Create The Perfect Mixed Perennial Garden!

Charlotte Weidner | February 14, 2026

We're not sure which is more difficult … Choosing the Perennials from the dizzying array of varieties and cultivars out there, or choosing which kind of Perennial Garden to start with?

Start your new mixed Perennial border or garden bed this year and get your flower fix all season long with a wide variety of Perennial plants for sale at Nature Hills Nursery!

Creating a Mixed Perennial Garden

Perennials are fantastic for filling small to large voids in the garden, small enough to add to container gardens, and easy enough to grow for en masse plantings! The versatility and range of their abilities, colors, sizes, forms, and bloom times are absolutely astounding!

Regardless of the type of garden you choose, there are a few key pointers to remember when planning your new garden:

Plant larger plants at the back of a Perennial border, or in the center of a circular planting
Medium-height plants in the middle
Smaller plants around the edges
Groundcovers on the edges or filling in bare spots
Tall or columnar plants, or vines on trellises, can serve as focal points
Plant in groupings of 3 or 5, or repeat in drifts across the bed for visual impact
Combine spring, summer, fall blooming, and reblooming varieties for continuous color
Consider seed pods, dried heads, and winter structure for added seasonal interest

Perennial Garden Design Tips

Go Formal

A formal Perennial Garden has a consistent theme and/or color scheme (both foliage and flowers), evenly spaced plants, neatly trimmed/sheared backdrops, and cleanly weed-whacked edges. Architectural spiky plants and statuesque Grass columns, tidy rounded globes, mixed with flat and spreading groundcovers, all help create clean lines and formal features. Black foliage or blooms add drama, and sculpted shrubs or clipped backdrops enhance the formality.

Wild and Informal

If you lean whimsical, choose an informal layout. Cottage gardens, prairies, and wildflower styles allow free-flowing designs with color bursts, textural variety, and a casual vibe. Winding rows intersect the entire garden bed, groupings with pops of color here and there, tall and short plants mixed and matched throughout, with flowing, billowing, spikey, and rounded plants all mixed together! Tumbling edging spilling over the sides, and big, flouncy flowering backdrops or waving Ornamental Grasses set everything off in the rear.

The Butterfly and Pollinator Garden

Support bees, butterflies, beneficial insects, and hummingbirds with nectar and pollen-rich pollinator-friendly Perennials:

Butterfly Weed (like Cinderella)
Cardinal Flower like Starship™ Blue
Aster Plants, or Showy Goldenrod (like Dwarf Little Lemon) for late-season flowers
Salvia, Bee Balm, Hyssop
Native Wildflowers

The Cutting Garden Perennials

Snipping blooms for bouquets also encourages new flowers to form and flushes of rebloom until frost in many cases! Create a bouquet-ready cutting garden with:

Goldsturm Black-Eyed Susan
PowWow® Wild Berry Coneflower
Blazing Star Gayfeather
Millenium Allium
Butterfly Blue Scabiosa
Daisy May® Shasta Daisy
Baby's Breath for filler
Showy specimens like Delphinium and Larkspur

Scented Perennial Garden

Mix these Perennials into your Rose garden or among other scented shrubs for a dreamy meditation garden to relax in and soothe the senses! Blend these into a sensory escape or meditation garden. Soothing, fragrant selections include:

Lavender
Peonies
Oriental/Asiatic Lilies
Salvia
Bee Balm
Tall Garden Phlox
Dianthus
Sweet Alyssum like Golden Spring
Heliotrope
Spring Bulbs like Hyacinths, Lily of the Valley, Tuberose, Tulips, Daffodils, and Muscari

Unique Flowering Perennials

Add conversation starters with these unusual perennial plants:

Red Hot Poker
Leopard Plant like Bottle Rocket
Compass Plant
Indian Pinks
Foxglove
Pineapple Lily
Foxtail Lily
Kangaroo Paw
Globe Thistle or Sea Holly
Astrantia

Nature Hills Has The Perfect Perennials For You!

From full sun to deep shade, there's a Perennial for every condition:

Cold-hardy, heat-tolerant, sun and shade-friendly varieties
Most prefer consistent moisture, fertile soil, and mulched beds
Great for curb appeal and practical problem-solving

Consider gardens that are:

Fire-defensible
Deer-resistant
Slope-stabilizing
Herbs and edible flowers for Edible Landscapes
Balcony or patio-friendly

Dry Perennial Gardens

Drought-tolerant Perennials are perfect for arid or rocky spots, and even Rock Gardens:

Sedum, Lavender, Ice Plant
Ornamental Grasses
Coreopsis
Coneflowers, Salvia, Blanket Flower, Yarrow

Sunny Perennial Garden

Love the sun? These thrive with full exposure:

Moist Soil Perennial Gardens

For wet spots and Rain Gardens:

Big Blue Liriope, Japanese Iris, Swamp Milkweed
native Turtlehead, Cardinal Flowers, Joe Pye Weed, Meadow Rue (like Black Stockings)
Soft Rush for unique texture
Creeping Jenny, and Ligularia for bold foliage
Spiderwort like Sweet Kate, Amethyst Kiss™, Concord, and native Ohio Spiderwort

Shade Garden Perennials

Understory charmers for low-light:

Hostas and Ferns for greenery
Coral Bells, Bleeding Hearts
Astilbe, Lungwort, Bergenia, Brunnera, Tiarella

Caring For Perennials of All Kinds

Perennials are some of the most rewarding plants in the garden! Coming back year after year with blooms, fragrance, and beauty. With just a bit of thoughtful care, they'll flourish for seasons to come! Find all the expert tips and tricks for Perennial planting and care to keep your garden looking its best for years to come!

Watering Wisely: During their first year, keep Perennials evenly moist as they establish strong roots. Use the Finger Test to check if the soil is dry a couple of inches down before watering again.
Mulch Matters: Add a layer of arborist mulch around your plants to conserve moisture, regulate soil temperature, and prevent weeds.
Deadhead for More Blooms: Many varieties will rebloom if you deadhead spent flowers regularly. Snip faded blooms to keep the show going.
Divide to Thrive: Every few years, divide overcrowded Perennials in early spring or fall to rejuvenate their growth and spread the beauty to other parts of your garden.
Feed Lightly: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring when new growth appears. Too much nitrogen can cause lush leaves but fewer flowers.
Prune With Purpose: Cut back stems after the first frost for most herbaceous Perennials, unless you're keeping them for winter interest or wildlife habitat. Pinch back leggy plants to encourage branching.

The Sky's The Limit With Perennials At Nature Hills!

With the broad range of colors, sizes, forms, and functions that Perennials are available in, you will need extra help Choosing the Right One For Your Garden, but Nature Hills is here to help every step of the way!

Creating a mixed Perennial Garden in your landscape allows you to have it all, no matter which you choose, and you'll enjoy something new throughout the entire growing season!

Order quality Perennials today from Nature Hills and find all the expert tips and tricks for Perennial planting and care to keep your garden looking its best for years to come!

Happy Planting!

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Compare Plants

Browse the features and specs side-by-side to find the best fit for your garden.

A table comparing the facets of 5 products
Facet	Butterfly Weed Plant View details	Starship™ Blue Cardinal Flower View details	Goldsturm Black - Eyed Susan View details	PowWow® Wild Berry Coneflower View details	Blazing Star Kobold Gayfeather View details
Rating
Rating	(11)	-	(1)	(5)	(4)
Type
Type	Perennial	Perennial	Perennial	Perennial	Perennial
By
By	American Beauties	Plants That Work	Nature Hills Nursery	Nature Hills Nursery	Plants That Work
Flower Color
Flower Color	Orange	Purple	Yellow	Pink	Purple
Growing Zone Range
Growing Zone Range	3-9	6-10	3-9	3-9	3-8
Mature Height
Mature Height	1-2 ft	2-3 ft	2-3 ft	1-2 ft	1-3 ft
Width
Width	1-2 ft	1-2 ft	1-2 ft	1 ft	1 ft
Price
Price	Regular price From $26⁹⁹	Regular price $34⁹⁴	Regular price From $16⁹⁹	Regular price From $17⁹⁹	Regular price $36⁵⁰

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you plan a mixed perennial garden from scratch?

Planning a mixed perennial garden starts with layering plants by height, placing taller varieties at the back of a border or center of a circular bed, medium plants in the middle, and low growers or groundcovers along the edges. Choose a mix of spring, summer, and fall blooming varieties so you have continuous color throughout the growing season, and plant in groupings of three or five for the most visual impact. Visit naturehills.com to browse perennials by bloom time, size, and growing zone so you can build a well-rounded plant list before you dig your first hole.

How do you design a perennial flower bed that looks great all season long?

To design a perennial flower bed that looks great all season long, combine spring, summer, and fall blooming varieties along with reblooming cultivars so something is always in flower. Layer plants by height, placing taller selections at the back, mid-size plants in the middle, and low growers or groundcovers along the edges, and plant in groupings of three or five for visual impact. Do not overlook plants with interesting seed pods, dried flower heads, or strong winter structure to carry the garden through the colder months. Start by mapping out your bloom times before you buy, then shop Nature Hills Nursery to mix and match perennials that keep your bed colorful from early spring through hard frost.

How do you arrange perennials in a flower bed by height and bloom time?

When arranging perennials in a flower bed, place your tallest plants (typically 3 feet and above) at the back of a border or the center of a circular bed, medium-height plants in the middle zone, and low growers and groundcovers along the front edges. For continuous color from spring through fall, combine early, mid, and late-season bloomers alongside reblooming varieties so something is always in flower. Plant in odd-numbered groupings of 3 or 5 and repeat those groupings in drifts across the bed to create visual flow and impact. Start by mapping out your bloom times on paper before purchasing, then shop Nature Hills Nursery to select a mix of spring, summer, and fall perennials that fit your height zones and keep color moving through the entire season.

How do you choose the right perennials for a mixed garden border?

Choosing the right perennials for a mixed border comes down to layering by height, sequencing bloom times, and matching plants to your site conditions. Place taller plants at the back, medium varieties in the middle, and low growers or groundcovers along the edges, planting in odd-numbered groupings of three or five for the most natural, visually satisfying effect. Combine spring, summer, and fall bloomers along with reblooming varieties to keep color going across the entire growing season. Browse Nature Hills' full selection of perennials filtered by height, bloom time, and hardiness zone to build a border that works beautifully from the first thaw through late autumn.

How do you prepare the soil before planting a perennial garden?

Proper soil preparation is the foundation of a thriving perennial garden. Work the soil to a depth of 12 to 18 inches, breaking up compaction and removing weeds, rocks, and debris. Incorporate 2 to 3 inches of compost or aged organic matter to improve drainage, fertility, and soil structure, which is especially important since perennials will occupy the same space for many years. Test your soil pH and adjust as needed before planting, aiming for a range of 6.0 to 7.0 for most perennials, then shop Nature Hills Nursery to find the right plants for your improved beds.

How do you plant a mixed perennial garden for the best results?

For the best results, arrange your mixed perennial garden with taller plants at the back of a border or center of a circular bed, medium-height plants in the middle, and lower-growing varieties and groundcovers along the edges. Plant in groupings of three or five, or repeat plants in drifts across the bed to create strong visual impact. Select a combination of spring, summer, and fall bloomers along with reblooming varieties to keep color going all season, and consider plants with interesting seed heads or winter structure for year-round appeal. Browse Nature Hills Nursery's full selection of perennials to build a layered, season-spanning garden bed that performs beautifully from the first thaw through frost.

How do you create a perennial garden that comes back stronger every year?

To build a perennial garden that improves with age, start by selecting a mix of spring, summer, and fall bloomers suited to your hardiness zone so plants can settle in and establish strong root systems across a full growing season. Plant in groupings of 3 or 5, placing taller varieties at the back of the border and shorter ones toward the edges, which reduces competition and lets each plant mature without crowding. Divide overcrowded clumps every 3 to 5 years in early spring or fall to reinvigorate growth and multiply your planting for free. Top-dress beds with compost each spring and deadhead spent blooms throughout the season to redirect energy into roots and next year's flowering.

When is the best time to start planting a perennial garden?

The best time to plant most perennials is in spring after the last frost date for your zone, or in early fall at least 6 weeks before the first expected frost, giving roots time to establish before winter. Spring planting allows perennials to develop through the full growing season, while fall planting takes advantage of cooler temperatures and natural rainfall. Check your USDA Hardiness Zone to pinpoint your local frost dates, then visit Nature Hills Nursery to browse our wide selection of perennials and get started with your new garden bed today.

How do you design a perennial border that provides continuous color?

To design a perennial border with continuous color, combine spring, summer, fall blooming, and reblooming varieties so something is always in flower from early spring through frost. Arrange plants by height, with taller varieties at the back, medium plants in the middle, and low growers and groundcovers along the front edges. Plant in groupings of three or five and repeat those groupings in drifts across the bed to create visual flow and prevent gaps in color. Browse Nature Hills Nursery's full selection of perennials by bloom time to build your ideal sequence and get plants on order before the season begins.

How do you maintain a mixed perennial garden once it is established?

Established mixed perennial gardens require division every 3 to 5 years in early spring or fall to prevent overcrowding and maintain vigor, and most perennials benefit from cutting back dead foliage to within a few inches of the ground either in late fall or early spring before new growth emerges. Apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch annually to suppress weeds, retain moisture, and regulate soil temperature through winter. Deadhead spent blooms throughout the season to encourage reblooming varieties to keep producing flowers and to prevent aggressive self-seeders from taking over neighboring plants. Visit Nature Hills Nursery at naturehills.com to find the right perennials for your hardiness zone and build a low-maintenance garden that rewards you with color from spring through fall.