Better Homes and Gardens Promotes Some Of My Favorite Easy-To-Grow Perennials

Naturalized Daylilies

Better Homes and Gardens published a very helpful gardening article a few years ago promoting some of my favorite easy-to-grow perennials. I enjoyed it so much that I want to share some excerpts with you.

Coneflower - Echinacea purpurea

First on their list was Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). "Hot, sunny weather won't stop coneflower from producing armloads of flowers from early summer until fall. This purple-flowering native is a snap to grow... ...The nectar-rich flowers will also attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden."

Coreopsis 'Moonbeam'

Second was Coreopsis. "Equally at home in containers or the landscape, Coreopsis is a must-have perennial for novice and experienced gardeners. This cheerful plant puts on a nonstop flower show from late spring to fall..."

Rudbeckia 'Goldstrum'

Black-Eye Susan (Rudbeckia) was also praised. "The more you cut the bold daisylike flowers of black-eyed Susan, the more blooms these prolific perennials will produce. ...black-eyed Susan thrives in full sun and can tolerate drought. It’s also a bee and butterfly favorite."

Hemerocallis 'Autumn Red'

Daylily (Hemerocallis) was honored. "Talk about easy! With daylilies, all you have to do is plant them in a sunny spot and stand back. After that, these rugged perennials need very little care..."

Catmint (Nepeta), of course, is favored by cats and their fawning humans. Better Homes noted, "Also called catmint, Nepeta is so easy to grow. Sporting graceful stalks of blue, white, or pink flowers in the spring, Nepeta will quickly rebloom if you cut the plants back after the first flush of flowers fade. The flowers are highly attractive to bees and butterflies. Nepeta also has fragrant foliage..."

Sedum 'Lemon Ball'

Sedum made the list. How I do love sedum! "Stage a colorful fall finale in your garden by including a generous supply of sedum. ...Sedums are prized for their showy, nectar-rich flowers that feed hordes of hungry insects in the late summer and fall. And, when not in flower, you can still enjoy the plants’ brightly colored fleshy foliage."

Heuchera 'Palace Purple'

Heuchera is hot nowadays. It seems growers can't get enough of coming up with new colors. Better Homes said, "Do you remember the scene in the movie The Wizard of Oz when the entire landscape magically goes from black and white to color? Well that’s what will happen in your own shady backyard when you let Heuchera steal the show....Heuchera makes an excellent groundcover or container plant."

Achillea 'Coronation Gold'

Yarrow (Achillea), storied in legend and song, was mentioned. "Some perennials seem to thrive on neglect. Yarrow, for example, blooms its head off even in poor soil or during times of drought. The plant's fragrant, ferny foliage supports a midsummer explosion of gorgeous flowers... It's deer- and rabbit-resistant, too." All true!

Better Homes and Gardens listed several more perennials worth your attention. Be sure to read the entire article and view the slideshow. Easy-To-Grow Perennials.

What do you think? Do you have some easy-to-grow perennials you'd like to rave about? Let us know in the comment section. We'd love to hear from you.

Return to GoGardenNow.com