Perennials for the Pacific Northwest: A Guide for Gardeners
The Pacific Northwest is a gardener’s paradise, with its temperate climate and abundance of perennials. Perennials are plants that come back year after year, making them a great investment for your garden.
Choosing Perennials for the Pacific Northwest
When choosing perennials for your Pacific Northwest garden, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Native plants: Native plants are always a good choice, as they are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions.
- Sun exposure: Some perennials prefer full sun, while others prefer shade or part shade. Be sure to choose plants that are suited to the amount of sunlight your garden receives.
- Soil conditions: Perennials also have different soil preferences. Some prefer well-drained soil, while others can tolerate wet or clay soil.
- Purpose: Consider what you want the perennials to do in your garden. Do you want them to provide groundcover, attract pollinators, or add color to your landscape?
Sun-Loving Perennials
If your garden gets plenty of sun, there are many beautiful perennials to choose from, including:
- Aster
- Baby’s breath
- Bee balm
- Black-eyed Susan
- Blanket flower
- Candytuft
- Canna Lily
- Catmint
- Coneflower
- Cranesbill
- Dahlia
- Daffodil
- Daylilies
- Delphinium
- Geum
- Giant hyssop
- Ice plant
- Lamb’s ear
- Lewisia
- Mallow
- Milkweed
- Penstemon
- Peony
- Poppy
- Primrose
- Red hot poker
- Rock rose
- Russian sage
- Salvia
- Sedum
- Star creeper
- Tulip
- Yarrow
Low Maintenance Shade Lovers
For areas of your garden that get less sun, consider these low maintenance shade lovers:
- Anemone
- Astilbe
- Bleeding heart
- Carpet bugle
- Corydalis
- Cyclamen
- European wild ginger
- Goat’s beard
- Hellebore
- Heuchera
- Hosta
- Ligularia
- Lily of the valley
- Pansy
- Red valerian
- Siberian bugloss
- Sneezeweed
- Solomon’s seal
- Spotted dead nettle
- Sword fern
Adaptable Perennials
Some perennials are adaptable to a range of sunlight conditions, making them a great choice for gardens with both sunny and shady areas:
- Bugbane
- Camas lily
- Cardinal flower
- Columbine
- Dianthus
- Fritillaria
- Joe Pye weed
- Lupine
- Shasta daisy
- Vinca
With so many beautiful perennials to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect ones to add color and interest to your Pacific Northwest garden.
