Best of the GPOD: Perennial Perfection

03.05.2024 - 14:20 / finegardening.com / Joseph Tychonievich

Perennials are the heart of so many gardens, coming back year after year to fill our spaces with beautiful flowers and foliage. But because they don’t usually bloom as long as annuals, and change through the seasons, they can sometimes be difficult to use effectively in a garden design—but not for the gardens we visit today in our look back at some of favorite perennial gardens featured on the GPOD.

John Markowski’s garden is just stunning. Here, Veronica spicata (Zones 3–8) is stealing the show with spikes of intense blue flowers. See more of John’s summer garden here: Lush Summer Blooms.

Great perennials are in the shade too. Cherry Ong shared this shot of ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris, Zones 3–7), Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica, Zones 3–8), and hostas growing together. See more of Cherry’s garden here: Ferns and More.

There is spring magic in Ellie Gilbert’s Massachusetts garden from ‘Dreaming Spires’ Siberian iris (Zones 3–8), Salvia ‘Blue Hill’ (Zones 4–8), ‘Karmina’ cranesbill (Geranium ‘Karmina’, Zones 5–8), and Heuchera ‘Raspberry Ice’ (Zones 4–9). See more of Ellie’s garden in spring: Spring Comes to Massachusetts.

Istvan Dudas is a British gardener who has shared some breaktaking images with the GPOD. This particular one is a shot I’ll never forget. The expert way he combines perennials is just incredible. See more of Istvan’s designs: Gardening Art Form.

Growing perennials is all about celebrating the sometimes short moment when they are at their peak, as with this incredible spread of moss phlox (Phlox subulata, Zones 3–9) showing off in Ruth Ann Mummey’s garden in New Jersey. See more of her garden here: Gardens at Bellsflower Farm.

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a