The Best New Perennials

The Best New Perennials

By Published November 27, 2014 Updated June 27, 2022

Welcome to Plant Delights Nursery at Juniper Level Botanic Gardens. We are a private research and display botanic garden located near Raleigh, North Carolina (USDA Hardiness Zone 7b). Our retail mail order division allows us to make the best perennials from our trials available to gardeners around the world, some of which were developed here, some from our plant explorations, and others from breeders around the world. Between 1988 and 2010, Plant Delights Nursery introduced over 500 new perennial plants to US horticulture. In 2002, we were honored to be recognized by the American Horticulture Society for our lifetime of work in commercial horticulture. This image gallery is but a sampling of the great perennial plants available for gardeners around the world. We do not carry all plants pictured at any one time, but since our mission is to educate and inspire, we hope these images and the linked articles below will expand your garden horizons and interest. You will find an array of other interesting information and fascinating perennials throughout our website...thank you for taking time to visit.

Every year breeders produce new perennials for gardeners. Anyone who plants perennials knows they provide the foundation of flowering garden beds, adding color, texture and form. There are full sun perennials and hardy perennials for shade. These low-maintenance plants come back year after year, providing beauty, color and fragrance that attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden.

New varieties of perennials are bred to perform better in heat and humidity so that gardeners in southern climates can enjoy perennials that could once only thrive in cooler temperatures. New perennial plants are also bred for unique, exciting colors. New plants such as the sun-loving echinacea now bloom in a wide range of colors, making the common name "purple coneflower" obsolete. Shade perennials, such as heuchera, now come in a stunning range of foliage colors, adding excitement to woodland areas. You can buy perennials that have double flowers, rather than the standard single-flowering varieties, and new perennials that have been bred for increased flowering, longer bloom times and variegated foliage. With the trend toward smaller yards, new plants are now available in compact varieties, making them easier to incorporate into a tight spot. For lower maintenance, some new perennials have been bred for better pest-resistance and all new varieties have been trialed and tested for performance.

Isn't it time for you to add some new varieties of perennial shade flowers or unique sun-lovers to your garden beds?
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