As longer days and warmer weather inspire dreams of lush gardens, many gardeners are wondering which plants are truly worth growing. Experts say you can’t go wrong with perennials, which return bigger and better each year. “Perennials create structure and continuity,” says master gardener Angela Judd. “If you select the right ones, they will also support pollinators, provide habitat, and require less replanting and maintenance once established.”
Judd, who is a garden educator and founder of Growing in the Garden, would also look to perennials for this major plus: “Edible perennials are especially valuable because you get harvests without having to plant seeds and transplants each year,” she notes. Courtney Mims, the creator behind Southern to a Tea, agrees that perennials are among the best investments to make in a garden. “They return year after year, often becoming fuller and more beautiful with time, which makes them an incredibly cost-effective way to transform a space,” she says.
Given these accolades, Judd and Mims are sharing which perennials you won’t regret planting in your garden below, based on your experience level. Read on to get their tips.
Meet Our ExpertThe Best Perennials for Every Gardening Skill LevelBest Perennials for Beginner Gardeners
Gardening is a rewarding pastime, but in the beginning, you might feel overwhelmed with caring for your blossoms — and simply making sure that they don’t die. “Most beginner frustrations come from mismatched sunlight or drainage conditions rather than lack of skill,” Mims notes. “Starting with resilient perennials helps build confidence and creates a garden that becomes more beautiful year after year.” Among her suggestions, Mims calls out boxwoods and hydrangeas as two perennials that’ll give beginners confidence.
Boxwoods
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Hydrangeas
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“Hydrangeas are one of the most rewarding shrubs for beginner gardeners because they create such a dramatic impact in the landscape. Many newer varieties are incredibly easy to grow and bloom reliably throughout the season,” she says. “Boxwoods are incredibly versatile, and once established, they are relatively low maintenance and instantly make a garden feel more polished.”
Rosemary
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Salvia
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For her part, Judd would plant rosemary and salvia for beginners, and says that both can handle summer heat. “Many salvias bloom for long periods and bring bees and hummingbirds into the garden,” Judd adds. “Regular deadheading encourages more blooms.”
Best Perennials for Intermediate Gardeners
Judd’s suggestions for intermediate gardeners also work well for those who cook: lavender, artichokes, and asparagus. She advises that lavender needs excellent drainage and full sun, artichokes need room to grow, and asparagus requires patience. But each presents the opportunity for a beautiful garden.
Lavender
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Artichokes
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Asparagus
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And alongside those options, if you want regular visitors, she has another perennial in mind: passionflower vine. “This is a favorite for butterfly gardens,” she says. “It’s a host plant for Gulf fritillary butterflies, which is wonderful, but the caterpillars will eat the leaves, which can bother some people. I don’t mind because I plant it for the butterflies and caterpillars!”
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Roses
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Peonies
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Mims and Judd share a love for roses, and recommend them to intermediate gardeners as long as they’re willing to do regular pruning and feeding. Mims props up peonies for their looks and fragrance, too. “Peonies are one of the most rewarding perennials you can grow, but they require patience and proper placement,” she says. “They thrive in full sun with excellent drainage and dislike being planted too deeply.”
Best Perennials for Advanced Gardeners
If you spend a lot of time in your garden and you’re more than experienced with the give-and-take it requires, then Judd says that it might be time to start growing grapes. “Grapes need a strong support system, regular pruning, and long-term planning,” she says. “They can be very rewarding, especially in hot and dry climates, but it can take some effort to understand and implement correct pruning and trellising.”
Grapes
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Gardenias
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For another option, Mims would try gardenias. “They require acidic and well-draining soil, consistent moisture, proper fertilization, and good airflow to truly thrive,” she says. “In warmer climates, placement is especially important because too much harsh afternoon sun can cause stress. When cared for properly, though, their glossy evergreen foliage and incredibly fragrant blooms make them one of the most rewarding plants in the garden.” And as you plant your perennials, Mims has one more piece of advice.
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“One of my favorite gardening sayings is, ‘First year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap,’” she notes. “That perfectly captures the beauty of perennial gardening and why patience is such an important part of the process.”
When to Plant Perennials for the Best Results
By the time summer rolls around, it’s probably too late to see a perennial really take shape. The best time to plant a perennial for bright blossoms and green leaves is before or after winter, Judd says. “It depends on your climate, but in hot climates, I usually like planting in fall or early spring rather than during the heat of summer,” she notes. “In the low desert, fall is usually the best planting window because roots get established during the cooler months before the plant has to face the extreme summer heat.”
If you live in a climate with very hot summers, then Judd would plant right after the last frost to give your perennials a chance to take root before incoming heat waves. And as you look ahead, be sure to also note sunlight exposure, soil type, and water needs. Proper planning makes the difference between successful gardens and patches of dirt.
“Before planting any perennial, ask yourself these questions: How big will it get? Does it spread? Is it toxic? Does it have thorns? Will it need pruning, staking, dividing, or special soil? Will it still make sense in this spot five years from now? Knowing exactly what you’re signing up for helps avoid regret and dead plants later on,” Judd adds.
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