Long-blooming perennials make life easy for gardeners who crave color all summer. To be sure, through careful selection and planning, continuous sequence of bloom can be achieved using a multitude of plants that flower for but a brief time. But having perennial flowers that bloom all summer gives us more room for error. Just plant these workhorses in a place where they'll be happy and let them do the work for you.
Of course, as with all plants, some work is still required on your part; e.g.:
But long-blooming perennials are well worth the work; here are some kinds to look for:
1. Garden Phlox
David Beaulieu
Come July, garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) is a staple of the garden. This long-blooming perennial flowers all summer and can continue its display into fall. But if you grow a traditional type of garden phlox, perhaps you've had to tolerate the presence of powdery mildew disease on your foliage for years. That's too bad, because that white film definitely detracts from the overall look of a plant. Newer types like 'David' garden phlox, however, are mildew-resistant, which keeps the foliage nice and healthy looking all summer.
2. Stella de Oro
David Beaulieu
Stella de Oro is a kind of daylily. Valued as a compact plant, Stella de Oro, like yarrow (see below), requires little care. This daylily flowers early (in the context of this list of long-blooming perennials) and thereby complements other entries on my list.
3. Shasta Daisy
David Beaulieu
If we travel back through the mists of history, we find that "daisy" was once spelled "day's eye." It was a sun metaphor, and very much reflective of the ambiance created by this plant: It's difficult to contemplate a daisy and not come away with a sunny outlook on life. But this classic flower is more than just eye candy. Becky shasta daisies are tough plants and display an endurance that belies their delicate appearance.
4. Long-Blooming Perennial Salvia
David Beaulieu
I deadhead my salvias regularly, and these perennials bloom all summer for me. Victoria blue salvia is treated as an annual where I live but is still well worth growing. 'Blue Hill,' 'May Night' and 'Caradonna' salvias are long-blooming perennials.
5. Russian Sage
David Beaulieu
For a tall plant, Russian sage has rather small blossoms. But what they lack in size, they make up for in numbers. This long-blooming perennial is showy -- but in the most tasteful way possible.
6. Yarrow
Along with lavender (below), yarrow is one of the "herb" plants on this list of long-blooming perennials. Yarrow plants were widely used medicinally prior to modern times to staunch blood. In fact, this medicinal use for yarrow is responsible for the plant's scientific name, Achillea. Today, we're more interested in the beauty and low maintenance of yarrow.
7. Lavender
David Beaulieu
When you encounter lavender-scented linens, sachets and potpourris, you can't help but think "class." It's a nice touch in a home, and ridiculously easy to implement. But even people with no interest in such domesticity grow lavender plants. Why? Because these herb plants bring a touch of class to the landscape, too.
8. Ice Plant
David Beaulieu
Technically, ice plant is hardy to zone 5. In reality, at the northern end of its range, it's not the easiest plant to grow. Winter hardiness simply isn't a given in zone 5. But if ice plant survives the winter where you live, by all means take advantage and grow it! This ground cover boasts both vividly-colored flowers and unusual leaves.
9. Coneflower
David Beaulieu
Like several of the flowers on this list of long-blooming perennials, coneflower is drought-tolerant. Plant it in a hot, sunny location and it will bloom all summer with minimal irrigation. As a bonus, this plant even tolerates poor soil.
10. Moonbeam Coreopsis
David Beaulieu
There's a lot to like about Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam', including its:
- "Threadleaf" foliage
- Drought-tolerance
- Bushy growth habit
But first and foremost, Moonbeam coreopsis is a long-blooming perennial with brightly colored flowers that can't help but cheer you up.
