Picture tulips lining the walkway, fragrant sage in the garden, and rose bushes in the backyard that will continue to bloom year after year. Unlike annual flowers (plants that complete their life cycle in a single year), perennials establish deep root systems that are resilient to challenging weather conditions. While some flowers, like tulips, may return for only a few years, others (think peonies and hydrangeas) will pop up for decades, possibly even a century.
To help you grow a low-maintenance garden, below, we’ve rounded up the best perennial plants, complete with hardiness ratings, sunlight needs, ideal soil conditions, and average bloom times. When choosing a perennial, these factors are key—remember full sun means six or more hours of direct sun, partial sun is between three and four hours, and full shade receives minimal direct sun.
Whether it’s a small garden or expansive lawn, we’ve included easy-to-grow flowers in nearly every shade (and where to shop them)—from dainty white petals to deep purple spheres.
Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’
This woody shrub has a weeping effect: It starts growing tall, but then falls over due to the weight of the long panicles of flowers. The pale blue flowers transform into a bright, cyan-blue throughout summer. Though the sun-loving plant has a sage-like aroma, the blooms are not edible.
£7.99 at crocus.co.uk
Helenium autumnale (Sneezeweed)
With sunny yellow, orange, and red flowers, this hardy perennial thrives in full sun and attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies. Despite its name, the blooms shouldn’t impact your allergies and can make good cut flowers for indoors too.
£13.99 at crocus.co.uk
‘Green Spice’
This hardy ground cover plant pops up with silver-green foliage covered in deep-plum markings around the veins in the leaves. In late spring to early summer, small white flowers appear from the branching stems. The foliage works well at the front of a mixed border
£10.99 at crocus.co.uk
Daffodils
Just when you’re wishing winter away, these gorgeous yellow flowers begin to bloom. Aside from their cheerful colour, daffodils provide nectar for bees and other early-season pollinators. Daffodils are known to multiply quickly and return to bloom each spring with little effort. They prefer sun, but can tolerate partial shade and they’re not fussy about soil.
£15.00 at crocus.co.uk
Lupin ‘Gallery Blue’ (Gallery Series)
Lupins produce colourful spikes of pea-like flowers and love the sunlight. Throughout their short life—typically 3 to 4 seasons—stems can grow up to five feet tall, complete with red, white, yellow, pink, or purple blooms depending on the type you get.
£9.99 at crocus.co.uk
Allium ‘Globemaster’
Believe it or not, these purple pom-pom flowers are actually a part of the onion family. Their skinny stems rise to 30 inches in height, making them stand out against low-growing plants. They look fantastic in pots too!
£7.99 at crocus
Hydrangea macrophylla
Hydrangeas—a favourite among gardeners—have flowers that vary between pink, lavender, and blue, depending on the soil pH (this set will turn pinker in neutral or alkaline soils for example). Hydrangea shrubs have a longer blooming season, typically from late spring through early autumn.
£19.99 at crocus.co.uk
Achillea Millefolium
This hardy and versatile perennial is as carefree as it gets: Yarrow is pest-resistant, quick to spread, and great for pollinators. Since it grows quickly, use it as ground cover or to fill large spaces. Once the red, yellow, pink, or white flowers bloom, cut them (aka deadhead) when their colour starts to fade to encourage more flower growth.
£8.99 at crocus
Lavandula angustifolia
Lavender’s fragrant blooms add vibrant colour to any garden. Not to mention, the strong scent deters pests like mosquitoes, moths, and flies, making it a natural insect repellent. The flower-spikes are great for bees and other nectar-loving insects too.
£7.99 at crocus.co.uk
Tulip ‘Everlasting Mixed’Tulipa
Not only are tulips possibly one of the easiest perennial flowers to grow, they’re one of the most colourful. The elegant flower blooms in shades of red, pink, purple, yellow, and orange. Plant bulbs in the autumn and you should see blooms by early spring. The only downside? Tulips may only come back for a few years before you need to plant new bulbs.
£10.99 at dobies.co.uk
Paeonia lactiflora (Peony)
One of the most common perennials, peonies make elegant cut flowers. The beautiful blooms come back every year and have been known to live for up to 100 years (yes, that means they may outlive you). They have a sweet scent and large, beautiful flowers that are most commonly pink but can also be white, red, orange, or yellow.
£19.98 at crocus.co.uk
Phlox ‘Blue Paradise’
These star-shaped flowers form in large domed clusters and can grow up to 1.2 metres, making a colourful backdrop to low-growing flowers and plants. They’re available in many colours from pink to white and have a lovely fragrance.
£21.79 at crocus.co.uk
Creeping thyme – Pink Chintz
The Mother of Thyme is a low-growing ground cover plant full of colour and fragrance. Also referred to as the Creeping Thyme Plant, this perennial will thrive between stepping stones or surrounding a vegetable garden. Not to mention, the leaves are ideal for making potpourris and calming teas.
£15.98 at crocus.co.uk
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