Perennial Blooming Calendar for Houston

Spring Perennials
Summer Perennials
Fall Perennials

When the winter packs up and heads off, and we eagerly move back into our beds, we’re not looking for a short-term reward. We want our gardens to be in full bloom for as long as possible, no matter the season – not just for a couple of weeks. That’s where perennials come into play – with year after year potential that keeps coming back for more.

However, just like our favorite fruits and veggies aren’t always in-season, all perennials have their own time to shine in the garden. Some can’t wait to play the part of weasel in spring, popping up with eager anticipation at the end of winter’s tune. Others are much happier sleeping in and slowly rolling out of bed when the days are a longer and warmer in summer. And knowing which perennials are blooming when will help you put together a garden that is full of color and variety all year long.

Spring Perennials

Spring is all about heralding joy and anticipation for the arrival of sunny summer. Starting off subtle, we can expect these blooms to be slightly smaller and more delicate to begin with, but growing like a crescendo in enthusiasm as the weeks go by. Here’s what you can see blooming in spring:

Hinckley’s Columbine offers a stunning golden yellow color that looks plucked straight from the sun to shine in our gardens. As much as it may emulate the sun, though, it’s surprising that it doesn’t need a full day of it to grow. In fact, it’s quite happy growing next to a tree, getting full sun in early spring, but more dappled as the season goes on and grows more intense. Avoid clay-heavy soils and water often to keep them cool.

Creeping Phlox flowers offer gorgeous groundcover that happily jumps out of the ground in early spring, savoring the cooler weather. Their little flowers shaped like stars coat the garden in dreamlike wonder, while their lush, evergreen foliage keeps our beds full of green even after the blooms are spent. All they need is full sun and regular watering.

Rockroses have some of the most delightful, plate-like blooms with lilac petals and golden-hued centers. While their deep green foliage is happy to stick around all season, their blooms only last a day, jumping ship to make room for more to come. Regardless of their delicate appearance, rockroses are certainly tougher than they look – and certainly won’t mind if you happen to forget about them and things get dry. In fact, go on and plant them in a windy spot with sandy soil – they’ll still be there when you get back as long as they get full sun.

Other spring-bloomers to set your sights on: clematis, purple hearts, rosemary, Texas gold columbines, and turk’s cap.

Summer Perennials

Summer is all about the blooms that make you sit back in awe thinking, “Did I really grow that?” This is the season for all things big, bold, and colorful, and is certainly the time to embrace all things large and loud. Here’s how to get your grow on in summer:

Rain Lilies bring the perfect touch of summer pink color to the yard that effortlessly fills in any bare spot in sight with their spreading habit. While they may look like little lilies, they actually aren’t related to them at all. However, not all of their name is misleading. Rain is a key component in their performance – their adorable blooms are awakened from their hibernation with the help of a dreary drizzle. Talk about a silver lining on a rain cloud! Plant them in full sun and well-draining soil.

Shasta Daisies are famous for their flashy, white blooms that adorn not just our summer gardens, but our summer fashions and homewares, too. If you’re looking to create that iconic summer cottage garden look, your garden bed simply wouldn’t be complete without these low-maintenance lovelies. Plant in full sun and fertile soil, and enjoy their fabulous, old-fashioned aesthetic for years to come.

Salvia of many different colors will bloom all summer and attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.  

Other summer-blooming stunners include blanket flowers, butterfly bush, fan flowers, hardy hibiscus, and many, many more!

Fall Perennials

Fall may be the last bound by the blooms before summer slips away like last night’s dreams, but there’s still plenty of color to be had even then. These late bloomers are surefire winners for clinging on when the days get shorter and the nights get cooler:

Hamelia, also known as hummingbird bush, are sometimes referred to as firebush because of the fiery show it it puts on late summer through fall. If you are wanting to invite hummingbirds to your garden, this is the plant for you!!! Plant it, sit back and enjoy the show!!!

Chrysanthemums – better known by their less-of-a-mouthful nickname, mums – are staples of autumn gardens and containers worldwide. Coming in almost every color imaginable, they are the best way to usher in the autumn with vibrance and excitement. Plant them in full sun, water often, and deadhead spent blooms to keep them full of life all season.

Blue Plumbagos are one of the few flowers that actually bring that beautiful blue hue to the garden. Blue isn’t all they give, though! Ever the performers, as they age, they slowly transform into a fantastic violet shade, so you’ll never get blue looking at them. Drought tolerant, they won’t mind being lost in the shuffle of the back-to-school flurry, just make sure to give them full to partial sun.

Other fall favorites to consider: Texas tarragon, autumn joy sedum, black-eyed susans, and more!

Just because the seasons change, doesn’t have to mean we need to go through any awkward transitions of empty spaces in the garden. By planning your planting with every season in mind, you can be sure to have a garden bursting with colorful blooms every day from the last frost until the first (but don’t go thinking about that again just yet)!