Perennials are easy to grow and bring beauty and life to your garden year after year. They are highly beneficial plants. Along with trees and shrubs, they contribute to soil health, prevent erosion, and provide habitat and food for pollinators, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Below are 18 native or introduced perennials selected not only for their suitability to Indiana’s climate, but also for their ease of care, hardiness, and high performance. Perennials truly are the backbone of a garden, and they are easy to love!

Long spells of endless sunshine might seem like your garden’s idea of a good time, but, like most things in life, moderation is key — even for plants. With all that sun can come high temps and a lack of humidity that leaves your flowers, veggies, and herbs wilted or dried up, as well as defenseless against disease and pests. You can help prevent heat-stressed plants and keep your own cool, too. So, put on a wide-brimmed hat, grab your water bottle, and help your greenery stay, well, green!

Here’s how to handle it when Mother Nature shows up with high temps and just won’t leave.

“A balcony or small patio garden can be your cozy retreat for morning coffees, starlit dinners, or simply a serene spot to unwind in after a long day.

As a canvas for personal expression, a balcony garden can merge beauty with functionality. It may offer a practical touch — fresh herbs within arm’s reach for a culinary treat — or simply a burst of color to brighten your day.

Make your balcony your mini sanctuary — however you define it.” – Elizabeth Howe, Design & Living, White’s Ace Hardware

“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.” – Alfred Austin

The joy of a garden is that you can watch it grow over many months. Here are the things to consider when you’re starting off.

Meet Phil and Jessie, your hosts of Making Our Roots, a garden to table series. In this episode you will hear how their trip to Alaska taught them the lessons they needed to learn to live off the land. If they can garden in Alaska, you can garden at home! Learn their secrets and cuisines you can make right from your backyard!

Our 10,000 square foot Garden Center is filled with everything you will need to cultivate your garden from flowers, plants, grasses and shrubs, not too mention the free expert advice! We also have a great selection of yard accents from windmills, to gorgeous pots, lawn ornaments and MORE!

Come over to your Hometown Garden Center! We’re here to help you with all the advice and materials that you need.
***

“Starting to plan a garden from scratch can be a daunting task. Good design is about mastering the dimensions in any garden: space, scale, texture, harmony, color, structure, light, dark, charm, features, romance, sense of place, history, and so on. But once you get going, it’s not about strict rules, but developing instincts to guide you over time.

The joy of a garden is that you can watch it grow over many years. Here are the things to consider when you’re starting off.” – Elizabeth Howe, Design and Trends Expert for White’s Ace Hardware