my favorite perennials for zone 6b - summer blooms
Asiatic Lilies
I love my Asiatic lillies. They bloom mid-summer, so around July in northern Massachusetts. They are short-lived, like peonies, but I think that is why I love them so much. I enjoy the beauty so much knowing it will only be for a few weeks. They are super low maintenance and seem to get bigger each year - just like my irises. So be warned they may take over a bed if you don’t keep them under control. Bunnies will eat the leaves and flowers, so I recommend rabbit scram to deter the little buggers, at least until they bloom.
Day Lilies
Not to be confused with Asiatic lilies, day lilies… They get bigger and bigger every year, especially the ditch lilies, which I have to dig up every other year and through elsewhere in the yard, usually where nothing else will grow.
Coneflowers
Coneflowers are one of those happy plants that seems to thrive even through heat and drought. So it is a great garden staple that blooms year after year.
Hibiscus
I fell in love with these amazing shrubs while visiting an orchard years ago. I was amazed at the variety of colors, shapes, and sizes with some blooms as big as dinner plates. They do take a while to settle in and bloom, so there is no instant gratification with these shrubs, but it is well worth the wait if you’re patient. Be sure to get hardy hibiscus for zonn 6 and not it’s tropical cousin.
Black-Eyed Susans
If you like a cottage garden-look, or have a spot that needs to be filled, black-eyed susans are great. Our few plants are taking over two of our beds, in a good way. They are filling in holes left by annuals or plants that didn’t make it over the winter. Very low maintenance, happy perennial for the garden.
Hostas
Hostas are such a great plant in the garden. They can be a complementary plant for something dramatic, like hydrangeas, or the can a stand alone beauty in the garden. They are very particular about how much sun they get so pay attention to where you plant them. If they do end up with a bit more sun than they would like, be sure to water them heavily.
Dahlias
Dahlias are a tender perennial in zone 6. That means in the fall, you need to dig them up (lift them) and store them, such as in a bucket of dry sand or in paper bags with peat moss for example. Both my husband and I find that the extra effort is worth because of the beauty and variety they add to the garden.
