Perennial Favorites for Texas Gardens

We can't help but love annual color for intense pops of color and seasonal flexibility. But when it comes to creating a garden with a solid foundation, perennials are a must. Remember that perennials have a specific bloom season; so you'll want to choose plants that bloom at different times of the year. Also, always consider foliage interest when choosing new plants for your garden.

While there are simply too many wonderful perennials to only a handful of favorites, we know choosing the right plants can seem like an overwhelming task. So we've highlighted a few top-performing Texas tough perennials we recommend adding to your garden this spring. We know many of you have shady gardens so we've included excellent shade perennials as well. 

Hellebore 'Pink Frost'

Lenten Rose,  Helleborus sp., is a tough as nails shade perennial with evergreen foliage and an abundance of blooms from fall through spring. Plants tolerate clay soils and are very low-maintenance once established. Many flower colors are available.

Black-Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida is one of summer's best performers. Plant it in spring and you'll be rewarded with bright yellow daisy-like blooms from July through October. Plant in a sunny location with well-amended soil. 'Goldsturm' is an excellent cultivar:

Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm'

Autumn Fern, Dryopteris erythrosa is a reliable, hardy, tough and eye-catching fern that is easy to grow.  New growth emerges with tones of copper and bronze, providing excellent foliage color contrast. Plant in shade gardens with consistent moisture.

Autumn Fern, with lovely bronze new foliage

Blackfoot Daisy, Melampodium leucanthum, is a wonderful low-maintenance native that thrives in hot dry conditions. Plants sport small white daisy blooms all summer. Plants are generally evergreen. Plant in a sunny location with good drainage.

Blackfoot Daisy, Melampodium leucanthum, is a tough, native performer

Wormwood,  Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’, is the ultimate foliage perennial for creating color contrast in the garden. Leaves are a beautiful silver color, evergreen and aromatic. Plant in a sunny location with good drainage.

Artemisia 'Powis Castle' is a fantastic foliage feature perennial

Pincushion Flower, Scabiosa columbaria,  is one of the hardest working perennials in Texas gardens.  Plants are almost non-stop bloomers all year long, only taking a break during the coldest weather. Pincushion flower attracts loads of butterflies to your garden!  The ‘Butterfly Blue’, ‘Pink Mist’ are good cultivars. Plant in a sunny location with good drainage. 

Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue' is an early bloomer!

Now is an excellent time to prepare your garden for new plantings. Work in organic compost and expanded shale to improve soil quality and drainage. Apply a quality fertilizer, such as NHG Organic 7-2-2 into to the garden at planting time. Top-dress your perennials with 1" of mulch, such as shredded hardwood or cedar to conserve moisture.

There are so many more excellent perennials and we have an great selection to choose from. Come visit us now for the best perennial plants and planting tips!