Raised beds are very popular in local gardens. If a raised bed with colorful plants is to be a decorative eye-catcher, then the easy-care and perennial perennials are very well suited here. Properly planted, they bloom from early spring to late autumn. Since the bed itself is already very high, the plants themselves should not grow too high. The following article shows a small selection of suitable perennials for planting in a raised bed.
Ideal location
Since the perennials are planted together in a relatively small bed, which is usually not exposed to large fluctuations in brightness for this reason, the following list has been divided into shady, semi-shady and sunny locations. Because not every plant thrives equally well in every location. When planting the raised bed, care should be taken to ensure that the selected plants prefer the same location.
Shady locations
If the raised bed is in a shady location, for example on the north side in front of a house wall or a boundary wall, then no sun gets here. Therefore, only plants that can cope well with shade and do not want direct sunlight can be cultivated in such a bed:
Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla)
- ground cover
- between 45 and 60 centimeters high
- deciduous foliage
- yellow-green flowers
- Flowering time from July to October
- small nuts after flowering
- tends to self-seed
- regularly pluck young plants
- hardy
Hosta
- also known as heart leaf lilies
- foliage perennial
- Leaves creamy white, steel blue, dark green or yellow-green
- often also patterned and multicolored
- depending on the variety golden leaves in autumn
- spread via rhizomes
- white or lilac bell-shaped flowers
- on bare, long stems
- Flowering period from August to September
- Avoid late frost
Source: I, Epibase, Hosta sieboldiana Elegans2UME, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tip: Leave the hosta leaves on the plant in winter, they will turn yellow and lie on the eyrie. They rot by themselves and can then be easily removed in the spring before the plant sprouts again.
Silver Cohosh (new: Actaea, old: Cimicifuga)
- also known as Christophskraut or lady's root
- white, elongated flower spikes
- upright flower stalks
- give off a sweet scent
- Foliage pinnate
- Multiple leaf colors available
- dark red, light green or brown
- flowers up to two meters high
- Flowering time from June to autumn
- Poisonous in all parts, especially in roots
Tip: A perennial is characterized by the fact that it reproduces via the roots. Dividing and propagating the decorative plants is also quite easy, because the roots simply have to be separated into several parts. In this way you can plant further beds, tubs or raised beds from your once planted decorative perennials.
Bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)
- also known as Flaming Heart
- up to 80 centimeters high
- pink and white flowers
- heart shaped grapes
- on overhanging curved shoots
- Flowering time from April to June
- poisonous
- hardy
- grows herbaceous
- lime tolerant
crying heart
Notice: Unfortunately, the bleeding heart is poisonous in all parts and was even voted poisonous plant of the year in 2022. Therefore, you should refrain from cultivating if there are small children or pets living in the household.
Wax Bell (Kirengeshoma)
- Height up to one meter
- forms subterranean spurs
- can therefore grow up to 80 centimeters in width
- yellow bell-shaped flowers
- Flowering period from August to September
- hardy
- non-toxic
- sensitive to lime
Source: Salicyna, Kirengeshoma palmata 2016-09-10 4294, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tip: If you plant a raised bed with different perennial plants, then pay attention not only to the height and the choice of location, but also to a good mix of early, summer and late bloomers. So you have a colorful variety in the bed all year round.
Partially shaded locations
A semi-shady location is one that gets a little sun depending on the position of the sun. He can also lie under a tree and here the sun shines through only moderately. The following perennials are suitable here:
Columbine (Aquilegia)
- red, yellow, blue, purple, white or pink flowers
- very popular with insects
- up to 90 centimeters high
- Flowering period from May to July
- second flowering in autumn after cutting
- Flowers on the central stem
- toxic in all parts
- hardy
Columbines, Aquilegia
Bergenia (Bergenia)
- was hardly noticed for a long time
- evergreen foliage perennial
- large decorative leaves
- rich green or reddish in color
- beautiful fall color
- very hardy
- first flowers depending on the climate already in January
- Flowers in pink and red
- many small flowers on 50 centimeter long panicles
- second flowering possible in autumn
Bergenia, Bergenia
Tip: The ornamental Bergenia was voted Perennial of the Year 2022 after being neglected for a long time and little cultivated in local gardens.
Autumn Anemone (Anemone)
- Flowering time from September to October
- delicate calyx
- white, pink or pink
- very delicate
- from simple to filled
- pinnate foliage
- Height between 60 centimeters and 1.60 meters
- variety dependent
- hardy
- tend to spread
Tip: In addition to the autumn anemones, there are also many varieties of anemones that bloom early or in summer. You can also plant a raised bed with anemones that have different flowering times and thus get a rich bloom from spring to autumn.
Campion (Lychnis)
- also known under the name of pitcher
- pink and slotted flowers
- on panicles
- upright growth
- wiry shoots
- up to 70 centimeters high
- Flowering period from May to July
- slightly toxic
- forms rhizomes
- often self-sowing
Lungwort (Pulmonaria)
- very small perennial
- only about 30 centimeters high
- Flowering time from March to May
- with a mild climate already in February
- popular bee perennial
- purple, red, white or blue flowers
- independent flowers on volute racemes
- form a flower cluster
- may change flower color during flowering period
- hardy
Italian lungwort, Pulmonaria saccharata
Notice: The presentation of the actually very decorative perennials monkshood and foxglove was deliberately omitted here, since both are very poisonous plants that you should really only plant in your raised bed if there is no danger to your own health. Cultivation should definitely be avoided if there are small children or pets in the household.
Sunny locations
For the sunny locations, i.e. a raised bed that is exposed to the full sun all day and does not get a little shade from one or the other tree, there is the largest selection of plants.
Blue Cushion (Aubrieta)
- forms a carpet of flowers
- up to 15 centimeters high
- Flower colors white, pink, red, blue and violet
- Flowering time from April to May
- cup-shaped flowers
- non-toxic
- hardy
- small, hairy leaves
- wants calcareous soil
Bluecushion, Aubrieta
flame flower (phlox)
- available in many different types
- creeping up to a meter high
- Flowers give off a pleasant scent
- Annual and perennial available
- grows very fast
- more durable through division
- depending on the climate, there will be no flowering
- The abundance of flowers changes from year to year
Tip: Since there are so many varieties of flame flowers, you can only plant a raised bed with phlox and still have a lush sea of flowers all year round. Because the different varieties bloom at different times and in different colors.
Love Grass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
- forms rhizomes
- up to 60 centimeters high
- sows itself
- grows overhanging and loose
- Flower colors red or violet
- Flowering period from August to October
- dense panicles
- forms nuts
- Leaves are fall color
Source: No machine-readable author provided. Rasbak assumed (based on copyright claims)., Teff pluim Eragrostis tef, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Notice: The love grass is not a perennial, but as the name suggests a grass. Still, it's the perfect companion to the other plants in your raised bed.
peony (peonies)
- clumpy-upright growing
- to about 50 centimeters high
- roots bulbous
- Flowering time late April to May
- thick, opulent single flowers
- plain or filled
- dark red, light pink, yellow or white
- roots hardy
- upper part dies off in winter
- sprouts again in spring
Tip: Peonies are divided into perennials and shrubs. The perennial peonies are particularly suitable for planting in your raised bed.
Yarrow (Achillea)
- natural beauty
- pretty tough
- small varieties up to ten centimeters
- high varieties up to 1.50 meters
- dense cushions
- tend to proliferate
- many different flower colors
- Flowering period from June to September
- attract bees and other insects
- hardy
Suneye (Heliopsis)
- can grow up to 1.70 meters high
- yellow and orange flowers
- Flowering time from July to October
- longer in mild climates
- dense flower heads
- single flowers
- hardy
- non-toxic
- lime loving
Sunbride (Helenium)
- Growth height up to 1.40 meters
- upright growth
- yellow flowers on corymbs
- Flowering period from July to September
- non-toxic
- lime tolerant
- hardy
Tip: As a rule, most perennials must be cut back to the ground before winter and the first frost. A layer of mulch on the raised bed also helps prevent frost damage to the roots. The plants will sprout again in the spring.
Coneflower (Rudbeckia)
- impresses with yellow ray flowers
- protruding horizontally
- other varieties slightly drooping
- Flowering time from July to October
- spreads via rhizomes
- between 40 centimeters and two meters high
- hardy
- perfect partner for grasses of all kinds
Coneflower 'Goldsturm', Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii
Tip: When planting your raised bed, however, you should opt for a low variety of coneflower. Higher-growing plants of other varieties and species can also be planted around the raised bed.
Cranesbill (Geranium)
- many different types
- often evergreen
- not all hardy
- many different flower colors
- white, red, pink, fuchsia or multicolored
- fast growing
- mostly upright
- also overhanging varieties
- Flowering time from May to October
- Always snap off faded flowers
Notice: Due to the smell of cranesbill leaves, also known as geraniums, the plant is avoided by snails. So if you put one or two of the decorative plants in the raised bed, the other plants are also protected from snails.