Perennial Garden

This garden in the southwestern portion of The Fairest Garden showcases perennial plants that are found to be the most successful and robust in Midwestern gardens. It is no accident that these plants commonly show up on lists for native, drought-tolerant, and rabbit and deer-resistant plants. 

In addition to their hardiness, these plants were selected to provide a full season of color in the garden. Early summer begins with the soft blues of Catmint and bright yellow of Tickseed. Moving into mid-summer visitors can view the purple of Coneflowers, deep-yellow of Heliopsis, the reds of Monarda and the pink of the Hydrangeas. 

Late summer brings the blazing yellow of Rudbeckia, the green-turning-to-deep-rose colors of Stonecrop and golden-tipped Karl Foerster grasses that whisper with the breeze.  

As the growing season ends and the season turns cold, a pairing of dried Stonecrop stems and Karl Foerster grasses as well as the dried hydrangea flowers provide beautiful winter interest.

Most perennials can be divided and replanted elsewhere, the U of MN Extension website provides information describing how and when to divide perennials.

Plant list

ninebarkPhysocarpus ‘Donna May’

blue fescue Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’

stonecrop – Sedum ‘Lime zinger’

tickseedCoreopsis ‘Moonbeam’

stonecrop – Sedum ‘Sunsparkler Angelina’s teacup’

F1  clematisClematis ‘Asao’

F2 clematis Clematis ‘saphire indigo”

coral bellsHeuchera ‘Autumn Leaves’

coral bells – Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’

stonecropSedum ‘Dark Magic’

oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides

Shasta daisyLeucanthemum ‘Becky’

feather reed grass Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’

hydrangeaHydrangea ‘Renhy’ Vanilla Strawberry

coneflower – Echinacea purpurea

rudbeckia Rudbeckia fulgida “Goldsturm”

rose mallow – Hibiscus ‘Kopper King’

rudbeckiaRudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’

pigsqueakBergenia ‘Bach’

rudbeckiaRudbeckia fulgia “Little Goldstar”

foxglove beardtonguePenstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’

Russian sagePerovskia Atriplicifolia ‘Little Spire’

bee balm Monarda ‘Raspberry Wine’

bee balmMonarda ‘Raspberry Wine’

bee balmMonarda ‘Balmy Rose’

AjudaAjuda reptans “Black Scallop

cranesbill – Geranium ‘Dark Reiter’

AA  cranesbillGeranium ‘Rozanne’

BB  spotted Joe-Pye weedEutrochium maculatum

CC  fringed loosestrifeLysimachia ciliata

DD  stonecropSedum ‘Autumn joy’

EE  stonecropSedum ‘Sunsparkler Wildfire’

FF  mixed hens and chickssempervivum

GG  stonecropsedum “Sunsparkler Dazzleberry”

HH  turtleheadchelone lyonii ‘Hot Lips’

Garden map

Photo gallery

  • Perennial garden, penstemon
  • Perennial garden, ninebark "donna may"
  • Perennial garden, cranesbill
  • Perennial garden, hydrangea on right