Chicago Home and Lifestyles – 6 types of perennials that are easy to care for and great for your garden

Perennials are great for the landscape. They propagate for years and will often cover areas that need it. Many of them give you beautiful colors all season, or at least for several weeks in the spring or fall. For the most part they are easy to care for and pretty much maintenance free. Here are a few to consider:

Asters are in the daisy family and are a great addition to any garden. They produce an abundance of beautiful flowers in shades of purple, red and blue. Divide them every 3-4 years and they will live for at least a decade. 

Baptista is sometimes called wild indigo as it resembles that blue flowered plant. They produce tall spikes covered with bright blooms. They bloom in the spring for around 3-6 weeks. The plants are drought resistant and while they prefer full sun they will tolerate some light shade. 

Astilbe is a great way to add bold color to shady spots in your yard. The leaves of the plant are fernlike and feathery while the blooms are plume like and striking. Plant where you need something with height as they can grow up to 4 feet tall. Different varieties bloom at different times between late spring and early fall. 

Sedum is hardy, and as low maintenance as it gets. It is a ground cover succulent that does well in rock gardens and mixed borders. Some varieties have flowers that are attractive to pollinators. They are also drought tolerant. 

Peonies are an old time favorite and will last a lifetime without much maintenance required. The large plants produce big, beautiful flowers with dark green foliage. Plant them in a sunny spot with well-draining soil to enjoy them for decades.

Catmint is another pollinator friendly perennial. It is bush-like, with dense flowers. The flowers themselves are small but bright and colorful. Catmint is great for beginners, as it thrives on neglect and is drought tolerant.

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago