Who says a stunning garden has to come with a hefty price tag? These 20 colorful perennials will make your garden pop without draining your wallet.
I’ve found that these beauties come back year after year, giving you long-lasting color for less. From vibrant blooms to lush greenery, these picks will transform your space without the high cost.
Ready to add a splash of color to your garden? These perennials are just what you need!
1. Black-Eyed Susan
Sunny golden petals surround a dark chocolate center in these cheerful flowers that bloom from June to September. They’re super easy to grow and spread quickly, filling empty spots with minimal effort.
Black-Eyed Susans attract butterflies and tolerate drought once established. They’ll flourish in average soil and prefer full sun but can handle partial shade too.
2. Coreopsis
Also known as tickseed, these daisy-like blooms create a sea of yellow, orange, or red flowers that dance in summer breezes. They’re practically maintenance-free once established and will bloom for months with deadheading.
Heat and drought don’t bother these tough little plants. Most varieties stay compact, making them perfect for borders or containers while providing non-stop color from early summer until fall.
3. Purple Coneflower
Native to American prairies, these striking purple-pink flowers stand tall on sturdy stems. The distinctive cone-shaped centers add interesting texture while serving as dinner tables for butterflies and goldfinches.
Beyond being gorgeous, they’re medicinal powerhouses known as echinacea. These drought-resistant beauties bloom for weeks in summer heat when other flowers wilt, and they’ll multiply gradually without becoming invasive.
4. Daylily
Virtually indestructible, daylilies thrive almost anywhere with minimal care. Each flower lasts just one day (hence the name), but plants produce so many buds that blooming continues for weeks.
Available in countless colors from pale yellow to deep burgundy, these versatile perennials adapt to most soil conditions. Their arching foliage looks attractive even when they’re not flowering, making them true garden workhorses.
5. Salvia
Spikes of intense purple-blue flowers rise above aromatic gray-green foliage, creating vertical interest in any garden. Hummingbirds and bees simply can’t resist these nectar-rich blooms that appear from early summer through fall.
Incredibly drought-tolerant once established, salvia asks for little while giving much. Many varieties will rebloom after cutting back, doubling your flower power while their aromatic leaves naturally repel deer and rabbits.
6. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
Starting with broccoli-like buds that transform into pink star-shaped flowers, this succulent puts on a season-long show. Its fleshy leaves store water, making it incredibly drought-resistant and perfect for neglectful gardeners.
As summer turns to fall, the flowers deepen to rusty red, then bronze. Even in winter, the dried flower heads add interest to the garden while providing food for birds, truly earning its keep year-round.
7. Blanket Flower
Fiery combinations of red, orange and yellow create a sunset effect on these daisy-like blooms. Their wildflower appearance brings casual charm to gardens while their tough nature ensures they’ll thrive in challenging conditions.
Heat and drought only make these native prairie flowers happier. They bloom continuously from early summer until frost without deadheading, though removing spent flowers encourages even more blooms while preventing self-seeding.
8. Bee Balm
Crown-like whorls of scarlet, pink, or purple flowers sit atop minty-scented foliage, creating a feast for the senses. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees flock to these nectar-rich blooms throughout summer.
Native to North America, bee balm (Monarda) spreads gradually to form colorful colonies. The aromatic leaves can be brewed into tea, adding value beyond just ornamental beauty while the spiky, unusual flower shape adds architectural interest.
9. Yarrow
Flat-topped clusters of tiny flowers in white, yellow, pink or red hover above ferny, aromatic foliage. These ancient medicinal herbs are practically indestructible, thriving in poor soil where other plants struggle.
Drought, heat, and neglect only make yarrow stronger. The long-lasting blooms make excellent cut or dried flowers, while their strong stems prevent flopping even in summer storms, maintaining a tidy appearance with minimal effort.
10. Russian Sage
Airy clouds of lavender-blue flowers float above silvery foliage, creating a dreamy, ethereal effect from midsummer until frost. The aromatic leaves deter deer and rabbits while attracting pollinators by the dozens.
Once established, this perennial laughs at drought and poor soil. Its upright habit makes it perfect for the middle or back of borders, where it provides months of color with absolutely zero maintenance required.
11. Dianthus
Fringed pink, red, or white blooms with a spicy clove fragrance sit atop neat mounds of blue-gray foliage. Their charming old-fashioned appearance belies their tough nature and ability to thrive in less-than-perfect conditions.
Also called ‘pinks,’ these compact perennials bloom heavily in spring with repeat performances throughout summer. Their drought tolerance and deer resistance make them low-maintenance garden gems, perfect for edging paths or in rock gardens.
12. Catmint
Clouds of lavender-blue flower spikes hover over aromatic gray-green foliage, creating a soft, romantic effect. This tough-as-nails perennial starts blooming in late spring and continues for months, especially when sheared back after the first flush.
Beyond its good looks, catmint repels mosquitoes and other garden pests naturally. It thrives in heat and drought while requiring minimal care, making it perfect for busy gardeners who want maximum beauty with minimum effort.
13. Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’
Hundreds of pale yellow, daisy-like flowers dance above lacy foliage, creating a frothy, ethereal effect. This particular variety blooms non-stop from early summer until frost without deadheading, though trimming encourages even more flowers.
Despite its delicate appearance, ‘Moonbeam’ handles heat and humidity like a champion. Its compact size (just 18 inches tall) makes it perfect for front borders or containers while attracting butterflies and resisting deer browsing.
14. Veronica
Spikes of intense blue, purple, pink or white flowers rise above neat mounds of glossy green foliage. Also called speedwell, these easy-going perennials bloom for weeks starting in early summer, with many varieties reblooming if cut back.
Bees and butterflies flock to the nectar-rich flowers while deer tend to leave them alone. Their upright habit adds valuable vertical interest to garden borders without requiring staking, maintaining good looks with minimal intervention.
15. Hardy Geranium
Not to be confused with annual bedding plants, these true geraniums form low, spreading mounds covered with saucer-shaped flowers in shades of pink, purple, or blue. They bloom heavily in early summer, with many varieties offering repeat performances until frost.
Their adaptability is remarkable, thriving in sun or partial shade. After flowering, the attractive lobed foliage often takes on beautiful fall coloring, extending seasonal interest while suppressing weeds throughout the growing season.
16. Heuchera
Grown primarily for their stunning foliage in shades of purple, caramel, lime green, or silver, these versatile perennials add dramatic color year-round. Tiny bell-shaped flowers on slender stems appear in summer, attracting hummingbirds while adding delicate contrast to bold leaves.
Also called coral bells, heucheras perform beautifully in containers or borders. They thrive in partial shade but many newer varieties tolerate full sun, making them problem-solvers for those tricky spots where other colorful plants struggle.
17. Lamb’s Ear
Velvety silver-gray leaves create touchable texture that children and adults can’t resist. The fuzzy foliage forms neat mounds that look good year-round, while tall purple flower spikes appear in summer, attracting bees.
Incredibly drought-tolerant once established, lamb’s ear thrives in poor soil and full sun. Its distinctive color brightens darker corners of the garden and combines beautifully with both pastels and vivid flower colors, making it a versatile design element.
18. Ornamental Oregano
Unlike its culinary cousin, ornamental oregano focuses on showstopping flowers rather than flavorful leaves. Cascades of pink or purple bracts hang from the stems for months, creating a waterfall effect perfect for containers or rock gardens.
The aromatic foliage naturally repels many garden pests. These heat-loving perennials thrive in hot, dry locations where other plants struggle, while their trailing habit softens hard edges and spills beautifully over walls or container edges.
19. Blazing Star
Tall purple spikes rise dramatically from grassy foliage, creating vertical exclamation points in the garden. Also called liatris, these native prairie plants bloom from the top down rather than bottom up, an unusual characteristic that extends their flowering period.
Butterflies and bees can’t resist the nectar-rich blooms. These tough perennials laugh at drought once established and actually prefer poor soil, making them perfect for challenging spots where other flowering plants might struggle.
20. Penstemon
Tubular flowers in jewel-like shades of red, purple, pink or white dangle from upright stems, creating a living fountain effect. Hummingbirds zoom in from blocks away to sip nectar from these trumpet-shaped blooms that appear from early summer through fall.
Native to North America, these drought-tolerant perennials thrive in average to poor soil. Their semi-evergreen foliage looks good even when not in bloom, while their upright growth habit adds valuable vertical interest to garden borders.