Easy to grow perennial plants
Our collection of easy to grow perennials for beginner gardeners. Perennials are plants that generally survive frost and live in the ground for more than 2 years, compared to annuals and biennials which last one and two years respectively. Perennials are distinct from shrubs and trees because they have little or no woody growth. Herbaceous perennials are those which die back in the autumn and winter, then re-grow from their root-stock in the spring. They are great for adding colour and texture each summer. The seasonality of most perennials means they are best combined with evergreen shrubs so as to avoid empty spaces being left over the winter. For beautiful flower spikes in vibrant shades of reds and yellows, crocosmia perennials are reliable and trouble free. Alternatively, echinacea plants, commonly known as cone flower given the dome-like shape of the centre of the flowers, are the ultimate prairie perennial, producing masses of daisy-like flowers in rich hues of oranges, pinks, reds and whites from July to mid-autumn. Hardy geraniums are also easy to grow, well-known, reliable stalwarts of the flower garden, renowned for adding colour and beauty to the garden from late summer through early autumn, just as many other flowers are starting to fade. See our guide to perennial plants for more information about perennials and how to make best use of them in your garden.