A well-designed garden provides interest from early spring through late autumn, and beyond if you also select plants for winter structure. But, for the main growing season, much of that interest comes from flowering and foliage plants. Gardeners who want a lower maintenance landscape would be wise to look for perennial plants that are both easy-to-grow and offer a long blooming period. Most perennial plants flower for two to four weeks, but the longest flowering perennials, like coneflowers and catmint, measure their flowering period in months, not weeks.

The Longest Flowering Perennials

When planning a garden with long-blooming perennials, the same basic rules of design apply; choose a mixture of early, mid-season, and late-flowering plants. Of course, you can also affect both the bloom time and length of the flowering period with pruning practices; pinching, deadheading, and shearing. Read on to discover how to encourage months of blooms by combining clever pruning with the longest flowering perennials.

6 of the Best Perennials for Full Sun:

Here are the perennial plants and flowers that will thrive if grown in full sun. Full sun means the plant will get 6-8 hours (or more) of direct sunlight per day.

1.Dahlia – They really like full sun, but as with most plants, if you live in a super hot part of the country, you should try to provide them with a bit of afternoon shade.

2. Bee Balm – If you’re looking to add color to the garden and attract birds, bees, and butterflies, bee balm is the right flower for you. It grows best in Zones 4 to 9 and thrives in full sun.

3. Peony – This shrubby plant with glossy dark green foliage has lush, exuberant flowers with rich fragrance in late spring. Don’t plant too deep or they won’t bloom. The ants that visit the flowers aren’t pests; they’re sipping the nectar.

4. Catmint – Catmint has fuzzy foliage and purple-blue flower spikes that last for several weeks in mid-summer. It has a pleasantly spicy, minty scent when you brush against it.

5. Black-eyed Susan – They’re sturdy, have a long bloom time, and look like happy, smiling faces. What other reasons do you need to plant this cheery plant? They bloom from mid-summer to fall.

6. Hibiscus – This tropical-looking flower will be sure to add color to your yard while attracting pollinators.

6 of the Best Perennials for Shade:

Here are the perennial plants and flowers that will thrive in shade. If you have less than 6 hours of direct sunlight in your planting space, it is considered a shade garden.

1.Astilbe – Lacey, toothed leaves and feathery plumes of pink, white, red, or purple flowers bloom in profusion in early to midsummer. A little morning sun helps them bloom better.

2. Bleeding Heart – In spring, dainty heart-like blossoms dangle along the stems on a bleeding heart. An old-fashioned favorite, this shade-loving beauty unfurls blue-green leaves.

3. Hellebore – The petite blooms of the hellebore are sure to add interest and scent to your garden.

4. Lily of the Valley – This low-maintenance groundcover, hardy in Zones 2-7, brings perfumed blooms to the garden’s shady nooks in spring.

5. Epimedium – These little plants are also known as fairy wings or bishop’s cap due to the adorable shape of their flowers, which appear in early spring.

6. Ferns – Frothy-looking ferns are sturdier than they appear, popping up again after even the toughest winters. They like somewhat moist ground but are fairly drought-tolerant once established.