Getting a garden bed to bloom again every year with little effort is very easy to do with perennial perennials. Because these are easy to care for and bloom intensively. The perennials with a long lifespan are so diverse that there are suitable plants for every bed, whether in the shade or in the sun. If you plan cleverly, then there will also be a rich bloom on the perennial bed all year round.
Perennial bed in the garden
In order to get an eye-catcher in the garden with the perennial bed and so that the bloom lasts for a long time, the plants must be correctly combined and coordinated. Attention should be paid to flowering time and flower color. Of course, your own taste also plays an important role here, whether the garden bed should bloom in a uniform color or in a colorful variety. However, it is always important when planning the bed that the following criteria should be observed:
- create a precise planting plan
- Lead perennials in the background
- Accompanying perennials in the middle bed
- Filler perennials for bed borders and gaps
- Shade planting plans
- Planting plans for the sun
tip: When you plan the perennial bed and create a planting plan, you should also consider the location. Because not every perennial can withstand the sun all day, while others wither in the shade.
Create a planting plan
If a planting plan for the perennial bed is to be created, you should not only think about the plants that will be used here, but also about other decorative options. Depending on where the garden bed is laid out, attention should be paid to a bed border. This can consist of border plants, wooden elements or stones to separate the bed from the rest of the garden. There are also decorative elements that can be distributed between the individual plants in the garden bed. These include, for example:
- bird baths
- Fountain
- Tubs for single plants
- antique wheelbarrows
- antique garden tools
tip: When planning the perennial bed, you should measure your garden bed and draw a rough sketch. You should determine the dominant flower color in advance and look at the various perennials in garden shops or on the Internet. This way you will know better afterwards how many plants you need.
leading perennials
The leading perennials include all those that reach a large size. As a rule, these should also be permanent bloomers. Lead perennials are usually planted in the background because of their size. However, if the perennial bed is in the middle of the garden, then these largest plants will have their place in the middle, and it will be lower all around. The perennials set the tone of the bed, stand out from the other plants and can be used in groups or individually. The leading perennials include, for example, the following decorative tall plants, which can grow between 1.50 meters and 2 meters high:
monkshood (aconite)
- about 300 species
- Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae)
- soil rich in nutrients
- shady location
- flowering in summer
- toxic in all parts
- hardy
Foxglove (digitalis)
- Plantain family (Plantaginaceae)
- about 25 species
- red foxglove very well known here
- other colors also available
- preferred location shady
- toxic in all parts
- hardy
Foxglove, Digitalis
Mullein (Verbascum)
- also known as torch flower
- Figwort family (Scropulariaceae)
- about 300 species
- Flowering period from May to August
- Flower color yellow
- full sun, warm location
- well-drained, sandy and rocky soil
- hardy
Larkspur (Delphinium)
- Genus of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae)
- over 300 species
- sunny location
- loamy-humic nutrient-rich soil
- Flowering in early summer
- second bloom in early autumn
- Flower color blue
- hardy
Coneflower (Rudbeckia)
- daisy family (Asteraceae)
- bright yellow flowers
- Flowering time late summer
- full sun location
- nutrient-rich, permeable and moist soil
- hardy
Coneflower 'Goldsturm', Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii
companion perennials
The accompanying perennials are used around the main perennials. These should round off the visual picture. The accompanying perennials are usually up to one meter high and should match the color of the main perennials. Beautiful companion perennials can look like this:
ferns
- many different types
- some for shady location
- others for a sunny location
- often hardy
- long green fronds
- humic, loose soil
- evenly moist without waterlogging
bracken
Cranesbill (Geranium)
- own family of cranesbill plants (Geraniaceae)
- 400 different types
- some of them hardy and semi-evergreen
- climate-related flowering period from spring to autumn
- many different colors
- moderately moist, nutrient-rich soil
- drought is tolerated
- full sun location
Bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)
- Genus of heart flowers (Decentra)
- Flowers on overhanging stems
- flowering time spring
- natural variant flower color pink or white
- shady location
- humus rich, moist soil
- lime intolerant
- hardy
- needs frost for later flowering
filler perennials
Filler perennials are plants that are placed in small holes or laid out as a bed border and should thus harmoniously connect the accompanying and main perennials. As a rule, the perennials are ground covers, the following are some examples that could be used in a perennial bed:
Gold Strawberry (Waldsteinia)
- The rose family (Rosaceae)
- rich flowering in spring
- golden yellow flower color
- semi-shady to shady location
- reacts sensitively to waterlogging
- nutrient-rich and humic soil
- hardy
Golden strawberry, Waldsteinia, Waldsteinia ternata
Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla)
- The rose family (Rosaceae)
- about 1000 species
- suitable for sun and semi-shade
- nutrient-rich, well-drained soil
- hardy
- many different flower colors
Funkie (Hosta)
- also sweetheart lilies
- about 40 small and large species
- therefore cannot be clearly classified as accompanying or filler perennials
- Asparagus family (Asparagaceae)
- humic, consistently moist soil
- 2009 Perennial of the Year
- hardy
Yellow-green hosta 'Gold Standard'
Phlox (Phlox subulata hybrids)
- also known as flame flower
- Polemoniaceae family
- Native to North America
- original flower color pink and pink
- many other colors are now available
- depending on the variety for sun or shade
- nutrient-rich, well-drained soil
- hardy
Carpet phlox, Phlox subulata
notice: Some of the filler perennials listed here are actually also among the accompanying and even among the leading perennials. Because the different types of phlox or hosta, for example, grow at different heights. If you are planning a perennial bed, you should take these into account.
Sedge (Carex)
- ornamental grass
- Sourgrass family (Cyperaceae)
- over 2000 species
- evergreen
- hardy
- well-drained, fresh soil
- Location sunny to semi-shady
- very adaptable
Rough sedge, Carex hirta
Star Moss (Sagina subulata)
- also awl-mastkraut
- Carnation family (Caryophyllaceae)
- dense, cushion-like growth
- can be entered
- star-shaped white flowers
- Flowering time between June and August
- semi-shady to shady location
- moist, well-drained, mineral soil
- hardy
notice: In the following lists of planting plans for perennial beds in the shade and in the sun you will find many more perennials that you can plan in your own garden bed, but unfortunately not all of them could be presented in detail.
Shade planting plans
However, beds that are in the shade are often difficult to plant. Flowering perennials in particular cannot be used so easily here, as the flowers usually need a little sun to thrive properly. But here too there are some ideas for one or the other planting plan.
Robust shade bed
Plants have a harder time thriving in the shade. To ensure that care is relatively easy here too, the following perennials were selected for a garden bed measuring about 2.5 meters by one meter:
as leading perennials
- Foxglove (Digitalis ferruginea)
- goat's beard (Aruncus dioicus)
as companion perennials
- Comfrey (Symphytum azureum)
- Elf flowers (Epimedium perralchicum Frohnleiten)
- Astilbe chinensis pumila
- Spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides purpurea)
as perennials
- Red veil fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)
- green-white sedges (Carex)
- Waldsteinia (Waldsteinia ternata)
Thimble. Comfrey, Waldsteinia
notice: Of course, you can also design all the planting plans presented here individually for yourself. It is up to you whether you mix the different perennials together or group the same species together.
Garden bed with bright leaves
It can be quite dark, especially in the shade. If it is a relatively large garden bed of about six square meters, then perennials are ideal here, which are very decorative because of their bright leaves. When planning, the following planting plan can be used:
as leading perennials
- white monkshood (aconite)
- Record sheet (Astilboides tabularis)
as companion perennials
- yellow columbine (Aquilegia)
- light green, tall hostas (hosta)
- white Japanese anemones (Anemone japonica)
- white spars (Astilbe japonica)
- green-leaved purple bells (Heuchera)
- Ostrich ferns (Matteucia struthiopteris)
- Bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis)
- Globeflowers (Trollius europaeus)
- white forest bellflower (Campanula latifolia macrantha)
as perennials
- Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
- low hosta
- Japanese goldberg grass (Hakonechloa macra Aureola)
- Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus)
- green-white sedge (Carex)
- Star Moss (Sagina subulata Aurea)
Hosta, Columbine, Sheet
tip: If you transfer the presented perennials to your planting plan, you should always plan two or three of the same species, so that the bed can be planted densely.
Colored shade bed
If only a perennial bed is available in the shade, for example in a north-facing garden, then this should still get a little color. The following perennials look particularly good in a shady spot. The garden bed should have a size of three by two meters:
as leading perennials
- blue and white monkshood (aconite)
- Royal fern (Osmunda regalis)
- Moor-grass (Molinia arundinacea)
as companion perennials
- Penstemon (Penstemon digitalis)
- Bearded Grass (Schizachyrium scoparium)
- Glossy Shield Fern (Polystichum aculeatum)
- Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium yezoense)
- Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum multiflorum)
as perennials
- Maple Stick (Arum italicum Pictum)
- light green hosta
- Snake Beard (Ophiopogon planiscapus nigrescens)
- Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
blue aconite, woodruff, Solomon's seal
Planting plans for the sun
It's easy to find ornamental perennials in sunny beds, as most plants in this genus do best in full sun or partial shade. Here are some ideas for sunny to partially shaded perennial beds. Of course, the planting plans presented here can also be changed or varied as desired if one or the other plant does not like it.
You should also pay attention to the possible toxicity of some of the plants presented here if there are small children or pets in the household who could get to the perennials. In such a case, the poisonous plants can always be replaced with non-poisonous ones when planning.
Blue and white garden bed
For a bed in blue and white, there are many beautiful perennials that can be cultivated together here. The ideas for this attractive bed were based on a size of two square meters. If the garden bed is larger, then the plants can be placed twice accordingly:
as leading perennials
- blue-violet flame flowers (Phlox paniculata)
- white larkspur (Delphinium Magic Fountain)
- white false asters (Boltonia asteroides)
as companion perennials
- Feather Bristle Grasses (Pennisetum)
- Gaura (Gaura lindheimeri)
- white Japanese anemones (Anemone japonica)
- Monk aster (frikartii)
- white coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
as perennials
- white stonecrops (Sedum spectabile)
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- white gypsophila (Gypsophila paniculata),
- Cranesbill (Geranium magnificum)
- Ornamental Sage (Salvia nemorosa)
white delphinium, feather bristle grass, gypsophila
Pink sea of flowers
If you like it colourful, you will like this planting plan very much, because the plants presented here shine in pink and are particularly suitable for the sun. For a 2.80 meter by 1.50 meter bed, the following plants are required:
as leading perennials
- Noble rue (Artemisia ludoviciana)
as companion perennials
- Phlox paniculata
- Indian nettle (Monarda)
- Pyrenean cranesbill (Geranium endressii)
- Masterwort (Astrantia Major)
as perennials
- Purple bells (Heuchera micrantha)
- Purple Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)
tip: If you are planning a garden bed with perennial plants, then you should bear in mind that the companion perennials should always fill up most of the bed. Filling perennials and leading perennials should only frame the whole thing.
Narrow perennial bed for the south wall of the house
If there is only little space on a south-facing house wall that should still be used sensibly, then a narrow perennial bed 80 centimeters wide and six meters long can be created as follows:
as leading perennials
- Boxwood (Buxus) different forms
- Globe thistle (Echinops ritro)
as companion perennials
- Catnip (Nepeta x faassenii)
- Yarrow (Achillea clypeolata)
- Woodland Sage (Salvia nemorosa)
as perennials
- Dyer's chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria)
- Flat-leaved man-litter (Eryngium planum)
Globe thistle, yarrow, dyer's chamomile
Romantic garden bed
Especially if the entire garden is to be laid out as a cottage garden, a romantically designed perennial bed is ideal here. The following perennials have been selected for a sunny bed measuring approximately 3m by 1.5m:
as leading perennials
- Peony (Paeonia lactiflora)
- Magnificent cranesbill (Geranium magnificum)
as companion perennials
- Gypsophila (Gypsophila paniculata)
- Blood Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum)
- Turkish poppy (Papaver orientale)
as perennials
- Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
- Catnip (Nepeta racemosa)
Peony, Turkish poppy, lady's mantle
Japanese garden
If the garden as a whole has a Japanese look, then the perennial bed can also have a Japanese direction with lots of grass. Overall, the flower colors should be chosen in white. So the following plants were chosen for a 1.50 meter by 2.50 meter garden bed:
as leading perennials
- Chinese reed (Miscanthus sinensis)
- Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa)
as companion perennials
- white Japanese anemone (Anemone japonica)
- Pendulum sedge (Carex pendula)
- yellow-red daylily (Hemerocallis hybrid)
- Wax bell (Kirengeshoma palmata)
as perennials
- white flame flowers (Phlox divaricata)
- green-leaved hosta
- Japanese goldberg grass (Hakonechloa macra Aureola)
- yellow tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata)
- Snake Beard (Ophiopogon japonicus Minor)
- Summer primroses (Primula florindae)
yellow girls' eye, yellow-red daylily, Chinese reed
Fragrant garden bed
If a garden bed is available near a seat, it can be transformed into a fragrant oasis. In a three meter by two meter area, the following fragrant plants are particularly effective:
as leading perennials
- Mock-stripe (Philadelphus coronarius)
- borage aster (Aster novae-angliae)
as companion perennials
- white noble peony (Paeonia lactiflora),
- Feather Bristle Grass (Pennisetum)
- white flame flower (Phlox paniculata)
- Millet (Panicum virgatum)
- Tall Bearded Iris (Iris barbata-elatior)
as perennials
- Edelrue (Artemisia arborescens)
- white feather carnations (Dianthus plumarius)
- Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile Plenum)
- Stone quellard (Calamintha nepeta nepeta)
Mock orange, millet, chamomile