This pest free perennial is a show stopper in your home garden with it’s tall, bright plumes in shades of pink, purple, red and white sitting atop glossy fern-like leaves. When fully grown it can reach almost 4 feet tall and the flowers continue to bloom for several weeks.  Plant astilbe in partial shade with rich, moist soil.

Named after the arrangement of its leaves, this perennial thrives in shady conditions.  It can be planted in fertile and well draining soil and will grow up to 36 inches.  Jacob’s Ladder comes in shades of blue and white.

If you want to attract hummingbirds to your garden then this is a perfect, easy to grow perennial.  Columbine grow well in partial shade and well draining soil and can reach heights of 15-20 inches.  Another bonus to these plants is that they are resistant to insects and disease.  It is available in single and bicolour shades of yellow, pink, purple, white and blue.

Also known as as True Geranium, Hardy Geranium or Perennial Geranium, cranesbill can grow from 3 inches to 2 feet tall depending on the variety.  It prefers full shade or partial shade and well draining, moist soil.  Blooming times vary according to the variety you plant in shades of blue, purple, pink and white and the flowers will attract plenty of butterflies and bees.

Available in blue or pink, forget-me-not prefer rich, organic soil and partial shade.  It is a self seeder therefore can be quite prolific once planted in a formal garden but would be ideal for a wooded area. This perennial will grow equally in height and spread, up to 6 inches.

This low maintenance perennial loves being planted in a location with full sun and can tolerate pretty much all soil types. It will grow from 18-24 inches high forming a tidy clump 12-18 inches wide. It is a very sturdy plant and will not require any supports.

In the spring the star shaped flower clusters are a light green but progress to pink then rose in the summer followed by a beautiful deep garnet in the fall. The wonderful colour change ends in the winter with an eye-catching copper seed head. The foliage also changes with the season starting out in a light bright green to a blue grey tone in the fall.

This garden favourite is a guaranteed success.

One sure sign of fall is when all the local shops start bringing out their ‘mums’ to sell. 

A very popular perennial these plants come in a wide range of colours from white and yellow to deep purples and reds.  They can be dwarf varieties growing only 1’ tall or large mounding specimens that spread 3 feet wide. The flower of the Chrysanthemum is also available in different styles like single petaled to a tight ball of petals.

Mums prefer to be planted in the full sun with well draining soil and will bloom in early September to late October with regular pinching of the spent blooms.

These showy summer perennials are great for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds with colours varying in shades of pink, red, purple and white that bloom from June to September.  Great for sunny and partly shady areas they prefer moist, well draining soil and when in their ideal conditions can grow from 3-4’ tall and 2’ wide.

One of the main problems with Phlox is powdery mildew and may become a large problem in a wetter season.  Deadhead the flowers regularly to encourage more blooms and cut back in the fall after flowering is complete.  Thin out the plant to about 4 stalks the next spring.

When anyone thinks of daisies this is usually the one people pick.  Soft white petals surrounding a yellow centre, this summer blooming perennial has abundant flowers great for cutting.  Shasta daisies can grow up to 3’ tall and 2’ across with dark green foliage that contrast perfectly against the bright white blooms.

Plant these flowers in the full sun with well draining soil and apply a thin layer of compost in the spring to help it maintain moisture throughout the hot summer months and promote continuous blooming well into the fall.

Also known as the Oxeye Sunflower, Heliopsis helianthoides is another one of those daisy-like perennials that look so great in the landscape because of it’s vivid bright yellow flowers closely resembling the sunflower.  This low maintenance plant prefers full sun and well draining soil and will grow from 3-6’ tall and 2-4” wide.

The showy blooms will flower from June to August and are great for attracting butterflies and for cut flowers.  Regular deadheading of the spent blooms will encourage continuous flowering.  Taller varieties of this plant may require staking to keep them upright and tidy.