Who says there ’s nothing new under the Dominicus ? Not gardener ! We value the repeated cultivar we ’ve do it for year , but are always on the lookout for new ones , too . A different flower color , a more heavyset habit , good foliage and amend pest - resistance are often among the dimension we hope to find .

hold out these10 low - alimony perennialsfor your garden

New plants descend on the grocery every year , proclaiming one or more of these tone . You may have learn a few of these industrial plant around and wondered if they really are dissimilar from what you ’re spring up in your garden now . To be honorable , some last up to their publicity ; some do n’t . And no matter how good they are , odds are the old standards will never leave our garden — they ’re treasured friends we want to keep around . Here are 6 improved perennial that have qualities that make them stand out from the crowd . allow ’s take a flavour at some of the choices you ’ll find at the garden meat or on the pages of your pet catalogue or site .

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Illumination series foxglove ( Digitalishybrid )

Most foxgloves just do n’t bloom long enough . But the Illumination series , a hybrid that is sometimes given the botanic nameDigiplexis , is switch that . It ’s sterile , so it position its energy into more blossom instead of produce seminal fluid . Because of its exceptionally retentive bloom period , which can last three months or more , you could also grow this tender perennial in containers as you would a tropic .

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liken to most foxgloves , you ’ll find unparalleled flower colour , too . Look for bright red - orange , like ‘ fire ’ in the photo above , as well as gold and apricot .

TypeTender perennial ( usually grown as an annual)BloomsVibrant shades of scarlet , orange , apricot and gold from midsummer to fallLightFull Sunday to part shadeSoilWell - drainedSize30 to 36 in . grandiloquent , 18 to 24 in . wideHardinessCold - brave in USDA zones 8 to 10

‘ Happy Days ’ repeated sunflower ( Helianthushybrid )

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Many perennial helianthus are lanky plants well suit to the back of the border . ‘ Happy Days ’ has sturdy stems that are an idealistic height for the middle of the margin , as well as for bouquets . And it ’s showy enough to practice in large containers .

TypePerennialBloomsGolden - yellow in midsummer to early fallLightFull sunSoilMoist , well - drainedSize20 to 24 in . tall , 18 to 24 in . wideHardinessCold - sturdy USDA zone 5 to 9

‘ Pink Cotton Candy ’ betony ( Stachys officinalis )

Illumination series foxglove (Digitalis hybrid)

Until ‘ pinkish Cotton Candy ’ , most cultivars only had purple - pink flower spike , a shade some folk find hard to organise with other colors . Just like the sugary confection , this cultivar is a clear light pink . For up to two months of peak , keep it deadheaded to encourage more spikes . As the flowers finish , cut the stems down so the stub wo n’t show above the tidy mound of leafage . With very few problems that bother it , the foliation looks great right up until wintertime .

TypePerennialBloomsLight pink spikes in early to midsummerLightFull sunSoilMoist , well - drainedSize18 to 24 in . tall and wideHardinessCold - unfearing in USDA zones 4 to 9

‘ Bonfire ’ cushion spurge ( Euphorbia polychroma )

Illumination series foxglove (Digitalis hybrid)

As it comes up , ‘ balefire ’ leaf is greenish . Then , unlike a unvarnished cushion spurge , it quickly changes to a swarthy red . Later , as the dense pitcher hit its full size , each stem is tipped with the bright sulphur - yellow bracts you see here . By summer solstice the foliage becomes a deep red , beam against the gullible internal leaves . And in evenfall , the red leaves brighten up a bit before the plant life exit down with a killing freezing .

TypePerennialBloomsGold bracts and peak in spring to midsummerLightFull sunSoilWell - debilitate to drySize12 to 18 in . tall , 18 to 24 in . wideHardinessCold - hardy USDA zones 4 to 8

‘ Valentine ’ sometime - fashioned hemorrhage meat ( Lamprocapnos spectabilis )

Illumination series foxglove (Digitalis hybrid)

rather of the medium pinkish flowers you find on vulgar old - fashioned bleeding heart , these are a striking cerise - red . And rather than plain gullible , the stem are burgundy so they really digest out against the twilit hoary - green leafage .

TypePerennialBloomsCherry - red hearts in late springLightPart to full shadeSoilMoist , well - drainedSize20 to 30 in . tall and wideHardinessCold - audacious USDA zones 3 to 8

‘ Fire Island ’ hosta ( Hostahybrid )

Illumination series foxglove (Digitalis hybrid)

Hostas are a mainstay of the shadiness garden , and deservedly so , but it would be nice to get more color from them . ‘ Fire Island ’ has gold to chartreuse leafage , which remain coloured all summertime . Pull them back for a peek underneath and you ’ll discover the stems are deep red .

TypePerennialBlooms20 - in.-tall lavender flowers in previous summerLightPart to full shadeSoilWell - drainedSize10 to 14 in . grandiloquent , 15 to 30 in . wideHardinessCold - hardy USDA zone 3 to 9

Illumination series foxglove (Digitalis hybrid)

Illumination series foxglove (Digitalis hybrid)

‘Happy Days’ perennial sunflower (Helianthus hybrid)

‘Happy Days’ perennial sunflower (Helianthus hybrid)

‘Happy Days’ perennial sunflower (Helianthus hybrid)

‘Happy Days’ perennial sunflower (Helianthus hybrid)

‘Pink Cotton Candy’ betony (Stachys officinalis)

‘Pink Cotton Candy’ betony (Stachys officinalis)

‘Pink Cotton Candy’ betony (Stachys officinalis)

‘Pink Cotton Candy’ betony (Stachys officinalis)

‘Bonfire’ cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)

‘Bonfire’ cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)

‘Bonfire’ cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)

‘Bonfire’ cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)

‘Bonfire’ cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)

‘Valentine’ old-fashioned bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)

‘Valentine’ old-fashioned bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)

‘Valentine’ old-fashioned bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)

‘Valentine’ old-fashioned bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)

‘Fire Island’ hosta (Hosta hybrid)

‘Fire Island’ hosta (Hosta hybrid)

‘Fire Island’ hosta (Hosta hybrid)

‘Fire Island’ hosta (Hosta hybrid)

Illumination series foxglove (Digitalis hybrid)

Illumination series foxglove (Digitalis hybrid)

Illumination series foxglove (Digitalis hybrid)

Illumination series foxglove (Digitalis hybrid)

Illumination series foxglove (Digitalis hybrid)

‘Bonfire’ cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)

‘Bonfire’ cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)

‘Bonfire’ cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)

‘Bonfire’ cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)

‘Happy Days’ perennial sunflower (Helianthus hybrid)

‘Happy Days’ perennial sunflower (Helianthus hybrid)

‘Happy Days’ perennial sunflower (Helianthus hybrid)

‘Happy Days’ perennial sunflower (Helianthus hybrid)

‘Valentine’ old-fashioned bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)

‘Valentine’ old-fashioned bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)

‘Valentine’ old-fashioned bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)

‘Valentine’ old-fashioned bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)

‘Pink Cotton Candy’ betony (Stachys officinalis)

‘Pink Cotton Candy’ betony (Stachys officinalis)

‘Pink Cotton Candy’ betony (Stachys officinalis)

‘Pink Cotton Candy’ betony (Stachys officinalis)

‘Fire Island’ hosta (Hosta hybrid)

‘Fire Island’ hosta (Hosta hybrid)

‘Fire Island’ hosta (Hosta hybrid)

‘Fire Island’ hosta (Hosta hybrid)