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Perennial plants appear to die in the winter, but their hardy roots survive to produce new sprouts in the spring. These easy-care, dependable performers provide years of interest and act as the “bones” of a flower garden. (Just remember that it can take at least a year for them to look like they do in these photos. Here are my five fave perennials:
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1) Sedum x ‘Vera Jameson’ A succulent with blue-gray foliage and flowers of deep pink, this sedum is a hardy and easy-to-grow perennial that flowers in late summer for four weeks or more. In the fall, its fleshy leaves turn an awesome shade of purplish-gray and mauve. It loves hot, dry sites. |
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2) Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ ‘Ice Dance’ is a dense sedge that looks good year-round, even in winter. The white-edged leaves complement most other plants, and it is a great groundcover for partly shady and moist sites. It’s also deer-resistant. |
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3) Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’ I love this perennial for its dark green, glossy foliage with scalloped edges. It has a wealth of rose-lavender spikes on short stalks all summer, lasts a long time as a cut flower, and looks great with roses. Deer will also leave it alone. |
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4) Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ This variety of Japanese forest grass has bright golden foliage with green stripes and brightens up a shady corner. Plant it along pathways or under trees in humus-rich soil and partial shade. Deer don’t touch it, either. |
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5) Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’ This compact, long-flowering Amsonia is my favorite variety of this drought-tolerant perennial. The dark, brilliant blue flowers cover the plant from spring through early summer. Then, after they pass, the foliage turns a rich shade of yellow in the fall. Like most of the others, they are—you guessed it—deer-resistant. |
