Enjoy year after year of blooms with these low-maintenance plants for Southern gardens.
Southern Living/Adrienne Legault
Perennial plants are the ideal choice for low-maintenance gardening.
The best hardy perennials have long bloom periods, providing weeks or even months of color.
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Many attractbutterflies, bees, and otherpollinatorsto the garden.
Supplement rainfall as needed to provide regular irrigation during their first year as plants establish a robust root system.
Some perennials may not flower the first year because they are focusing energy on growing roots.
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Plants will return next year stronger than ever and ready to produce flowers.
The blooms attract butterflies and the seeds feed hungry songbirds, but deer and rabbits leave coreopsis alone.
Dark green thread-like foliage adds gorgeous texture to any garden setting.
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Plants tolerate salt, drought, heat and humidity, making an excellent addition to coastal gardens.
The small tubular blooms are produced in showy clusters that attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.
Native to the Eastern states, summer phlox grows well beneath black walnut trees, where many plants fail.
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Variegated Solomons Seal
This popular shade perennial has a graceful appearance that belies its rugged nature.
Foliage is held on long arching stems tinged with maroon hues.
White bell-shaped flowers dangle from stems beneath the leaves, providing nectar for bees and butterflies.
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Plant masses of this beauty in woodlands gardens and along shaded walkways.
Plants spread in low masses to create a lush groundcover perfect for the front of borders.
Flower spikes last for months, emerging in late spring and lasting well into summer.
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Shear off spent blooms to enjoy a repeat performance in autumn.
Flowers are loosely clustered on tall stalks that rise above the foliage.
Cut back plants in spring to 4 to 6 inches above ground level.
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Columbine
With its lacy foliage and thin stems, columbine looks delicate but is surprisingly durable.
Plants flower mid to late spring, filling the gap between spring bulbs and summer blooms.
Their unique spurred flowers are commonly bicolored, though many varieties are available.
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Individual plants are not very long lived, but they reseed in the garden ensuring a lasting stand.
Mountain Mint
Mountain mints are native perennials found throughout the South in a variety of habitats.
The foliage has a powerful minty aroma and is used in cooking and brewing teas.
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Hellebores seed in the garden and spread to form a small but easily contained colony.
Numerous hybrids are available that do not seed as readily.
Asiatic Lily
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Few plants provide as spectacular a floral display as lilies.
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Provide a well-draining soil to ensure plants return year after year.
New cultivars are added yearly, pushing the bounds on flower colors and forms.
To attract pollinators, avoid pompom or double types.
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The flowers open sequentially from the top down, providing long-lasting color through the summer months.
They are a favorite of native bees, butterflies, skippers, and moths.
Liatris are drought tolerant and generally pest-free.
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Plants grow as a rounded mound of feathery needle-like foliage that turns brilliant gold in autumn.
The fine texture provides a soft backdrop to summer blooming annuals and perennials and pairs beautifully with fall foliage.
Plants tolerate drought and poor soil, including clay or sand.
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Beebalm
Flowers of this aptly named native attract not just bees but also hummingbirds and butterflies.
Plants tolerate a range of soils and are unbothered by rabbits or deer.
Both native and introduced species are commonly available, along with numerous hybrids and cultivars.
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All tolerate challenging conditions including drought, heat, and humidity.
The soft fern-like foliage resists browsing by deer and rabbits and remains evergreen in warmer climates.
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