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10 Perennials To Plant In Your Garden This Spring

Plus, expert tips on how to care for them.
10 Perennials To Plant In Your Garden This Spring

(Photo: iStock)

Perennials, like roses and peonies, are the investment pieces of the plant kingdom, but that doesn't mean they don't require plenty of care. To ensure your garden blooms beautifully year after year, consult these need-to-know, flower-specific tips from Sarah Nixon of My Luscious Backyard—and get inspired by these ten gorgeous perennials varieties you can plant in your own yard this spring.

Roses

Roses bloom well in most Canadian climates, but specific varieties thrive better in certain locations. Be sure to ask an expert at your local nursery which strain will work best for you. Also be sure to watch for rust (an orange fungus) and blackspot (a disease that causes black splotches on leaves), both of which have a fondness for roses.

A bush of white roses in bloom to illustrate an article about the best perennials to plant in Canada.(Photo: iStock)

Peonies

Plant these delicate blooms in full sun at the correct depth; Nixon suggests one to two inches below soil level. With proper care, peonies should flower for decades.

A bush of pink peonies in bloom to illustrate an article about the best perennials to plant in Canada.(Photo: iStock)

Poppies

Poppies thrive in cooler climates and go dormant around mid-summer. Nixon suggests scattering poppy seeds around the garden to fill in any spaces between larger plants.

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Poppies blooming in a field to illustrate an article about the best perennials to plant in Canada.(Photo: iStock)

Irises

Divide and plant irises between late July and late August to ready them for the following year. These flowers bloom in spring and last through early summer.

Irises blooming in a garden to illustrate an article about the best perennials to plant in Canada.(Photo: iStock)

Hydrangeas

These bulbous beauties come in many different colours—pink, purple, blue and chartreuse, to name a few. Come fall, chartreuse hydrangeas will begin to fade to white. To preserve their colour through the winter, cut off any lingering blooms in the fall and bring them inside to dry.

A bush of white hydrangeas in bloom to illustrate an article about the best perennials to plant in Canada.(Photo: iStock)

Dahlias

Dahlias will thrive year over year in most parts of Canada provided their tubers are dug up and stored indoors in the winter. To extend their blooming season, start growing dahlia tubers indoors around April, and plant them outside when the weather and soil warms up (around May).

A bush of pink dahlias in bloom to illustrate an article about the best perennials to plant in Canada.(Photo: iStock)

Day lilies

Day lilies are an easy flower to grow—hey, beginners!—and tolerate most soil conditions. Bonus: They produce lots of beautiful bright flowers.

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Day lilies blooming in a garden to illustrate an article about the best perennials to plant in Canada.(Photo: iStock)

Foxgloves

Foxglove seedlings can be planted right after purchase, or grown indoors starting in early spring. They should hit peak-bloom in late summer and begin flowering again the following spring.

Foxgloves blooming in a garden to illustrate an article about the best perennials to plant in Canada.(Photo: iStock)

Purple coneflowers

Purple coneflowers are easy to grow, even in poor soil conditions. And if you want your garden teeming with butterflies and bees, plant these! 

Purple coneflower blooming in a garden to illustrate an article about the best perennials to plant in Canada.(Photo: iStock)

Lupines

Some varieties of lupines thrive better as annuals, so check with your nursery before purchasing seedlings intended for a perennial garden. Lupines also favour cool summers, and seeds should be chipped or soaked before planting. 

Purple lupine flowers blooming in a garden to illustrate an article about the best perennials to plant in Canada.(Photo: iStock)

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