Fed up with having to plant new flowers every single year? Me too!
After lots of hits and misses in my backyard, I found these 15 amazing flowers that not only come back every year but keep blooming like crazy all season long.
15 Long-Blooming Perennials for a Vibrant Garden
1. Black-Eyed Susan
I absolutely adore these cheerful flowers! Their daisy-like yellow blooms with dark centers never fail to brighten up my garden.
These drought-tolerant beauties are incredibly low-maintenance, which is perfect for my busy lifestyle. Even better, deer tend to leave them alone.
My favorite gardening trick with Black-Eyed Susans is regular deadheading. Simply removing spent flowers encourages new blooms and keeps them looking fresh all season long.
2. Garden Phlox
Garden phlox has been a game-changer in my summer garden. From July through September, these stunning flowers create a rainbow of pink, purple, red, orange, and white blooms.
The fragrant flower clusters make my evening garden walks absolutely magical. Plus, they attract so many butterflies that my kids love watching!
I often snip a few stems for indoor bouquets, and they last beautifully in vases.
3. Blanket Flower
In my experience, blanket flowers are true garden champions. Their vibrant red and yellow blooms have saved my garden’s appearance during the hottest summer months.
What I love most about these hardy natives is their resilience. When everything else in my garden looks stressed, these beauties keep on blooming!
The bumblebees in my garden absolutely can’t resist them, which makes my vegetable garden nearby thrive even more.
4. Pink Cushion Flower
These delicate-looking flowers have become one of my garden’s star performers. Their lavender-blue blooms dancing above silvery-green foliage create such a dreamy effect.
I’ve found that regular deadheading is the secret to keeping them blooming continuously. It’s become part of my morning garden routine with coffee in hand.
The butterflies these attract have turned my garden into a magical space that my children love to visit.
5. Perennial Geraniums (Cranesbill)
Don’t confuse these with the annual geraniums you see at garden centers! I made this mistake when I first started gardening.
With over 300 species to choose from, I’ve discovered these are some of the most versatile plants in my garden. They bloom reliably from early summer through fall.
I find the seed pods particularly fascinating – they really do look like little crane’s beaks!
6. Clematis
Looking to add some vertical interest? Clematis has transformed my garden fences from boring to beautiful.
These stunning climbers produce some of the most mesmerizing blooms I’ve ever seen in my garden. They start flowering in early summer and keep going until the season ends.
I’ve trained mine up trellises, pergolas, and even let them ramble through other plants for a natural look.
7. Hardy Hibiscus
These show-stoppers never fail to amaze my garden visitors. Everyone assumes they’re tropical plants until I tell them otherwise!
The dinner-plate-sized blooms in white, pink, red, and rose bring a touch of the tropics to my Midwest garden.
Best of all, they come back reliably each year, even after our harshest winters.
8. Threadleaf Coreopsis
These sunny yellow flowers have become my go-to for reliable color. They start blooming in late June and just don’t quit!
I’ve paired mine with purple salvia and blue balloon flowers, creating a stunning color combination that stops neighbors in their tracks.
A quick trim of spent blooms keeps them looking fresh and flowering continuously.
9. Daylilies
While each bloom lasts just a day (hence the name), these reliable performers keep producing new flowers throughout the season.
I especially love the reblooming varieties in my garden – they give me two big flower shows each season.
Their trumpet-shaped blooms come in almost every color imaginable, making them perfect for any garden theme.
10. Dianthus
These charming little flowers have become my secret weapon for season-long color. They start blooming in early spring and keep going until frost.
Their silver-gray green foliage looks fantastic even when they’re not in bloom.
I particularly appreciate how they maintain their neat appearance through all four seasons.
11. Catmint
This aromatic beauty has earned a special place in my garden. The lavender-blue flower spikes create a soft, ethereal effect.
What I love most is how it thrives in my poor soil areas where other plants struggle.
The bees and butterflies it attracts have turned my garden into a living ecosystem.
12. False Sunflower
These bright beauties bring the sunshine to my garden from midsummer until frost hits.
Their golden petals with darker centers create such a cheerful display that they’ve become my go-to mood lifter.
I’ve found they’re incredibly adaptable and work well in almost any spot in my garden.
13. Perennial Salvia
The range of colors available in salvias has allowed me to create stunning combinations throughout my garden.
Their purple, blue, pink, red, and white spikes have become absolute pollinator magnets in my yard.
During our summer droughts, these tough plants keep blooming while others wilt.
14. Yarrow
This super-tough plant has become my problem-solver for difficult garden spots. It blooms reliably from June through September.
I love cutting yarrow for both fresh and dried arrangements – they last forever!
Even in the worst heat waves and poorest soil, yarrow keeps on performing.
15. Lavender
The crown jewel of my perennial garden has to be lavender. Its purple blooms and heavenly scent make every garden visit special.
I’ve planted it along my garden paths where brushing against it releases its calming fragrance.
It’s proven completely deer-resistant and drought-tolerant, making it perfect for my low-maintenance garden goals.