I’ve grown and cared for flowers for a lot of years now. And a question I’m asked more than most is “Which flowers can I plant to enjoy blooms throughout the year?”
The idea of a plant that flowers constantly is great and one we’d all like. But the reality is that most perennials aren’t like this and will have seasons where they peak.
But if you choose well and plan ahead it’s more than possible to create a garden that has flowers blooming throughout every season.
So if that is that is the sort of garden you’re looking for then the perennials listed here will be perfect for it. They will give your garden color all year round. You’ll even find some extra tips on how to arrange them to make them look even better.
Understanding Perennial Bloom Cycles
Perennials are plants that live for more than two years. They come back each season with new growth. But when they bloom will vary:
- Spring Bloomers: Emerge early, giving your garden the first bits of color once winter is over.
- Summer Bloomers: Peak during the warmest months.
- Fall Bloomers: As other plants start to fade away at the end of the season these hang on.
- Winter Bloomers: A few will brave the cold and bloom in the winter.
So if you take some from each of those categories and plant them together you can have a garden that has flowers and colour throughout the year.
Top Perennials for Year-Round Interest
Spring
- Hellebores: Often called the “Christmas Rose,” hellebores flower in the late winter through to the early spring and have flowers that come in shades of white, pink, and purple. They like the shade and soil that drains well.
- Bleeding Heart: Have very recognizable heart shaped flowers. They like partial shade and moist soil. They’re a charming flower that look wonderful in spring gardens.
Summer
- Daylilies: With flowers shaped like trumpets, daylilies bloom from early summer into the fall. Varieties like ‘Stella de Oro’ flower and last for a very long time. They don’t mind most types of soil or how much sun they get, making them a great option for most gardens.
- Black-Eyed Susan: Have yellow petals with dark centers, they bloom from around the middle of the summer into the fall. They like lots of sun and soil that drains well.
- Russian Sage: Has silvery leaves and blue flowers it looks wonderful in summer gardens.
Autumn
- Asters: Flower in the later summer through to the early fall. They have flowers that look quite like daisies and come in purple, blue and pink. They will bring pollinators to your garden and do well in the sun.
- Japanese Anemone: Have elegant looking flowers shaped like cups that bloom from late summer into the fall. They like partial shade and moist soil that drains well.
Winter
- Winter Jasmine: Bright yellow flowers grow from this shrub between December and March, giving your garden a boost of color in the winter. It does best in full sun to partial shade and soil that drains.
- Snowdrops: One of the earliest bloomers, their delicate flowers pop up from the late winter. They like partial shade and moist soil.
- Witch Hazel: Has spidery yellow or orange flowers, witch hazel blooms in the late fall to winter.
Perennials with Extended Bloom Periods
Some perennials bloom for much longer and can do so across more than one season:
- Geranium ‘Rozanne’ (Geranium ‘Rozanne’): A tough geranium that flowers from late spring until the first frost.
- Catmint (Nepeta): Has leaves that are known for their smell and blue flowers. It blooms from the late spring through the summer and can also rebloom in the fall if cut back.
Designing for Continuous Bloom
If you want a garden that gives you flowers all year round you will need to do some planning first.
- Layers: Plant perennials that grow at different heights and that flower at different times so you get colors all year round. As an example you can plant bulbs that bloom early beneath perennials that come out later.
- Foliage: Use plants that have good looking foliage like evergreen perennials and ornamental grasses so your garden still looks interesting even when there aren’t any flowers.
- Succession Planting: Replace annuals or perennials that have finished with others that are about to come into bloom to keep your garden lively.
Maintenance Tips
To keep everything thriving in your garden you’ll need to do some general upkeep:
- Deadheading: Getting rid of the spent flowers on a regular basis will help to encourage more blooming and keep the plant healthy.
- Soil: Use manure to give the soil the nutrients it needs to make your plants really grow well and it will help with the drainage too.
- Mulching: Use mulch to keep the soil moist, maintain it’s temperature and stop weeds from growing.
- Division: Divide perennials occasionally so they don’t get too crowded. It will help to refresh their growth too.
Perennial Bloom Calendar
This is a simplified guide to perennial bloom times:
| Perennial | Bloom Time |
|---|---|
| Hellebores | Late Winter – Early Spring |
| Bleeding Heart | Spring |
| Daylilies | Early Summer – Fall |
| Black-Eyed Susan | Mid Summer – Fall |
| Asters | Late Summer – Early Fall |
| Japanese Anemone | Late Summer – Fall |
| Winter Jasmine | Winter |
| Snowdrops | Late Winter |
Ideas for Year Round Blooms
Now, let’s get a bit creative. These are some less conventional ways to keep your garden colorful throughout the year. Hopefully they can inspire you with the some different and more interesting choices:
Underplanting with Evergreen Ground Covers
Flowers get the most attention but evergreen ground covers like creeping thyme or ajuga can add some green to your garden. They do a good job of filling in the gaps between perennials and keep the garden looking neat even when everything else is dormant.
Incorporate Edible Perennials
- Chives: Have purple flowers that look a bit like pom poms and flower in the spring and summer. Also really good as a kitchen herb.
- Artichokes: Delicious to eat but they have very lovely purple flowers that look amazing in the summer.
Focus on Pollinator-Friendly Plants
Pick perennials that being butterflies, bees and other pollinators to your garden. Plants like echinacea, salvia and lavender look great all year round but they also help out the wildlife.
Troubleshooting Common Challenges
What if your Perennials Stop Blooming?
Sometimes perennials might not want to flower. A few ideas as to what could be going on:
- Soil: Add compost or fertilizer to refresh the soil.
- Overcrowding: Divide the plants if they’re too close together as it can stop the roots from growing.
- Incorrect Pruning: Make sure you aren’t removing buds that would have bloomed later.
Protecting Perennials in Harsh Winters
Some perennials struggle in the extreme cold. To help them survive:
- Use a thin layer of mulch in the autumn to insulate the roots.
- Cover more sensitive plants with a frost cloth or sack.
Final Thoughts
If you choose the right plants and do some planning beforehand you can have perennials in your garden that never go out of style. There’s a perennial for every season and every gardener.
So get out there and start planting and your garden will be looking great throughout the year.