{"id":8031,"date":"2026-06-30T15:59:42","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T21:59:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/?p=8031"},"modified":"2026-07-06T12:37:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T18:37:20","slug":"perennials-that-pack-a-punch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/2026\/06\/30\/perennials-that-pack-a-punch\/","title":{"rendered":"Perennials That Pack a Punch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group c-breadcrumbs alignfull is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"><nav aria-label=\"breadcrumbs\" class=\"rank-math-breadcrumb\"><p><span class=\"last\">Home<\/span><\/p><\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0706528e wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60)\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Perennials That Pack a Punch<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><em>By Sarah Henderson, Colorado Master Gardener<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Yarrow<\/strong> 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\u2019s a great plant for pollinators as well as a xeric landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-cbe57604 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"697\" height=\"465\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-1.jpg\" alt=\"Clusters of small flowers in pink, white, and cream colors grow closely together in a garden.\" class=\"wp-image-8036\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:500px;height:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-1.jpg 697w, https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-1.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-1.jpg?resize=600,400 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 697px) 100vw, 697px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Yarrow. Photo:<\/em> <em><em>Roland Steinmann <\/em>from Pixabay&nbsp;<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need a shorter spreading plant to tuck between rocks or around taller plants in your garden, check out some of the <strong>variegated sedums<\/strong>. I especially like <em>Sedum kamtschaticum \u2018variegatum.\u2019<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-cbe57604 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"623\" height=\"643\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-3.jpg\" alt=\"Bright yellow flowers with red centers bloom in a garden, surrounded by green leaves and unopened buds.\" class=\"wp-image-8034\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:500px;height:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-3.jpg 623w, https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-3.jpg?resize=291,300 291w, https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-3.jpg?resize=600,619 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 623px) 100vw, 623px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Coreopsis. Photo:<\/em> <em>Jarmila from Pixabay&nbsp;<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"561\" height=\"643\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-4.jpg\" alt=\"Pink coneflowers with dark centers bloom in a garden, surrounded by green leaves in warm sunlight.\" class=\"wp-image-8033\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:500px;height:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-4.jpg 561w, https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-4.jpg?resize=262,300 262w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 561px) 100vw, 561px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Echinacea. Photo:<\/em> <em><em><em><em>Martha Kirk<\/em><\/em><\/em>&nbsp;<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Some other pretty flowering perennials are <strong>coreopsis <\/strong>and<strong> echinacea<\/strong>. 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"689\" height=\"464\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-5.jpg\" alt=\"A bee collects nectar from the center of a bright yellow flower, with blurred yellow blossoms in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-8032\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:500px;height:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-5.jpg 689w, https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-5.jpg?resize=300,202 300w, https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-5.jpg?resize=600,404 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 689px) 100vw, 689px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Heliopsis. Photo:<\/em> <em><em><em>Frauke Riether from Pixabay<\/em><\/em>&nbsp;<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For late season blooms, <strong>heliopsis<\/strong> offers showy yellow flowers. Great for both pollinators and birds, it\u2019s another drought tolerant choice. Proven Winners \u201cAthena Gold\u201d is bright yellow and would be a standout in a late summer garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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?&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":8036,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"class_list":["post-8031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","pp_post_mime_type":"","acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2026\/06\/PAP-Perennials-1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8031"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8031\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8114,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8031\/revisions\/8114"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/arapahoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}