Perennials return year after year, adding familiarity to Denver gardens. Many bring scents and colors that feel tied to warm-weather memories.
Once established, they need less maintenance than annuals. Seasonal blooms mark the passing months without much extra work. They connect the present garden to seasons gone by.
1. Hollyhocks
Standing tall like nature’s skyscrapers, these towering beauties line Denver fences just as they did at grandma’s house decades ago. Their candy-colored blooms climb skyward on sturdy stalks.
Colorado gardeners cherish hollyhocks for their old-fashioned charm and ability to self-seed, creating living memories that return each summer without effort.
2. Daylilies
Morning sunshine reveals fresh trumpet-shaped blooms while yesterday’s flowers have already faded away. Kids often plucked these to make temporary crowns and necklaces during backyard adventures.
Hardy enough for Colorado’s challenging climate, daylilies thrive with minimal attention, making them perfect for busy families creating summer memories between camping trips to the Rockies.
3. Columbine
Colorado’s state flower dances in Denver gardens like tiny ballerinas in the breeze. Their distinctive spurred petals might remind you of discovering woodland treasures during childhood hikes.
These native beauties thrive in the Rocky Mountain state’s unique conditions, attracting hummingbirds that fascinate children and adults alike with their zippy flights between delicate blooms.
4. Peonies
Fluffy as clouds and fragrant as perfume, peonies bring back memories of early summer celebrations. Many Colorado families mark the unofficial start of summer when these showy blooms appear.
Denver gardeners often share divisions of these century-old plants, passing down family heirlooms that bloom faithfully each year despite the state’s unpredictable spring weather.
5. Sunflowers
Faces always turned toward the sun, these giants seem to track childhood days from dawn till dusk. Their cheerful presence marks high summer in Colorado gardens and wild spaces alike.
Denver’s abundant sunshine helps these iconic flowers reach impressive heights, creating natural playhouses when planted in circles – a timeless activity passed down through generations in the Centennial State.
6. Lavender
One whiff transports you to summers spent helping grandma hang laundry on sun-drenched lines. The distinctive scent lingers on fingers after brushing against silvery stems in the garden.
Despite Colorado’s challenging climate, English and Spanish lavender varieties thrive in Denver’s sunny locations, attracting bees and butterflies that captivate young gardeners exploring the yard.
7. Coneflowers
Purple petals radiating from spiky centers might remind you of making daisy chains on lazy afternoons. These native prairie flowers seem perfectly at home in Denver’s climate.
Colorado gardeners appreciate how these drought-tolerant perennials attract goldfinches in late summer, creating natural bird-watching stations that fascinate children and create lasting memories of backyard wildlife encounters.
8. Bleeding Hearts
Dangling like tiny Valentine charms, these spring bloomers might remind you of fairy garden hunts. Their heart-shaped flowers spark imagination in young visitors to Colorado gardens.
Denver’s cool spring mornings provide perfect conditions for these delicate beauties to thrive, creating magical moments when children discover they can gently squeeze the hearts to reveal inner secrets.
9. Iris
Regal as royalty and varied as rainbows, irises might transport you to grandpa’s garden rows. Their sword-like leaves stand at attention before unfurling their fancy blooms.
Colorado’s state climate supports dozens of varieties that have been traded between Denver neighbors for generations, creating living connections between families and neighborhoods throughout the city.
10. Yarrow
Feathery foliage topped with flat flower clusters might recall childhood adventures in meadows. The sturdy stems made perfect play swords for backyard knights and warriors.
Denver gardeners value yarrow for its drought tolerance in Colorado’s challenging climate, while children appreciate its resilience – making it a perfect plant for gardens where soccer balls occasionally go astray.
11. Cosmos
Dancing on slender stems like butterflies caught in mid-flight, cosmos bring back memories of wildflower bouquets clutched in small hands. Their carefree nature matches childhood’s boundless energy.
Though technically annuals, these self-seeding flowers return reliably each Colorado summer, creating the illusion of perennials as they spread throughout Denver gardens with each passing year.
12. Snapdragons
Remember pinching these blooms to make them “talk” during backyard adventures? Their dragon-mouth flowers sparked imagination in generations of Colorado children exploring summer gardens.
Though technically short-lived perennials in Denver’s climate, they self-seed so reliably that many gardeners consider them returning friends, creating continuity in family gardens year after year.
13. Bee Balm
Spiky flower heads topped with tufts of color attract hummingbirds and spark wonder in young observers. The minty fragrance released when leaves are crushed brings back sensory memories of garden exploration.
Denver’s elevation and Colorado’s abundant sunshine help intensify bee balm’s distinctive scent, creating stronger sensory experiences than the same plants grown in other regions of the country.
14. Foxglove
Bell-shaped blooms stacked on tall spires seem straight from storybook illustrations. Children often imagined tiny forest creatures might use these as shelter during summer rainstorms.
Denver gardeners plant foxglove in partly shaded spots where Colorado’s intense sunshine won’t scorch their delicate petals, creating magical woodland-inspired corners that capture childlike wonder in suburban settings.
15. Shasta Daisies
Perfectly round yellow centers surrounded by crisp white petals might remind you of making wishes while plucking “loves me, loves me not.” Their simple beauty captures childhood’s straightforward joy.
Thriving in Colorado’s challenging climate, these sturdy perennials create drifts of summer snow in Denver gardens, providing perfect flowers for children’s first bouquet-making experiences and butterfly watching sessions.
16. Black-Eyed Susans
Bright as sunshine with distinctive dark centers, these wildflower relatives might bring back memories of meadow explorations and nature scavenger hunts. Their cheerful faces seem to smile back at young admirers.
Denver’s high plains heritage is reflected in these prairie natives that thrive in Colorado gardens, connecting city children to the state’s natural history through plants that have grown here for centuries.
17. Liatris
Purple bottle-brush blooms on tall stems might remind you of sparklers on summer evenings. Their unusual top-down flowering pattern fascinated curious young minds exploring garden mysteries.
Colorado’s dry climate suits these prairie natives perfectly, allowing them to thrive in Denver gardens while providing vertical interest and attracting numerous butterflies that delight children throughout the summer months.
18. Phlox
Clusters of star-shaped blooms in candy colors might evoke memories of summer twilight games of tag. Their sweet fragrance intensifies as evening approaches, marking the transition to nighttime adventures.
Denver gardeners plant both creeping and tall varieties throughout Colorado landscapes, creating carpets and clusters of color that have framed childhood summer memories for generations of Rocky Mountain families.