive in various conditions, and choosing mildew-resistant varieties ensures vibrant growth in warm, humid climates.
Light: Part shade to full sun
Size: Up to 4 feet tall
Bloom Time: Spring to fall
Flower Color: Red, pink, purple
Zones: 3-9
13. Sedum (Sedum spp.)
Sedums, or stonecrops, are perfect for low-maintenance areas requiring minimal watering.
Their fleshy leaves and late-season blooms attract few pests, making them a resilient and attractive option for dry, tough spots.
Light: Full sun
Size: Up to 2 feet wide, 3 feet tall
Bloom Time: Late summer to fall
Flower Color: Pink, red, yellow
Zones: 3-9
14. Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
Known for their spectacular blue, bell-shaped flowers, Virginia bluebells emerge from pink buds and attract pollinators from March to May.
These shade-loving perennials spread quickly and return each year, adding a soft touch of color to shaded woodlands.
Light: Partial to full shade
Size: Up to 2 feet tall and wide
Bloom Time: Early spring
Flower Color: Blue
Zones: 3-8
15. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
This subshrub pairs beautifully with ornamental grasses, with bluish flowers in late summer and fall. Its fragrant gray-green leaves add interest even when not in bloom.
Russian sage can spread aggressively, so plant it in a manageable spot.
Light: Full sun
Size: Up to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide
Bloom Time: Summer to fall
Flower Color: Lavender-blue
Zones: 4-9
16. Coral Bells (Heuchera spp.)
Coral Bells offer a vibrant display with colorful leaves in shades of green, purple, black, red, and coral, almost as striking as their flowers. They form low mounds with tall, bell-shaped blooms appearing in spring.
These native plants are often evergreen in warmer climates, providing year-round color and texture to landscapes.
Light: Part shade
Size: Up to 18 inches tall and wide
Bloom Time: Spring to summer
Flower Color: Pink, white, red
Zones: 4-9
17. Milkweed (Asclepias spp.)
Milkweed plants captivate with their striking pink flowers, though they bloom in many shades.
A magnet for butterflies and bees, these resilient plants thrive where others struggle, enduring extreme heat, cold, and drought.
Light: Full sun
Size: Up to 3 feet tall and wide
Bloom Time: Summertime
Flower Color: Pink, purple, white, orange, yellow
Zones: 3-9
18. Hellebore (Helleborus spp.)
Hellebores add vibrant color when most plants remain dormant. Known for their nodding flowers and evergreen foliage, these plants are a beautiful addition to any shade garden.
Light: Partial to full shade
Size: Up to 18 inches tall and wide
Bloom Time: Late winter to early spring
Flower Color: Pink, white, purple
Zones: 4-9
19. Hosta (Hosta spp.)
Hostas are cherished for their bold, vibrant foliage in an array of colors, patterns, and shapes. Thriving in varying light conditions, the low-maintenance perennials in deep shade and under trees.
Available in dwarf or large varieties, hostas add color almost anywhere.
Light: Full shade to partial sun
Size: Up to 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide
Bloom Time: Summer
Flower Color: White, lavender
Zones: 3-9
20. Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata)
All that it craves is good ventilation and a sunny spot, and garden phlox will flourish, captivating hummingbirds while infusing your rock garden or landscape with vibrant color and undeniable wildlife appeal.
Light: Full sunshine to part shade
Size: Up to 4 feet tall
Bloom Time: Summertime
Flower Color: Pink, white, rose, purple, orange, bicolor
Zones: 4-8
21. Salvia (Salvia spp.)
Salvia is among the easiest perennials for sunny beds and borders. With its colorful spikes and adaptability to different soils, it reblooms easily and attracts a wide array of pollinators.
Light: Full sun
Size: Up to 2 feet tall and wide
Bloom Time: Early summer to fall
Flower Color: Purple, blue, pink
Zones: 4-9
22. Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium nipponicum var. pictum)
Japanese Painted Fern stands out with its silver, green, and burgundy fronds.
Thriving in acidic soil, it pairs well with other ferns to create lush, textured shade borders or woodland gardens, though its elegance shines just as brightly when used alone.
Light: Full shade
Size: Up to 18 inches tall and wide
Zones: 4-8
23. Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum superbum)
A timeless classic, Shasta Daisy thrives in a variety of soil types and is pest and deer-resistant. This makes it a tough, beautiful option for any landscape.
Light: Full sunshine
Size: Up to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide
Bloom Time: Summer
Flower Color: White with yellow centers
Zones: 4-9
24. Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum)
Switchgrass stands tall among ornamental grasses. Its cloud-like plumes and vibrant foliage add texture and movement.
Thriving in wet and dry conditions with minimal care, these drought-tolerant, low-maintenance perennials resist pests and diseases. This great grass is ideal for naturalizing in a native garden, offering structure and beauty.
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: Up to 6 feet tall
Bloom Time: Summertime
Flower Color: Green plumes turning to gold in fall
Zones: 4-9
25. Yarrow (Achillea spp.)
Even in droughts, Yarrow thrives effortlessly. This drought-tolerant perennial, with its ferny foliage and vibrant flowers, is perfect for adding color in dry conditions.
Light: Full sun
Size: Up to 3 feet tall and wide
Bloom Time: Spring to fall
Flower Color: Yellow, rose, white, pink, lavender
Zones: 3-9
26. Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
Looking to fill a sizeable shady spot quickly? Periwinkle spreads rapidly, blanketing the area with beautiful five-pointed blossoms in stunning hues.
This tough plant thrives even in difficult conditions, returning each year with minimal effort. However, its vigorous growth can become invasive, so plant
carefully to manage its spread.
Light: Shade to full sun
Size: 4-6 inches tall, spreading wide
Bloom Time: Spring
Flower Color: Purple, white, lavender, blue
Zones: 4-9
27. Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum spp.)
Chrysanthemums (mums) are a fall garden staple, offering many bright colors. However, these short-lived perennials may need to be replanted every few years to maintain their vitality and ensure your flower beds stay brimming with autumn beauty.
Light: Full sun
Size: Up to 3 feet tall and wide
Bloom Time: Fall
Flower Color: White, yellow, pink, orange, red, lavender, bicolor
Zones: 5-9
28. Tufted Hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
A standout among ornamental grasses, this grass excels in shady areas. Its cloud-like tufts reach two to three feet, adding height and texture to shade gardens.
In warmer months, soft green and yellow flowers float gracefully above the grass’ slender blades.
Light: Partial to full shade
Size: 2 to 3 feet tall
Bloom Time: Summertime to fall
Flower Color: Light green, light yellow
Zones: 4-9
Low-Maintenance Perennials Provide 3 Seasons of Color in Moderate USDA Zones
These lovely, low-maintenance perennials offer fantastic color, texture, and fragrances from springtime until autumn. This list gives you the perfect species for a shade garden or that sunny spot to fill.
Need help planting perennial plants or maintaining flowerbeds? Call or text Tayloe’s Lawn Care Services at 252.287.3376. Follow our Facebook page for gardening tips and ideas.
Author Profile
- Maureen Abuor
- Maureen Abuor is a professional content marketing strategist and SEO strategist, with particular knowlege of creating landscaping and gardening content that informs and delights her audience. When she's not working, she's a busy mother of three precious little ones and child of God.
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