15 Old-Fashioned Perennials Nobody Plants Anymore
The heirloom perennials our grandmothers grew, and why they deserve a place in the garden again.
Garden centers sell what blooms in a pot in May. Many of the toughest, longest-lived perennials never look their best in a nursery, so they quietly disappeared. Here are the ones worth hunting down.
Peony (Paeonia lactiflora)
- Zones
- 3–8
- Light
- Full sun
- Height
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms
- May – June
- Deer resistant
- Yes
- Care
- Easy
A peony can outlive the gardener who plants it. Set the eyes no more than two inches deep, or it will sulk and refuse to bloom.
Astilbe (Astilbe × arendsii)
- Zones
- 4–8
- Light
- Part shade
- Height
- 1–3 ft
- Blooms
- June – July
- Deer resistant
- Yes
- Care
- Easy
Feathery plumes for damp, shady spots. The dried plumes stay handsome into winter.
