7 Must-Have Perennials for Tennessee Gardens (And How to Keep Them Thriving)
The best perennials for Tennessee gardens are those that stand up to our steamy summers‚ dry spells‚ and heavy clay soil‚ while also being low-maintenance․ Some of our favorite choices include seven garden veterans: coneflower‚ black-eyed Susan‚ daylily‚ hosta‚ bee balm‚ lily of the valley‚ and evening primrose․ All seven provide plants for any situation in Southeast yards and gardens‚ from full-sun borders to the shade of an oak tree‚ and require little care․
Perennials are a staple of low-maintenance gardens. They come back year after year without replanting․ Some varieties‚ such as hosta‚ die back in winter‚ but then resprout in the spring․ Some hold their foliage longer into winter than others․ Knowing what you're planting and where you're putting it makes the difference between a vigorous garden and one that limps through the cold months․
1․ Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Coneflower is about as forgiving as perennials get and is found in almost every bed in Tennessee․ Coneflower can be grown anywhere from USDA zones 3 through 9‚ so there is a good chance that one will be found somewhere from the mountains of East Tennessee to Memphis․ It does well in full sunlight and well-drained soil; it blooms from June to September‚ or longer if its flowers are deadheaded․
The purple‚ pink, and white daisy-like flowers alternate on the stems‚ and are quite effective at attracting goldfinches in late fall/early winter when the seed heads have dried down: leave a few standing and you will get free bird feeders․ Established clumps are fairly drought-tolerant and do not tend to run out of control․
2․ Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Another low-maintenance native of Tennessee‚ Black-eyed Susan is a drought-resistant perennial that grows well in dry‚ poor-quality soil․ It has golden-yellow flowers with a dark-brown center and blooms from midsummer into fall․ Ideal climate: Zones 3 to 9․
One mistake with growing this plant is growing it in too much shade․ If it is not given at least six hours of full sun‚ it will flop over and become leggy․ To maintain healthy clumps‚ divide every 3 to 4 years in early spring; you can tuck lifted divisions in other areas of the garden or give them to neighbors․
3․ Orange Daylily (Hemerocallis spp․)
The Orange Daylily earns its must-have status because it grows well in a variety of environments from open sun to partial shade and from sandy to claylike soil within USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9․ Though the trumpet-shaped flowers last less than one day‚ a mature plant can produce so many buds that it is in flower from late spring through midsummer․
Cut daylilies last a day or two out of the garden bed and make a bright orange addition to a flower arrangement without floral preservatives․ TN Nursery ships daylilies as bare root divisions‚ which should establish faster than potted divisions (which may circle a container) and flower in their first season if planted early enough in the year․
4․ Hosta
For the shady side yard‚ the plant that seems to thrive where nothing else will grow‚ and where most flowering perennials sulk‚ is hosta․ The plant is prized for its wide‚ ribbed‚ green‚ blue-green‚ and variegated-cream leaves‚ and less for the lavender or white flower spikes that rise from them in summer․ Hardy in zones 3 to 9‚ hosta grows best in moist‚ well-drained soil and dappled to full shade․
Deer and slugs are the most common pests of hosta in Tennessee․ Slugs can be managed by a light sprinkling of diatomaceous earth (DE) around the base of the plant‚ and deer repellent sprays re-applied after heavy rains discourage deer browsing․ Clumps grow slowly but steadily, so that dividing an established hosta every four or five years can line an entire shade border․
5․ Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
Few plants attract more hummingbirds and butterflies than bee balm․ The shaggy tubular red‚ pink, or purple flowers bloom between July and August․ Bee balm prefers partial to full sun in medium moisture soil․ It grows best in hardiness zones 4 through 9‚ especially in the humid summer of Tennessee․
Powdery mildew can also be a problem in our humid climate‚ especially when plants are too closely spaced․ Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart when planting‚ and water at ground level rather than overhead to keep the foliage dry․ Consider a mildew-resistant cultivar if this has been a problem plant for you in the past․
6․ Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
It makes a very sweet perfume from the tiny‚ white‚ bell-shaped flowers in the spring‚ and‚ unlike many perennial flowering bulbs‚ spreads freely to form a carpet-like groundcover through the underground rhizome system․ These qualities make Lily of the Valley well-suited for woodland gardens‚ shady areas of the garden or yard‚ such as under trees‚ along a north-facing foundation‚ or under large shrubs․
It is hardy in USDA zones 2-7 and can be grown virtually anywhere in Tennessee except for the hottest areas in the southwest corner of the state․ Since the entire plant is poisonous if ingested‚ this shrub is not suitable for gardens where unaccompanied pets or small children may come in contact with it․
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