Perennial Gardens with a Purpose
Tired of the same old perennial garden? Why not plant perennials
with a purpose? The lists below gives a starting point for developing
gardens for specific purposes, such as attracting butterflies or
hummingbirds, adding fragrance to the garden, or simply producing
an ample supply of cut flowers. These lists are a good starting
point. Check out the local library and bookstore for books that
can give you more ideas.
| Cut Flowers |
|
Achillea spp. |
Yarrow |
|
Aconitum napellus |
Common Monkshood |
|
Alchemilla mollis |
Lady's Mantle |
|
Allium spp. |
Allium, Ornamental Onion |
|
Anthemis tinctoria |
Golden Marguerite |
|
Aquilegia x hybrida |
Columbine |
|
Baptisia australis |
False Indigo |
|
Centaurea macrocephala |
Globe Centaurea |
|
Centaurea montana |
Mountain Bluet |
|
Chrysanthemum coccineum |
Painted Daisy |
|
Chrysanthemum morifolium |
Garden Mum |
|
Chrysanthemum x superbum |
Shasta Daisy |
|
Convallaria majalis |
Lily of the Valley |
|
Coreopsis spp. |
Coreopsis, Tickseed |
|
Dicentra spp. |
Bleeding Heart |
|
Doronicum cordatum |
Leopard's Bane |
|
Echinacea purpurea |
Purple Coneflower |
|
Echinops ritro |
Globe Thistle |
|
Erigeron hybrids |
Fleabane |
|
Eryngium spp. |
Sea Holly |
|
Eupatorium coelestinum |
Hardy Ageratum |
|
Gaillardia x grandiflora |
Blanket Flower |
|
Gypsophila paniculata |
Baby's Breath |
|
Helenium autumnale |
Common Sneezeweed |
|
Heliopsis helianthoides |
Sunflower Heliopsis |
|
Iris hybrids |
Bearded Iris |
|
Kniphofia uvaria |
Torch Lily, Red-Hot Poker |
|
Lavandula angustifolia |
Lavender |
|
Liatris spp. |
Blazing Star, Gayfeather |
|
Lilium spp. |
Lily |
|
Limonium latifolium |
Statice, Sea Lavender |
|
Lobelia cardinalis |
Cardinal Flower |
|
Lupinus ‘Russell Hybrid' |
‘Russell Hybrid' Lupine |
|
Macleaya cordata |
Plume Poppy |
|
Paeonia spp. |
Peony |
|
Penstemon barbatus |
Common Beardtongue |
|
Physostegia virginiana |
Obedient Plant |
|
Platycodon grandiflorus |
Balloon Flower |
|
Rudbeckia spp. |
Black-eyed Susan, Orange Coneflower |
|
Scabiosa caucasica |
Pincushion Flower |
|
Solidago spp. |
Goldenrod |
|
Thalictrum aquilegifolium |
Columbine Meadow Rue |
|
Thermopsis caroliniana |
Carolina Lupine |
|
Trollius europaeus |
Globeflower |
| Fragrant Perennials (foliage or
flowers) |
|
Achillea filipendulina. (foliage) |
Fernleaf Yarrow |
|
Allium spp. (foliage) |
Allium, Ornamental Onion |
|
Anthemis tinctoria (foliage) |
Golden Marguerite |
|
Arabis caucasica (flower) |
Wall Rock Cress |
|
Convallaria majalis (flower) |
Lily of the Valley |
|
Dianthus plumarius (flower) |
Cottage Pinks |
|
Dictamnus albus (both) |
Gas Plant |
|
Galium odoratum (foliage) |
Sweet Woodruff |
|
Hesperis matronalis (flowers) |
Dame's Rocket |
|
Hosta spp. (flower) |
Hosta |
|
Houttuynia cordata (foliage) |
Houttuynia |
|
Iris hybrids (flower) |
Bearded Iris |
|
Lavandula angustifolia (both) |
Lavender |
|
Lilium spp. (flower) |
Lily |
|
Monarda didyma (foliage) |
Bee Balm |
|
Phlox paniculata (flower) |
Garden Phlox |
|
Oenothera spp. (flower) |
Evening Primrose |
|
Viola odorata (flower) |
Sweet Violet |
| Perennials to Attract Butterflies:
Nectar Plants for Adults |
|
Achillea spp. |
Yarrow |
|
Asclepias spp. |
Milkweed, Butterfly Weed |
|
Aster spp. |
Aster |
|
Buddleia davidii |
Butterfly Bush |
|
Centaurea spp. |
Centaurea |
|
Centranthus ruber |
Red Valerian |
|
Chelone spp. |
Turtlehead |
|
Coreopsis spp. |
Coreopsis, Tickseed |
|
Dianthus spp. |
Dianthus |
|
Echinacea purpurea |
Purple Coneflower |
|
Echinops ritro |
Globe Thistle |
|
Erigeron spp. |
Fleabane |
|
Eupatorium spp. |
Eupatorium, Boneset, Joe-Pye Weed, Hardy Ageratum |
|
Helenium autumnale |
Common Sneezeweed |
|
Hesperis matronalis |
Dame's rocket |
|
Liatris spp. |
Blazing Star, Gayfeather |
|
Lupinus spp. |
Lupine |
|
Monarda spp. |
Bee Balm, Bergamot |
|
Phlox spp. |
Phlox |
|
Rudbeckia spp. |
Black Eyed Susan, Orange Coneflower |
|
Scabiosa caucasica |
Pincushion Flower |
|
Sedum spectabile |
Showy Sedum |
|
Solidago spp. |
Goldenrod |
| Attracting Hummingbirds |
|
Aquilegia spp. |
Columbine |
|
Asclepias tuberosa |
Butterfly Weed |
|
Delphinium elatum |
Larkspur |
|
Dianthus spp. |
Dianthus |
|
Dicentra spp. |
Bleeding Heart |
|
Heuchera sanguinea |
Coral Bells |
|
Hosta spp. |
Hosta |
|
Kniphofia spp. |
Red Hot Poker |
|
Lobelia cardinalis |
Cardinal Flower |
|
Lupinus spp. |
Lupine |
|
Monarda didyma |
Bee Balm |
|
Penstemon barbatus |
Common Beardtongue |
|
Phlox paniculata |
Garden Phlox |
|
Salvia spp. |
Salvia, sage |
April - May 2001: Prevent
Garlic Mustard from Setting Seeds | Perennial Gardens with a
Purpose | Garden Styles | Preventing
Crabgrass Problems in Lawns |
