1Hibiscus
Photos from Japan, Asia and othe of the world//Getty Images If you crave vibrant color and showy flowers, plant a hardy hibiscus in your garden. With huge blooms that can reach the size of dinner plates, these perennials instantly transport you to the tropics.
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Learn more: How to Grow Hibiscus
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2Daisies
lillisphotography//Getty Images These classic beauties are worth a sunny spot in any garden! Varieties can range from closer to the ground to several feet tall.
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Learn more: How to Grow Daisies
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3Dahlia
Jacky Parker Photography Dahlias really like full sun, but as with most plants, if you live in a super hot part of the country, you should try to provide them with a bit of afternoon shade.
Hardiness Zones: 8 to 11
Learn more: How to Care for Dahlias
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4Bee Balm
Jacky Parker Photography 5Butterfly Weed
Cyndi Monaghan//Getty Images This native milkweed, called Asclepias tuberosa, not only has striking bright-orange flowers, but it's also a reliable attractor for pollinators of all kinds, but especially monarch butterflies. It tops out at 2-2 1/2 feet.
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Learn more: How to Design a Pollinator Garden
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6Elephant Ear
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7Canna Lily
Clive Nichols//Getty Images If you're looking for pretty flowers and fabulous foliage, Canna lily is the right pick for you. This hummingbird attractant likes the heat and the sunshine, where it thrives.
Hardiness Zones: 8 to 12
Read more: 21 Flowers That Hummingbirds Adore
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8Peonies
Anastasi Skackova / EyeEm//Getty Images This shrubby plant with glossy dark green foliage has lush, exuberant flowers with rich fragrance in late spring. Don’t plant too deep or they won’t bloom. The ants that visit the flowers aren’t pests; they’re sipping the nectar.
Varieties to try: Festiva Maxima, Sarah Bernhardt
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Read more: How to Properly Grow and Care for Peonies
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9Russian Sage (Salvia yangii)
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10Columbine
Shannon Ramos / EyeEm//Getty Images These graceful, elegant flowers bloom for weeks in late spring to early summer. The plants typically last only a few years, although they often drop seeds which start new little plants. Columbine also produce more blooms with some deadheading.
Varieties to try: Lime Sorbet, Swan Burgundy, and White
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Keep reading: Which Flowers Should You Deadhead?
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11Campanula (Bellflower)
my vintage gardens photography//Getty Images 12Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
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13Chrysanthemum
Lemanieh//Getty Images With every color of the rainbow, you’ll find a type to love. But here’s the kicker: If you want mums to come back every year, plant them in the spring. If you plant in the fall (like most people do), the plants don’t have time to get established in time to survive winter.
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Varieties to try: Hillside Sheffield Pink, Matchsticks
Learn more: How to Grow Chrysanthemums
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14Hardy Geranium
James53145//Getty Images These mounding perennials (not to be confused with the type you usually see potted on a window sill) have a long flowering period and spicy fragrance. They’re sturdy plants that quickly double in size. Early summer is peak bloom.
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Varieties to try: Rozanne, Biokovo
Learn more: 25 Most Fragrant Plants
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15Catmint (Nepeta)
AlpamayoPhoto//Getty Images These early summer bloomers are hardy, fast-growing and fuss-free. Their pink, purple, or white flowers bloom for weeks in the landscape, and the foliage has a pleasant, light minty scent.
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Varieties to try: Walker’s Low, Blue Wonder
Learn More: 20 Fast-Growing Plants
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16Daylily (Hemerocallis)
Jacky Parker Photography//Getty Images Big, gorgeous daylily blooms appear early to midsummer. These flowering perennials multiple quickly, so you can divide in a few years and gain more plants. Fun fact: Daylilies aren't acutally lilies! But they are actually beautiful. There are cultivars for nearly every hardiness zone.
Hardiness Zones: 1 to 11
Varieties to try: Chorus Line, Romantic Returns
Love Lillies? 17 Types of Lilies You'll Love to Grow in Your Garden
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17Lavender
Pinanong Kaewrangsee / EyeEm//Getty Images Beautiful pale purple flowers, silvery foliage, and appealing fragrance make this perennial herb an all-around winner in any garden setting. The woody classic is cranky about being moved once established, so pick a spot and stick with it.
Hardiness Zones: typically 5 to 10, depending on variety
Varieties to try: SuperBlue, Phenomenal
Read more: How to Grow Lavender
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18Coneflower (Echinacea)
Valerie Loiseleux//Getty Images Bright daisy-like blooms come in a profusion of colors and sizes. They flower from early to midsummer for weeks. Keep the seed heads in place over the winter for the birds. The fragrant flowers can be used fresh or dried for echinacea tea!
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Varieties to try: Sombrero Salsa Red, Lakota Fire
Learn more: 25 Fragrant Plants That Will Make Your Garden Smell Amazing
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19Sedum
By Eve Livesey//Getty Images These bullet-proof perennials come in every size, shape, form, and color from upright to ground-hugging. They’re an excellent choice in dry, sandy soils.
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Varieties to try: Dynomite, Angelina, Autumn Joy
Learn more: How to Grow Autumn Joy Sedum
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20Perennial Poppies
HR2523600003115738375//Getty Images These bold, dancing blooms flower for a few weeks in early summer. They’re best planted en masse. Make sure you buy a type that is perennial (which come back from the roots), because some poppies are annuals (which are grown from seed).
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Varieties to try: Goliath, Forncett Summer
Learn more: Poppy Flower Facts and Symbolism
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Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
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