6 Long-Blooming Perennials for Sun and Shade

Perennials are a wonderful garden addition. Here are six favorites with relatively long bloom periods.

First three thrive in sunny situations, reward the eye when massed in drifts, blended in borders, or left in wild gardens. They're drought-tolerant.

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' and others) offers showy yellow-orange petals and bronze-brown central cones, ideal for cutting (3-4 inch span). Blooms midsummer through autumn, especially if deadheaded. Learn more about black-eyed Susan.

Coreopsis 'Moonbeam' is an award-winning perennial with almost constant lemon-yellow daisy-shape flowers all summer, especially if sheared back after heavy flushes. Good cut flowers and for large containers. Learn more about coreopsis.

Plant Penstemon 'Husker Red' at the back of your bed for an eye-catching background. The "red" refers to its dramatic bronze-red foliage (developed at University of Nebraska). This 30-inch plant sends up airy flower stalks with hundreds of tubular white flowers. Top choice for butterflies and hummingbirds. Learn more about penstemon.

Coaxing flowers from shade isn't the bugaboo it's cracked up to be. While hostas and ferns thrive under trees, many other plants blossom and brighten shady spots. Here are three perennials blooming for extended periods (up to three months):

Astilbes look great planted in masses, brightening shady areas.

Astilbes with feathery plumes in candy colors (red, pink, cream, white, salmon, peach) grow 1-3 feet tall. Species influence bloom time: Astilbe japonica blooms late spring/early summer; Astilbe chinensis cultivars bloom mid to late summer. Select both for all-summer color. Learn more about astilbe.

Lenten roses look delicate but are very rugged.

Hellebores (Helleborus) grow ~15 inches tall, bloom late winter through early spring. After petals fade, sepals stay on, making it look like it's still blooming through midsummer. Colors: pink, red, purple, white, green; some double or speckled. Highly poisonous—deer and rabbit resistant. Learn more about hellebores.

Dicentra's ferny foliage is just as attractive as its flowers.

Fernleaf bleeding hearts (Dicentra) grow ~1 foot tall and wide. Most bloom on and off all spring, summer, autumn in cool-summer climates. Varieties with pink, red, white flowers. Learn more about bleeding hearts.

Discover other top shade-loving perennials.