We love our gardens, so it’s only natural that we wish for the perfect plants in them! Sitting there, walking through gardens, or just relaxing is always better when you have the eye-pleasing visual and even better smell! There is a ton, and I mean a ton, of different types of plants you can choose for your garden. Not an easy job, though! If you want your beautiful garden to stay beautiful at all times and during all seasons, you should definitely plant spring, summer, autumn, and winter plants! It may take some time, of course, for them to fully show their beauty, but once the outcome is there, all the effort will be worth it!
To help you pick the most beautiful plants, here are the best garden plants for all seasons:
Table of Contents
Hosta
Even if you have a shaded backyard, you may still have a vibrant garden. Hostas grow well in the shadow and come in an almost infinite variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. Indeed, there are so many hosta varieties to pick from that you could make a whole garden out of them. Hostas require a rich, somewhat damp soil, although they may survive in less-than-ideal situations. Deer and slugs, two creatures that find hosta foliage particularly tasty, are their biggest enemies. Hostas also develop mesmerizing flower spikes in pink, lavender, or white. Some kinds have aromatic blossoms as well. Sagae, Frances Williams, Sum and Substance, France, and Patriot are some of the best huge hosta kinds (some may reach 4 feet tall). Fire & Ice, Paul’s Glory (shown), Guacamole, June, and Blue Mouse Ears are among the medium and small types. Most are hardy in zones 3 through 9.
Growing Tip: If you see holes in the leaves of your hostas, slugs are most likely present. Because these critters only consume at night, you won’t witness them wreaking havoc on your plants during the day. Use an organic slug bait or half orange or grapefruit chunks around your plants to deter them. Slugs will be drawn to the fruit at night, which you may then remove, slugs and all.
Daylily
Talk about low maintenance! Daylilies take relatively little care after they’ve been planted, but they’ll repay you with armloads of beautiful flowers every summer. All these hardy plants require is some sunshine and protection from weedy invaders. Early risers and daylilies push their attractive grass-like leaves through the dirt in the early spring. When summer arrives, plants produce elegant flower stalks brimming with buds that blossom into lovely flowers. The name “daylily” comes from the very information that each blossom only lasts one day. There’s no need to be concerned because each plant generates a large number of buds/blooms, ensuring that color is constantly present. Daylilies are divided into two types: normal and ever-blooming. Standard bloomers, on the whole, have larger blooms and a wider range of colors to pick from. Everbloomer has a reduced bloom size and a restricted color palette. Include both species in your garden for the best color show. Ever Bloomers like Stella de Oro (shown), Happy Returns, Buttered Popcorn, and Black-Eyed Susan are popular choices. Chicago Apache, Ice Carnival, Double Passion, and Fire King are all standard bloomers. Daylilies are hardy in zones 3 through 9.
Daylilies thrive in full sun, although they may also thrive in moderate shade. Although flowering will be restricted, it will give much-needed color in certain areas.
Peony
What a trustworthy individual! Peonies may endure for years with very little maintenance. Peonies that were planted 50 years ago are still flourishing and flowering in many cases. They bloom in mid-spring and develop attractive 3-foot tall mounds of leaves. These flowers come in many varieties of hues and bi-colors, and the plants come in single, double, or semi-double forms. Peony blossoms are also quite fragrant, making them ideal for weddings or graduation bouquets in the spring. All these trustworthy plants need is a sunny, well-drained garden location; they won’t thrive in thick, mucky soil. Single-flowering Crinkled White, stunning Coral Supreme, traditional double pink Sarah Bernhardt, and pink-and-cream Annamieke are all excellent choices (in photo).
Growing Tip: To blossom successfully, peonies require a time of cold and darkness. As a result, they thrive in zones 4–8, where they bloom from May through June.
Sedum
Sedums are the perennial border’s workhorses. Sedums grow bigger and better every year, almost immune to heat, drought, and disease. Angelina, a ground-hugging perennial, as well as taller variants like the traditional three-foot-tall Autumn Joy, are all members of this huge perennial family. Although most sedums bloom in the late summer and fall, they all have attractive, lush foliage that looks beautiful all year. Sedums are one of the earliest perennial flowers to bloom in the spring and one of the last to succumb to the chilly temperatures of autumn. Butterflies, bees, and other pollinators love the nectar-rich flowers of these plants. The lovely ground coverings Tricolour and Kamtchaticum variegatum are also excellent sedum alternatives (in photo). Vera Jameson, Voodoo, and Neon are some of the taller sedums that are a must-have.
Growing Tip: Because sedums expand, dividing them every few years is a smart idea to maintain them in top shape. Dig the plants up and split them into smaller pieces with a sharp shovel so you may share them with your pals.
Salvia
Salvia, often known as perennial sage, is one of the most adaptable perennials. This large family of lovely bloomers includes types that can withstand Minnesota’s winter and others that flourish in Florida’s heat and humidity. Furthermore, many salvia types have deep blue blooms, which are difficult to come across on the flower border (and also a sought-after hue!). May Night (shown), Caradonna, and New Dimension are among the traditional kinds that favor a colder temperature. Choose Wild Thing, Hot Lips, or Black and Blue for warmer regions (zones seven and above).
Growing Tip: Shear back your salvia plants by about a third of their height once they stop flowering. This encourages a second flowering season later in the summer.
Lily
Although there are many different species of lilies to pick from, Asiatic and Oriental lilies are the most popular. Asiatic lilies often reach a height of two to three feet, with clusters of upward-facing, jewel-like blooms at the top of each stalk. The majority of Asiatic lilies have red, orange, yellow, white, or bicolor blooms. They’re quite hardy and flourish in zones 3 through 8. In the garden, Asiatic lilies spread slowly, generating larger clusters each year. Oriental lilies are taller than their Asian relatives, reaching heights of six to seven feet. Their blooms are usually pendulous and have a strong scent. Oriental lilies spread as swiftly as Asiatic lilies, but not as quickly as Asiatic lilies. They are hardy in zones four all the way to 8. Sensation, Sunny Borneo, Buzzer, Matrix, and Golden Joy are some of the most popular Asiatic lilies (in photo). Starfighter, Love Story, Farolito, and Show Winner are some of the most popular Oriental lilies.
Growing Tip: Divide both varieties of lilies in the early fall. Dig out the entire cluster, split the bulbs, and replant them at a distance of 18 to 24 inches.
Bearded Iris was always one of the most opulent blooms in the garden in the spring. These magnificent perennial flowers are easy to grow and appreciated for their eye-catching, crown-like blossoms carried high on long elegant stalks. They come in an infinite variety of hues and bi-colors, and some types even bloom again in the fall. Bearded iris plants have dramatic, sword-like foliage that stands up straight throughout the growing season when they are not in flower. Bearded iris, like peonies, requires a time of cold and darkness to blossom. Thus they thrive in zones 3-9. Immortality, Again and Again, Goldkist (in photo), and Savannah Sunset are among the top choices.
Bearded Iris
Growing Tip: Dig and split your bearded iris every three to four years to preserve them in peak condition. Allowing your iris to develop into a single thick clump can reduce bloom output.
Purple Coneflower
When it came to picking a coneflower (Echinacea) for your garden a decade ago, you didn’t have many alternatives. The majority of the kinds offered resembled the native form, which has single, pink petals around a black core. Plant hybridizers have recently had a field day with this hardy perennial flower, producing new bloom forms virtually every year. You may now pick from white, raspberry, orange, and yellow double- and triple-flowering variants in a variety of hues. Coneflowers reach a height of 3 feet and bloom from early summer to late October. They’re a butterfly favorite and make great cut flowers for indoor arrangements. Dwarf Kim’s Knee High, brightly colored Salsa Red, double-flowering Bubblegum, and startling Sombrero Sandy Yellow are just a few of our favorites.
Growing Tip: Single-flowering varieties tend to survive longer than double- or triple-flowering varieties. Check the plant’s hardiness zone to discover if a certain type will survive the winter in your garden before you buy.