Top 9 Perennials in Tennessee That Flourish Round the Year

Jumpstart Your Tennessee Garden with these Fabulous Perennials!

Toss a splash of vibrant colors into your Tennessee garden, while ensuring it remains resilient against its unique climate. By selecting perennials tailored to Tennessee's specific conditions, you can enjoy low-maintenance landscapes that captivate eye-popping beauty year after year.

Perfect Picks for Tennessee's Turf

Aster: Rhyme "Tennessee" with "white 'Rockcastle aster'" for a native plant that just can't get any more local. Asters charm gardens with their starry blooms that thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. Known for their medicinal and culinary uses, they bring character and charm to your eclectic garden tapestry!
Ageratum: Hailing from tropical and warm temperate regions, Ageratum is a perky perennial that flows with waves of color. Optimal growth comes from full sun to partial shade, with these plants flexing their floral flair under the limelight! Ageratum has been utilized in various cultures for centuries, aiding digestive issues and acting as a natural insecticide.
Columbine: These quirky perennials are the early bloomers of your spring garden, taking advantage of the chillier mornings before dancing away in the sun. Wild columbine forms sprawling patches thanks to their prolific seed production, offering a variety of colors to your garden, perfect for partial shade. The roots, leaves, and above-ground parts have been utilized for treating gallbladder disorders, scurvy, jaundice, and more!
Coral Bells/ Heuchera: Tennessee natives with a nearly limitless color spectrum, coral bells make a striking addition to any garden. They thrive in partial shade yet can handle sun in cooler climates, flourishing in well-drained, moist, neutral to slightly acidic soil.
Bearded Iris: This sun-loving perennial gracefully proliferates year after year. Bearded irises flourish best in full sun and enliven borders or beds, adding a splash of color around your yard and patio. This long-blooming beauty also boasts a wonderful assortment of fragrances!
Lenten Rose: Ready to make your early spring garden shine? Helleborus xhybridus, or the Lenten rose, blooms long after winter fades, and self-seeds to fill in your garden with its attractive foliage. Ideal for partial to full sun, these icons of the spring garden can act as specimen plants, background plants, or even a stunning ground cover.
Garden Phlox: Bold and resilient, garden phlox steadfastly stands through the seasons, filling gardens with beautiful flowers. Tall garden phlox favor full sun but also perform well in partial shade, making them adaptable and perfect for woodland borders. Phlox has been utilized for centuries in teas to purify blood and address skin conditions like boils or eczema.
Bee Balm: Say hello to Butterfly Weed or Monarda, a colorful addition to any pollinator garden. Native to North America and attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, this attractive perennial is a natural choice for the eco-conscious gardener. With its medicinal properties and ability to aid in relieving fevers, sore throats, and cold sores, bee balm offers many benefits beyond its beautiful blooms!
Blanket Flower: Inspirations for your garden design might come from the mosaics of Native American blankets—the striking, patterned flowers of blanket flower will dazzle your eyes! These plants thrive in full sun, carrying a rich history of medicinal usage by various cultures, particularly to soothe sore nipples and eye irritations in nursing mothers.

Three Sisters Planting Method

Push your potential as a gardener and reap the benefits of the Three Sisters method, where beans, corn, and squash are planted together—reaching new heights of biodiversity and sustainability!

A Green Thumb's Guide to Tennessee

Transplanting the best perennials to your Tennessee garden ensures a resilient and beautiful landscape all year round. By embracing native perennials chock-full of color, enticing fragrances, and wildlife benefits, you'll create a flourishing, sustainable garden that not only dazzles the eyes but supports Tennessean ecosystems and their inhabitants.

Butterfly weed and autumn sage dazzle with their radiant hues, catering to butterflies and hummingbirds alike. Meanwhile, Russian sage, with its lingering lavender-scented foliage, provides a melodious shrub for your garden that is deer-resistant and can thrive in partial shade.

By weaving these perennials into your garden masterpiece, you're knitting a vibrant, sustainable landscape that balances style with function while nurturing local biodiversity.

"Incorporate the colorful 'Aster' into your Tennessee garden, ensuring it not only thrives in the unique climate but adds charm with starry blooms, ideal for home-and-garden enthusiasts. Meanwhile, the diverse 'Three Sisters planting method' can be a perfect blend of gardening and lifestyle, promoting both biodiversity and sustainability in your home-and-garden lifestyle."