Perennials in the Texas Garden |
| Early perennial bloomers are such a joy and typically more delicate that later and summer perennial blooms.
While Texas Gold Columbine looks delicate, it’s not!!! In fact this is a Texas Superstar. |
Texas Gold Columbine a Texas Superstar®(More on the hardiness of Texas Gold Columbine developed for our climate here)
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| Texas Gold Columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha var. hinckleyana ‘Texas Gold’) is a Texas Superstar® plant, selected for its adaptability, showy blooms, and strong performance in Texas landscapes. Native to West Texas, it thrives in part shade with moist, well-drained soil, making it ideal for woodland gardens or shaded borders. Its bright yellow, spurred flowers bloom in spring and attract hummingbirds, while its delicate, fern-like foliage adds soft texture. Unlike many columbines, Texas Gold handles heat better and reseeds reliably without becoming invasive. |
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Julia Child Rose with accent colors, the yellow rose above, has always been a good combination until Rose Rosette disease. Crape myrtles bloom too late. If you lose your early roses consider a combination of Texas Gold Columbine and shrub, miniature crapes. I know, I know … but what to do? These roses in this bed are victims of Rose Rosette disease. So many gardens are impacted. |
Julia Child Yellow RoseThe yellow rose above is a well pruned Julia Child. This rose has leathery leaves and is extremely hardy. Early bloomer as well for the early spring garden. (More on Julia Child and why this is a good Texas rose here )
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 Texas April Garden with Foxglove and Lupine Come back more on this charming garden soon!! Foxglove and Lupine do well in Texas! (More on Foxglove and Lupine in Texas Here). Foxglove (Digitalis spp.) and lupine (Lupinus spp.) can grow in parts of Texas, but both require careful placement and timing. Foxglove prefers morning sun and afternoon shade, along with rich, well-drained soil—it performs best in North and Central Texas when planted in fall for spring bloom. Lupines, especially Texas bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis), thrive in full sun and lean, well-drained soil, needing fall planting to establish before spring. Both are beautiful but short-lived in Texas heat, often grown as cool-season annuals or biennials rather than long-term perennials.  Foxglove in Texas with Lupine
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Classic Sundial Perennial Garden |
| Texas summer perennial garden is coming on strong! It is important to know which perennials bloom simultaneously. Big Lambs Ear a hardy and luscious perennial for Texas.
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Big Lambs Ear and Tansy |
Big Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina ‘Helen Von Stein’ or similar cultivars) grows well in many parts of Texas, especially in North and Central Texas where winters are cooler and drainage is good. It thrives in full sun to light shade and needs well-drained soil—it will rot in consistently wet or humid conditions, particularly in East or South Texas. Known for its large, soft, silvery leaves, it makes an excellent border or ground cover, adding texture and contrast to dry garden beds. Big Lamb’s Ear is heat-tolerant, deer-resistant, and low-maintenance when planted in the right conditions. It’s especially well-suited to xeric and cottage-style gardens. The gray green color always goes well with burgundy and purple plants.
Lambs Ear and Tansy are an interesting combination. Their colors blend while their texture varies. Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is a hardy, aromatic perennial that can grow in parts of Texas, particularly in the northern and central regions where summers are less extreme. While it tolerates poor soil and drought once established, tansy prefers well-drained ground and partial to full sun. In Texas, it’s best used in herb gardens or as a companion plant due to its strong scent, which helps repel certain insects. However, it can be invasive if not managed, and care should be taken to prevent it from spreading aggressively. It’s not recommended for areas with sensitive native plant communities. |
Heavenly Early April Bloomers |
Daisies for TexasMatch Made in Heaven. Early April. (More early April perennial bloomers here) Daisies which do well in Texas and return stronger each year though extended cold and no water can wipe then out. Mix with wild flowers!!! These are Ox Eye white with the yellow centered daisies are the traditional white with yellow center, the solid yellow are the Englishman’s solid yellow daisy on the right. I have lost Ox Eye Daisies many times after years and years of flourishing and spreading. |
Ox Eye Daisy
Yellow Daisies (more about daisies for perennial gardens here) They can be a resilient workhorse and mix very well with Paint or bluebonnets.. |
Primrose: One Wild and One a Plant of the Year! |
| Primrose grows naturally in Texas and thrives in your garden as well. Small, discrete primrose. Not showy but a strong, and delicate perennial.
Where do you get it? Basically you must dig it up. I put it in a flower pot to begin, for a few months and then transplant it to the garden. I love it. It does need a good bit of sun, this is not a shade loving perennial. Once established (and that’s not always easy) it does well and spreads. If you find it spreading too much, the roots are shallow and it’s easy to weed out. It does not bloom for long but it’s a creeper and wonderful to see each spring.
Blooms early April / late March.
Primrose (Oenothera speciosa), often called pink evening primrose, is a tough, drought-tolerant native wildflower that grows well throughout Central and North Texas. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, spreading easily by seed and underground runners. If it takes hold well, it can become aggressive. |
Shimmer Evening Primrose Perennial 2007 Plant of the YearThere is another primrose as well and it’s yellow. Oenothera fremontii ‘Shimmer’, commonly known as Shimmer Evening Primrose, is a standout perennial for Texas gardens and was named a Texas Perennial Plant of the Year in 2007.  Native to the southwestern U.S., Shimmer thrives in hot, dry conditions and well-drained soils, making it ideal for xeriscapes and rock gardens. Its compact habit and silvery leaves make it as useful for design as it is tough in the Texas heat.  This low-growing, sun-loving plant features bright silver foliage that provides striking contrast in dry garden beds and borders. It blooms with clear yellow, cup-shaped flowers in spring, often repeating in fall with adequate moisture.
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Spider Wort a Wild Flower for Texas Gardens |
Spiderwort (Tradescantia spp.) is a hardy, adaptable perennial that grows well across much of Texas, especially in Central and East Texas where moisture is more consistent. Native species like Tradescantia ohiensis and Tradescantia occidentalis are common in prairies, woodlands, and roadsides. Spiderwort prefers part shade to full sun and moist, well-drained soil, though it can tolerate brief drought once established. It produces clusters of blue, purple, or pink three-petaled flowers in spring and early summer, often opening in the morning and fading by afternoon. The plant forms clumps and spreads slowly, making it a good choice for naturalized beds or native plant gardens. I know this plant so well. As a child in school we had to cross a field, then down a valley, over a bridge and up a hill for lunch. Spiderworts grew in abundance under the pine trees. Like Primrose you will have to find and dig this plant up, but it is well worth it. |
Dianthus in Texas a Challenge to Pansies |
It is possible to enjoy Dianthus for almost three full months which means Dianthus are perfect competition for the annual pansy. Read more about long blooming Texas Dianthus here … No More Annuals: With a good stand of Dianthus you can forget about pansies. A Clematis vine looks delicate but the right vine, suited for Texas, is incredibly hardy year after year. |
April and May Perennials |
The beautiful Purple Shamrock mixing with Wood Sorrel, both from the Oxalis family are perennials which blend and contrast with a purple Barberry and Oak Leaf Hydrangea. You can see the yellow columbine below the Oak Leaf Hydrangea. The Oak Leaf hydrangea will bloom in late April. Read more about Oxalis for Texas which comes in many colors here … |
Prairie Phlox an April Blooming Texas Perennial
Prairie Phlox Pilosa an April blooming Texas perennial with Purple Smoke a False Indigo Baptista in the background and beyond that is a crimson Salvia Greggii. Englishman’s Daisy: April Blooming Texas Perennial An Englishman’s Daisy, Texas yellow April blooming native perennial  An Englishman’s Daisy, Texas native perennial.  Gray artemesia in the foreground, yellow Englishman’s daisy and Scarlett Salvia Greggii to the right. All April blooming Texas perennials. |
A Sunny Pocket Perennial Garden |
This is a great example of heights and bloom time.In small perennial garden with Rudbekia which has a long bloom time and is great for hot Texas summers and Summer Phlox Victoria Phlox is a Texas Superstar developed by Texas A&M. That is the purple phlox above. Read more about why summer purple phlox is such a great Texas Perennial here. There are different sizes and colors and it is very reliable. |
Summer Super Perennial GardenWhat’s Blooming in Early June in Texas Rudbekia, Mexican Petunia, Crepe Myrtle, Home Run Rose, Oleander, Elephant Ears, Thyme, Spider Wort! Add crepe myrtle, shrub size or full size, a gigantic oleander (give it lots of room for 12 foot in height and diameter), add a summer shrub rose and you will have summer color that is heat hardy, water thrifty and you returns every year. Be sure to add a hot poker or two and some perennial grasses. Spider Wort is really just a shorter version of Mexican Petunia. Use both but Mexican Petunia is much easier to root and grow. It can be invasive but it is so very easy in Texas. Radescantia Virginiana Named for John Tradescant, the royal gardener of King Charles I of England. In 1637 his son brought the plant from North America back to England where it became a favorite as a garden exotic; the species name attests to its origin in the colony of Virginia.Spider Wort and Mexican Petunia Spider Wort and Mexican Petunia also known as Ruella (below) are cousins, with Spider Wort being the tiny one, usually only a foot high, while Mexican Petunia can grow to heights of five feet. They bloom at the same time, with Rudbekia. These are three perennials to plant together. The Mexican Petunia is very easy to root. Break off a few branches. Place in a glass jar of water, change the water every day and watch the little roots grow. Then plant! Mexican PetuniaThis is a perennial petunia. It can grow to five feet tall and become invasive. Still, I love it. It roots so easily. Simply break off about two feet, strip the leaves and stick it in damp potting soil. I purchase love pots for a dollar at the Dollar Store, fill them with Dollar Store potting soil, stick three branches in, place them on the breezeway with three to four hours of good morning sun and in a few months and I have a lovely gift. May to June is a good time to do this, before it gets too hot.
Artemesia with Ruella also known as Mexican Petunia and Perennial Petunia. Fundamental Gardening Tools The fundamental tools for gardening for me are: Osmocote fertilizer, a five pound pick ax, water retaining pellets or crystals and timer soaker hoses. The little pick ax lives at my back door with my gardening shoes. I use it to hack out a weed, pop a hole for a plant or trench for fertilizer.I always use water retaining pellets for new plants with a bit of Osmocote. I have tried the sprayer fertilizer feeder and other fertilizers, Osmocote is easy and always works. The soaker hose saves water and is much more effective than a sprinkler system. Create an anchor plant for your perennial garden. Here The Fairy miniature rose is a good anchor plant which does well in Texas.
Many miniature roses in Texas just don’t make it through our summers. When selecting a miniature rose understand roses mature to a huge variety of sizes. The term ‘miniature’ does not apply to the shrub size but rather to the bloom and leaf size. The Fairy miniature rose is a reliable and dependable rose for Texas that will work well with your perennials. Read more about miniature roses in your Texas and perennial landscape design here … Dwarf Day Lilies that (Supposedly) Rebloom |
 Here is another great combo for perennials. April blooming miniature day lilies will bloom periodically all summer though their strongest showing will be in the spring. While these are bulbs they should have a place in your perennial garden. Most day lilies save their display for late May and June, these are early bloomers. The ‘rebloomers’ have a pretty puny rebloom display. Value them for their first blooms and just be surprised by their ‘summer reblooms.’
 April blooming miniature day lilies will bloom periodically all summer though their strongest showing will be in the spring. While these are bulbs they should have a place in your perennial garden. |
Lantana – The Old Fashioned Giant OneFundamental to any Texas Garden – This is Full Size and can grow to four feet in height so be aware but it is easy to prune and contain if that’s your choice. Lantana roots very easily. Break of about six inches, strip the leaves half way down and stick it in a moist pot. More lantana! Read more about why Lantana is one of the hardiest Texas perennials here … |
The old-fashioned orange and yellow lantana is most commonly known as Lantana camara, often referred to as ‘Texas Lantana’ or common lantana in Southern gardens. This variety features vibrant clusters of orange, gold, and sometimes reddish blooms that shift in color as they mature, giving each flower head a multicolored effect. It’s a tough, heat-loving perennial in much of Texas and is especially prized for its drought tolerance, deer resistance, and ability to attract butterflies. Though Lantana camara is native to the tropics of the Americas, this classic cultivar has become a staple in Texas landscapes, especially in hot, sunny areas with well-drained soil. It can grow as a sprawling groundcover or a loosely mounded shrub, often reaching 3 to 5 feet tall and wide if left unpruned. While it’s a garden favorite, be aware that Lantana camara can be invasive in some regions and is toxic to livestock and pets if ingested. It reseeds freely and may spread aggressively in unmanaged spaces. Still, for its long bloom season and resilience, it’s a dependable choice in tough Texas settings. |
The Rock RoseI love this sweet, little self sufficient plant that grows naturally in Texas. It is easy to root and a reliable, wonderful perennial. Break off a branch, strip down a few leaves and stick it in a pot. It will root! The Texas rock rose is officially known as pavonia lasiopetala. That is autumn sage to the left of the Rock Rose. The two work well together.
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Hint: Water Retaining Pellets and Crystals: Amending Your SoilIt is crucial to fill your soil with organic matter. I use water retaining pellets and crystals in beds and flower pots. Texas is in drought conditions from mid-June to early October. Water retaining pellets are crucial for plants with shallow roots. The “organic matter” in this truck is cow manure and is great. It is being tilled in with water retention pellets, sand and seed killer chemicals … unless you live in deep East Texas you should amend your soil.
Great flower beds always begin with soil amendment, organic matter, water retention pellets, sand sometimes, chemicals to kill seeds, I use them but some people object to seed killing chemicals. Amend your soil unless you live in deep East Texas, and even then, consider it! |
Native Texas Plants!Native Texas plants are hugely popular in Texas. This begins with trees such as the Desert Willow below, American Agave picture below but all agaves are great, Myrtle Spurge which is the ground cover. In the background, left image you can see Mealy Blue Sage!
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| That is myrtle spurge as the ground cover with Desert Willow or Chilopsis linearis. Remember the Desert Willow is poisonous and the Chitalpa tree is a better choice.Read more on the Chitalpa tree here …Read more on poisonous plants here …Read more about planting native plants as perennials here … |
Texas Green Shade Loving PerennialsIn Texas the classic shade loving combination includes:
Lenten Rose and Purple Shamrock are shade perennials in Texas with April Blooms.
Ginger Ginger is a shade loving perennial in north Texas. In south Texas where the freeze is lighter ginger grow much larger than in north Texas. Cast Iron Plant or AspidistraCast Iron Plant (Aspidistra) – will survive anything. It’s just not Texas without a cast iron plant (or Louisiana). You see these all over New Orleans, where they are a bit more lush because of the humidity and more temperate climate. However, they do well in Texas in absolute shade.
MahoniaMahonia is really a shrub but it works well with this group. Mahonia and leather leaf fern are the classic combination. Consider Mahonia. It is leggy but combining it with Leather Leaf ferns solves that problem. Read more about Mahonia as a shrub in Texas that works well with perennials here … Wood FernAlways a shade winner. Wood Fern with Lorapetalum |
Pin It If You Like It!
 Dallas in the Spring Perennials Knockout Rose  Dallas in the Spring Perennials SMU Knockout Rose
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 Henry Duelberger Sage in Texas April Perennial Garden Landscape Design
Henry Duelberg SageSalvia farinacea ‘Henry Duelberg’, commonly known as Henry Duelberg Sage, is a robust perennial native to South and Central Texas. Discovered by horticulturist Greg Grant in a Central Texas cemetery, this plant was named after Henry Duelberg, whose grave it adorned. Its resilience in such an environment highlighted its adaptability and hardiness. It grows to about three feet high and is a good choice for a Texas perennial. Blue Star, Texas April Blooming Perennial  Blue Star, a March and April blooming Texas perennial.
 Blue Star March / April blooming Texas perennial for landscape design.
Blue Star (Amsonia tabernaemontana) is a hardy, clump-forming perennial that grows well in much of Texas, especially in full sun to part shade and well-drained soil. It blooms in spring with clusters of soft blue star-shaped flowers, followed by attractive willow-like foliage that turns golden yellow in fall. Drought-tolerant once established and deer-resistant, it’s a reliable choice for native gardens, borders, or mass plantings. Lilac Vitex Tree a Texas SuperStar (TM)
Texas Lilac Vitex Tree is the foundation for many perennials. At six foot per year growth this tree can quickly turn your sunny perennial garden to a shade perennial garden. Or cut it back each year for a shrub appearance. It will come roaring back six feet a year. This is a patented Texas Superstar. In the image below you see it as a shrub.  These Vitex trees are shaped more like shrubs. Cut them down each year and they will return six feet tall the next year. Here you see Vitex anchoring the corner with Barberry shrubs, Knockout Roses and Maiden Grass. I think this is beautiful!
Purple Shamrock
Purple Shamrocks are not grown for their flowers but for their beautiful leaves. There are various colors and shades of purple. The green shrub planted in the corners is a spreading Yew. Read more about the Purple Shamrock varieties that complement any perennial garden here. Also read more about poisonous plants… Purple shamrocks are claimed to be poisonous to cats and dogs. Coincidentally, speaking of poisonous plants the Yew is considered to be poisonous as well. A small point but I did eat the leaves of the Yew when young with no ill effect. Read more about the Yew shrub here …
In the planter above you see spreading yew in the corners with a Japanese Maple in the center. The Purple Shamrock is an annual that will return every year. In Texas, because of our heat, most summer annuals have no more than a three to four month life span at best. With a little more effort, and virtually no more expense you can have a blooming garden that comes back year after year. Chocolate Flower Chocolate Daisy a Texas perennial. Chocolate Flower is a common name for Berlandiera lyrata, a species of flowering plants also known as Chocolate Daisy or Lyreleaf Greeneyes.
This plant belongs to the family Asteraceae and grows from North-Central to South-western areas of the United states, and in Northern and Southern Mexico. This flower is distinguished by its sweet chocolate-like scent. Moist Soil Two Year Establishment Period: Moist soil is necessary for two year establishment period. Do not rely on your sprinkler system for the first two years for your perennials to become established. I use a lightweight fabric type soaker hose and a timer. The rubber hoses blow out too often for me.
Mealy Blue SageMealy Blue Sage planted in front of a hedge of Rainbow Home Run Roses. Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea) is a tough, Texas-native perennial that thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Known for its tall spikes of blue to violet flowers, it blooms from spring through fall and attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall, is drought-tolerant once established, and performs well in both garden beds and wildflower plantings. Deadheading spent blooms can encourage repeat flowering through the season.
 Established Mealy Blue Sage, year two.
Midnight Blue SalviaMidnight Blue Salvia planted in front of Canna Lillies. ‘Midnight Blue’ Salvia (Salvia farinacea ‘Midnight Blue’) is a compact, heat-tolerant perennial ideal for Texas gardens. It features dense spikes of deep indigo-blue flowers on sturdy stems, blooming from late spring through fall. Growing about 18 to 24 inches tall, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it perfect for borders, containers, and pollinator gardens. Like other salvias, it attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and is both deer-resistant and drought-tolerant once established. ArtemesiaArtemesia, a gray frothy perennial which can get woody and leggy is planted in front of Autumn Salvia. Artemisia, often called wormwood or silver sage, grows well in many parts of Texas due to its heat and drought tolerance. Known for its silvery, aromatic foliage, Artemisia is best used as a low-maintenance accent plant in full sun and well-drained soil. It thrives in hot, dry conditions and is particularly well-suited to xeriscaping and native-style plantings. Popular varieties in Texas landscapes include:
 Artemesia is a gray feathery perennial that is in full leaf in April. This perennial can get leggy and even woody.  Artemesia can be very leggy, it important to keep it trimmed back and possibly plant a lower growing plant with it to hide the bare leggy part of the perennial.
 Lantana with artemesia behind it and purslane (which closes at about five p.m.) mixed. I always mix lantana and purslane for contrast color. Because the purslane closes at about five p.m. the lantana is still blooming abundantly. Purslane by itself if sad when the blooms close at the end of the day and it provides and incredible contrast to the lantana. It just works.
Clematis in TexasClematis is extremely hardy. Give it enough sun and a good trellis and it will reward you season after season. That is Henry I Clematis — very good for Texas year after year.  Jackmanii clematis with climbing rose.
Read more about Clematis in Texas here …  Cross Vine April and may blooming vine in Texas related to the Trumpet Vine and found in the wild. Extreme hardy.
Read more about the Cross vine here … IrisIris – the transition bulb. In late April and early May Iris fill in the void. (More here on the triple purple threat!) My grandmother loved a purple iris. It is still my favorite flower.  Purple Iris in Texas. Iris are easy to grow and pretty drought tolerant though obviously they do much better with care. They bloom from rhizomes. They do need lots of sun.  Purple Iris in Texas
Poppies also grow with the wildflowers. Technically, they are not perennials but reseed themselves. Poppies with Wildflowers
SedumsLemon Coral Sedum Texas Perennial. Most sedums do well in Texas and are incredibly easy to root. My favorite sedum is Basket of Gold. Here it is seen with miniature climbing roses. It blooms in May. This is a pretty delicate plant and I have had trouble keeping it alive.  Creeping Jenny. It has long been a popular gardening technique to put Creeping Jenny in a bird bath and let it drape over.  Lemon sedum and bright yellow sedum.
Texas Perennials in Groupings  Colorful native plants for Texas landscaping design. Cone flowers, with sedums in the fore, myrtle spurge to the left, Rudbekia in the back and in the far back right you can see Monks Cap just beginning to bloom. That is a Desert Willow tree, poisonous but beautiful. Sedum: Autumn Joy  Sedum: Autumn Joy
Autumn Joy Sedum (Hylotelephium ‘Herbstfreude’) is a resilient, low-maintenance perennial well-suited for Texas gardens. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, tolerating drought and heat once established. The plant grows to about 1.5 to 2 feet tall and wide, forming upright clumps of gray-green succulent foliage. In late summer, it produces large, flat clusters of pink flowers that mature to deep rose and eventually to a coppery hue in fall, attracting butterflies and bees. ‘Autumn Joy’ is hardy in USDA Zones 3–9, making it suitable for most of Texas. It requires minimal watering and should be planted in areas with good drainage to prevent root rot. Overly rich soil or excessive shade can cause the plant to become leggy. Propagation is straightforward through division in spring or stem cuttings in summer. This sedum is ideal for rock gardens, borders, and containers, offering both aesthetic appeal and ecological benefits. My sprinkler system has done a good job of keeping this sufficiently wet through the dog days of July, August and September when we are basically in drought conditions in Texas. It really does need regular water. AmaryllisThis is a lily bulb but it spreads through the years and is striking with roses and perennials. Amayllis provides a truly carefree show of color. Little or no worries with these lilies.  Amaryllis Lilies are a bulb not a perennial but they come back every year and do incredibly well in Texas Landscape design.
Blue Pin Cushion
Blue Pincushion (Scabiosa columbaria)This is a compact, mounding perennial known for its soft blue-lavender blooms that resemble small pincushions. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it a good choice for rock gardens, borders, or containers in Texas. Blooming from spring through fall, it attracts butterflies and bees, and benefits from regular deadheading to extend flowering. Though not native, it performs well in Texas gardens when protected from heavy clay and excessive summer moisture.
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Blue and Purple Pincushion flowers refer to varieties of Scabiosa columbaria, commonly grown for their long bloom season, compact form, and strong appeal to pollinators. These perennials are well-suited to Texas gardens when planted in full sun and well-drained soil, particularly in Central and North Texas where summers are hot but soils can be amended for drainage. Cabiosa columbaria ‘Butterfly Blue’, commonly known as the Pincushion Flower, has received notable recognition. In 2000, it was named the Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association. This is in part because of its long blooming period, compact growth habit, and attractiveness to pollinators like butterflies. The plant produces lavender-blue, pincushion-like flowers from late spring through fall. This is a real winner for Texas.
Ferns as Summer Greenery for the Moist Shade Painted Japanese Sword Fern
Hostas
Classic fern / hosta combination.
Variegated Hydrangea Rosemary Can Get Very Large! |
Purple Pin Cushion will grow in sun or partial shade. These are April blooms. Purple Pin Cushion Shade or Sun Perennial 
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