Are you thinking of adding some shorter perennial plants to your garden edges or borders? In this article, we examine 61 of our favorite perennial plants that are smaller in stature. These plants will return year after year, and give your garden a great look with the foliage that’s closer to the ground.
There are ɱaпy reasons to create a garden border, from aesthetics to actual use cases. Luckily, short perennials do an excellent job of rapidly filling in an area. Even better, you can use some perennials as vegetables or herbs depending on your climate.
However finding the right low growing perennials that will come back year after year can be a challenge without a little bit of guidance. You want to have the right balance of color and plant shapes in your yard so it doesn’t feel off balance.
So, whether you’re aiming to achieve a specific color scheme for your garden edge or you’re waffling about the look you’re going for, our 61 low-lying perennial recommendations below will undoubtedly help you narrow down your version of the perfect garden border.
Contents [show]
Astilbe
These feathery flowers add texture and color to your garden.
Scientific name: Astilbe
The beautiful Astilbe plant has spikey flowers that range in color from white to dark purple. There are ɱaпy varieties of this flower, some with straight stems and others with arching stems.
Abstile plants grow best in the shade with one to two hours of sunlight per day. They like well-fertilized soil that drains well. You can cut their plumes back in the spring and expect flowers from spring to summer. Astilbe flourishes in USDA Zones 4-9.
Autumn Fern
This stunning dwarf fern is copper-red in its youth then matures to a deep green.
Scientific name: Dryopteris Erythrosora
Autumn Ferns make for excellent green foliage along garden edges and borders in shaded or wooded areas. As youngsters, the autumn fern is copper-red before changing to green.
The slow-growing Autumn Fern gets up to 24 inches tall and needs moist soil, so you should water it weekly at a minimum. It spreads quickly via underground stems but is slow to reach maturity. Autumn Ferns grow in USDA Zones 4-9.
Barrenwort
Barrenwort is an unusual and rare herbaceous plant that also goes by the name Bishop’s Hat.
Scientific name: Epimedium Grandiflorum
The hardy Barrenwort grows up to one-foot tall and three feet wide, boasting flowers of pink, yellow, orange, and more colors in the spring. If you pick the right variety, this can be an evergreen plant, with its intricate veins offering a unique appearance.
Barrenwort needs partial or complete shade. It does an excellent job withstanding drought with the support of leathery leaves, making it an ideal low-maintenance short perennial. Barrenwort thrives in USDA Zones 4-8.
Bearberry
This low-growing sub-shrub works excellently as ground cover in full sun to partial shade.
Scientific name: Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi
If your garden contains sandy and rocky soil, Bearberry is an excellent fit. The low-lying plant uses rhizomes to create a thick mat where you plant it, and its white or pink flowers attract butterflies from April to June.
Bearberry needs acidic soil with a pH ranging from 4.0 to 6.0. It does best in dry to medium soil moisture. This perennial also prefers full sun. Bearberry thrives in USDA Zones 2-7.
Blanket Flower
As a central US and Mexico native, blanket flowers love the heat and attract butterflies to your garden.
Scientific name: Gaillardia
Blanket Flowers are orange perennial flowers, that provide a wildflower look that lasts for much of the year. They’re native to the central U.S. and Mexico, so they have a high tolerance for both drought and cooler temperatures.
Most Blanket Flower stems grow between one and three feet, so they may require trimming to keep them short. In addition, they need full sun to produce their rich red and yellow colors. Blanket Flowers grow in USDA Zones 3-10.
Bleeding Heart
These heart-shaped flowers are unique in the plant world and often come in two colors that add to their appeal.
Scientific name: Dicentra Spectabilis
The beautiful woodland Bleeding Heart enjoys shade, which allows it to produce heart-shaped pink or red perennial flowers with white tips in the spring. The shortest versions of bleeding hearts grow only six inches tall and one foot wide.
Bleeding Hearts need moist, organic soil and full or partial shade. They prefer slightly acidic soil ranging from 6.0 to 6.5, as they’re native to eastern Asia. Bleeding Hearts require USDA Zones of 2-9.
Blue-Eyed Grass
The narrow light-green leaves of Blue-Eyed Grass for dense, tufted clumps that resemble grass.
Scientific name: Sisyrinchium Angustifolium
Don’t let it fool you—Blue-Eyed Grass is a gorgeous perennial with purple flowers, not a grass species. Nevertheless, its sword-like, upward-growing leaves make it look like grass when it isn’t in bloom.
You can expect Blue-Eyed Grass to grow between eight and 20 inches tall, with a few cenᴛι̇ɱeters of extra height added when the plant flowers. It thrives in rich, well-draining soil and full sunlight. Blue-Eyed Grass grows in USDA Zones 4-9.
Blue Star Creeper
Cover your landscape or garden in a blanket of Blue Star Creepers that bloom from spring to summer.
Scientific name: Isotoma Fluviatilis
Blue Star Creepers make for excellent ground cover around garden edges and borders because they spread fast and grow no higher than three inches, creating a thick mat. In addition, they boast purple to blue star-shaped flowers that bloom from spring to summer.
They prefer full sun and hold up well in a range of soil pH from 6.1 to 7.8, taking the word “hardiness” to the next level since they can withstand foot traffic. The Blue Star Creeper flourishes in USDA Zones 6-9.
Calla Lily
These classy-looking and distinctive flowers are easy to grow.
Scientific name: Zantedeschia Aethiopica
Resembling Christmas colors with its large, glossy green leaves and deep red trumpet-shaped flowers, the Calla Lily is a gorgeous staple to garden borders. That said, you can also purchase this plant in ɱaпy other flower colors, including black.
Adult Calla Lilies grow up to 18 inches tall and are self-sufficient. They prefer full sun or partial shade and moist soil, when possible. The Calla Lily grows in USDA Zones 8-10.
Catmint
This common aromatic herb produces clusters of lavender-blue flowers that attract feline friends to your garden.
Scientific name: Nepeta
As a member of the mint family, Catmint’s grayish-green leaves have a minty scent. The plant blooms several ᴛι̇ɱes throughout the year, offering pink, purplish-blue, or white flowers.
The sprawling nature of Catmint makes it an excellent perennial for garden edges, especially since it’s a deer deterrent. It’ll grow ten to 24 inches tall in full or partly shaded areas with dry and fast-draining soil. Catmint grows in USDA Zones 4-8.
Coral Bells
Not only are the blossoms colorful, but the foliage of Coral Bells is also robust and beautiful.
Scientific name: Heuchera
Coral Bells are short perennials with thin wooden stems. They have tiny round flowers that dangle outwards, giving them the appearance of a bell or Christmas tree. You can choose to purchase this eight to 18-inch tall plant in coral, pink, or red colors, among others.
You should plant Coral Bells in full sun or partial shade. They require neutral to acidic soil and frequent watering with well-draining soil. Coral Bells grow best in USDA Zones 4-8.
Creeping Mazus
Commonly used as ground cover, CreepingMazus is a very tiny perennial plant.