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Perennials to Plant Now for Color All Season Long
Apr
Top Picks for Spring Planting That Deliver Summer & Fall Beauty
April is the perfect time to plant perennials! These garden workhorses come back year after year, and when you choose the right ones, they can provide vibrant color from late spring through fall. Even better? Many perennials are pollinator-friendly, offering nectar to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds throughout the growing season.
Whether you’re refreshing your garden or planting new beds for long-term curb appeal, here are some of the top-performing perennials you can plant right now for season-long color and pollinator power.
🌿 1. Salvia (Salvia nemorosa)
Blooms: Late spring through fall
Colors: Purples, blues, pinks, and whites
Perks: Drought-tolerant, long-blooming, and loved by bees and hummingbirds.
Pro Tip: Deadhead after the first bloom to encourage a second flush.
🌿 2. Coreopsis (Tickseed)
Blooms: Early summer to fall
Colors: Bright yellow, gold, orange, pink, or red
Perks: Low-maintenance and heat-tolerant. Butterflies adore it!
Pro Tip: Choose threadleaf varieties like Coreopsis verticillata for a delicate texture and nonstop blooms.
🌿 3. Echinacea (Coneflower)
Blooms: Midsummer to frost
Colors: Purple, pink, orange, yellow, and white
Perks: A native powerhouse that supports pollinators and birds (the seed heads feed finches in fall).
Pro Tip: Mix colors for a vibrant cottage-garden feel.
🌿 4. Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
Blooms: Midsummer through fall
Colors: Classic yellow with black centers, plus newer varieties in orange and red tones
Perks: Tough, cheerful, and perfect for borders and naturalized beds.
Pro Tip: Looks fantastic with ornamental grasses and late-season sedum.
🌿 5. Nepeta (Catmint)
Blooms: Late spring to fall
Colors: Lavender-blue
Perks: Fragrant, deer-resistant, and pollinator-friendly.
Pro Tip: Cut it back mid-season to promote fresh foliage and reblooming.
🌿 6. Sedum (Stonecrop)
Blooms: Late summer into fall
Colors: Pink, burgundy, rust, and bronze
Perks: A garden standout in late summer when many other plants fade. Drought-tolerant and attractive to bees and butterflies.
Pro Tip: Use as a structural accent in mixed perennial beds.
🌿 7. Helenium (Sneezeweed)
Blooms: Late summer to frost
Colors: Rich red, yellow, orange
Perks: Fantastic for late-season color. Pollinators love its daisy-like flowers.
Pro Tip: Pinch early in the season to promote bushier plants.
🌿 8. Agastache (Anise Hyssop)
Blooms: Summer through early fall
Colors: Lavender, pink, orange
Perks: Aromatic leaves, tubular flowers for hummingbirds, and excellent heat/drought tolerance.
Pro Tip: Ideal for a pollinator or herb garden.
🌼 Spotlight on Staff Picks & Pollinator Favorites
Throughout the season, our team highlights top-performing perennials that attract pollinators in our Pollinator Picks series—shared through in-store signage, blog posts like this one, app content, and social media. These plants aren’t just beautiful—they help support the local ecosystem too.
Looking for a pollinator-friendly combo or just want nonstop color from now through fall? We’ve got staff favorites ready to plant today. Come see what’s blooming now and get expert advice to build a perennial garden that keeps on giving!
