Easy Care Perennials

Perennials return reliably year after year, dying back each winter only to reemerge in spring. Most need a bit of upkeep, but a handful will thrive on very little attention while still delivering real color and texture.

Low-Maintenance Standouts

Daylilies bloom profusely for weeks with barely any care, and appreciate a bit of afternoon shade. Iris is one of the first perennials up each spring and spreads into larger clumps every year, leaving handsome foliage behind once its purple or white blooms are done. Hosta is famously tough and versatile — great as an edging plant or mixed into a bed, and especially suited to shade and part-shade gardens. Astilbe does well in shade too, though it prefers organic soil and protection from afternoon sun, which can otherwise cause it to wither.

Vigorous Growers to Watch

Geranium and black-eyed Susan both thrive with minimal care, but their vigor cuts both ways — both benefit from dividing every few years to keep them from crowding out their neighbors. Asters bloom in fall in white, pink, and purple, working equally well in a formal border or a wildflower meadow. Sedum 'Autumn Joy' rounds out the season with pink blooms that fade to a rusty brown if left undeadheaded, adding welcome winter interest to the bed.