Perennials That Pack a Punch

By Sarah Henderson, Colorado Master Gardener

Are you looking to add some summer color to your garden after spring blooms have faded? Do you want something that comes back every year and even supports pollinators? What if they were also drought tolerant once established? Look no further than these great plants!

Yarrow is a popular perennial in many gardens, but did you know that it comes in a wide variety of colors? From classic whites and yellows to orange, red, and magenta too. Yarrow blooms change over time as their blooms get lighter in color. The leaves also add some textural interest to a garden bed. It’s a great plant for pollinators as well as a xeric landscape.

Clusters of small flowers in pink, white, and cream colors grow closely together in a garden. — *Yarrow. Photo:* *Roland Steinmann* from Pixabay

If you need a shorter spreading plant to tuck between rocks or around taller plants in your garden, check out some of the variegated sedums. I especially like Sedum kamtschaticum ‘variegatum.’ They have pretty blooms and multi-colored foliage. They are also drought tolerant with low water needs once established. Other sedum varieties offer a range of heights and colors for the garden. The only drawback is our extra-hungry deer seem to enjoy them in my yard.

Bright yellow flowers with red centers bloom in a garden, surrounded by green leaves and unopened buds. — *Coreopsis. Photo:* *Jarmila from Pixabay*

Pink coneflowers with dark centers bloom in a garden, surrounded by green leaves in warm sunlight. — *Echinacea. Photo:* *Martha Kirk*

Some other pretty flowering perennials are coreopsis and echinacea. Both come in a very wide range of colors and add long lasting blooms to any garden. They have varying heights, so you can tuck different varieties among other plants to add to your garden.

A bee collects nectar from the center of a bright yellow flower, with blurred yellow blossoms in the background. — *Heliopsis. Photo:* *Frauke Riether from Pixabay*

For late season blooms, heliopsis offers showy yellow flowers. Great for both pollinators and birds, it’s another drought tolerant choice. Proven Winners “Athena Gold” is bright yellow and would be a standout in a late summer garden.

I hope you consider some of these plants! I particularly like that most of them are on the smaller side. They would be easy to tuck into empty spaces of an existing garden or fill in a new one.