Doug’s favorite perennials

I love growing annuals, but perennials will come back every year on their own. I need low maintenance plants in my garden. Many of these varieties are long blooming and don’t require anything from us.

My number one perennial is Corydalis lutea. It blooms from April until November, is covered with little yellow flowers and will form a nice colony in a couple years. It’s also deer resistant, I’ve never had it nibbled on by the four legged garden marauders.

Everyone should grow Corydalis lutea for its long blooming beauty and toughness. Photos by Doug Oster

Ligularia ‘Britt Marie Crawford’ is a shade lover with beautiful bronze/purplish foliage and yellowish orange, daisy like flowers. It’s indestructible.

Ligularia ‘Britt Marie Crawford’ is a winner in the shade garden.

‘Stargazer’ is an intensely fragrant summer blooming lily. I couldn’t imagine a garden without it.

‘Stargazer’ lily will fill the summer garden with wonderful fragrance.

Anemone ‘Queen Charlotte’ is a late summer bloomer that dances in the wind. It’s also a great pollinator plant.

Anemone ‘Queen Charlotte’ is a late bloomer and great pollinator plant.

Salvia ‘May Night’ brings blue into the garden. To get the most out of it, cut the flowers back as they fade. Feed the plant and give it water through the heat of the summer and it will reward you with another flush of flowers until a hard freeze.

Salvia ‘May Night’ is tough and beautiful.