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1Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Here’s a perennial with a wonderful fragrance – it’s often called Fragrant giant hyssop – and it smells something like mint or liquorice.
Growing two to four feet tall, the plants bloom June through September and are especially good for attracting pollinators.
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2Daisies
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3Canna Lily
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If you’re looking for pretty flowers and fabulous foliage, Canna lily is the right pick for you. This pollinator attractant likes the heat and the sunshine, where it thrives.
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4Peonies
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This shrubby plant with glossy dark green foliage has lush, exuberant flowers with rich fragrance in late spring. Don’t plant peonies too deep or they won’t bloom. The ants that visit the flowers aren’t pests; they’re sipping the nectar.
Varieties to try for scent: Raspberry Sundae and Alexander Fleming
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5Russian Sage (Salvia yangii)
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Abundant spiky purple flowers and lacy grey-green leaves adorn this upright shrubby plant. It blooms mid to late summer and tolerates a range of soil types.
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6Hensol Harebell (Aquilegia Vulgaris)
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These graceful, elegant flowers bloom for weeks in late spring to early summer. The plants typically last only a few years, although they often drop seeds which start new little plants. Columbine also produce more blooms with some deadheading.
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7Chrysanthemum
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With every color of the rainbow, you’ll find a type to love. But here’s the kicker: if you want chrysanthemums to come back every year, plant them in the spring. If you plant in the autumn (like most people do), the plants don’t have time to get established in time to survive winter.
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8Hardy Geranium
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These mounding perennials (not to be confused with the type you usually see potted on a window sill) have a long flowering period and spicy fragrance. They’re sturdy plants that quickly double in size. Early summer is peak bloom.
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9Catmint (Nepeta)
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These early summer bloomers are hardy, fast-growing and fuss-free. Their pink, purple, or white flowers bloom for weeks in the landscape, and the foliage has a pleasant, light minty scent.
Varieties to try: Walker’s Low, Blue Wonder
10Lavender
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Beautiful pale purple flowers, silvery foliage, and appealing fragrance make this perennial herb an all-around winner in any garden setting. The woody classic is cranky about being moved once established, so pick a spot and stick with it.
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11Coneflower (Echinacea)
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Bright daisy-like blooms come in a profusion of colours and sizes. They flower from early to midsummer for weeks. Keep the seed heads in place over the winter for the birds. The fragrant flowers can be used fresh or dried for echinacea tea.
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12Sedum
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These bullet-proof perennials come in every size, shape, form, and colour from upright to ground-hugging. They’re an excellent choice in dry, sandy soils.
Varieties to try: Dynomite, Angelina, Autumn Joy
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13Perennial Poppies
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These bold, dancing blooms flower for a few weeks in early summer. They’re best planted en masse. Make sure you buy a type that is perennial (which come back from the roots), because some poppies are annuals (which are grown from seed).
Varieties to try: Goliath, Forncett Summer
14Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)
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These fuzzy silvery plants with tall spiked flowers make a statement. The flowers are interesting, but the soft, wooly leaves are the stars.
Varieties to try: Silver Carpet, Big Ears
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15Verbena
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These drought-tolerant plants add months of colour to hot, sunny spots. They bloom most of the summer (sometimes all the way until frost) in pinks and purples. Be sure to choose a perennial type, as some are considered annuals.
Varieties to try: Bonariensis (heirloom), Santos Purple
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16Hollyhock
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These classic cottage garden flowers offer brilliant colour and a striking presence on spikes 3 to 10 feet tall. They bloom in midsummer, and some varieties need to be staked to stay upright.
Varieties to try: Chaters Pink, Henry VIII
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17Hyssop (Agastache)
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Pollinators love this plant, which has minty leaves and striking flowers. Some varieties can be a little fussy to get established. They bloom early to midsummer.
Varieties to try:Ava, Arizona Sunrise
18Dianthus
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These low-growing plants with a spicy or vanilla-like scent are often called ‘pinks’ due to the fringed flower petals that appear as if they were cut with pinking shears. They bloom in late spring.
Varieties to try:Paint the Town Fuchsia, Georgia Peach Pie
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19Veronica (Speedwell)
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Upright or creeping plants boast purple, blue, pink or white flowers, which attract pollinators for months in the garden. Blooms begin in spring to early summer. Be sure to deadhead for more blooms.
Varieties to try: Charlotte, Blue Skywalker
20Butterfly Weed
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Not only does this plant have striking bright-orange flowers, but it’s also a reliable attractor for pollinators of all kinds, but especially butterflies. It tops out at 2-2 1/2 feet.
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Arricca Elin SanSone is a writer, editor, and content creator who specializes in lifestyle and gardening. With a background in health reporting, she applies these same research skills when writing about the science of growing things. She trials new plants in her expansive garden, and her houseplant collection consists of 60+ varieties. Arricca has written thousands of articles for publications such as Country Living, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Prevention, VERANDA, Southern Living, and more. She’s happiest when digging in the dirt, baking, or spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
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