You can successfully grow perennials in nearly every gardening situation, but the key is matching the right plant to the right place. Even the most difficult “problem” areas can become beautiful opportunities, with proper selection. Use these lists as a starting point to develop your own solutions for some of the most commonly-encountered difficult areas.

Top 10 Perennials for Containers

• FOR SUN
• Creeping verbena (Verbena hybrids)
• Hardy chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum hybrids)
• Lamb’s-ears (Stachys byzantina)
• Perennial fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)
• Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)

• FOR SHADE
• Astilbe (Astilbe)
• Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia)
• Coral bells (Heuchera hybrids)
• Japanese painted fern (Athyrium nipponicum ‘Pictum’)
• Variegated Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii ‘Variegata’)

Top 27 Perennials for Deer Resistance

• FOR SUN
• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fugida)
• Blue star (Amsonia tabernaemontana)
• Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberose)
• False indigo (Baptisia australis)
• Globe thistle (Echinops bannaticus)
• Goldenrod (Solidago hybrids)
• Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum)
• Lavender (Lavandula sp.)
• Monkshood (Aconitum)
• Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale)
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus sp.)
• Spurge (Euphorbia)
• Wormwood (Artemisia ludoviciana)
• Yarrow (Achillea)
• Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)

• FOR SHADE
• Astilbe (Astilbe)
• Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia)
• Bethlehem sage (Pulmonaria saccharata)
• Bugbane (Cimicifuga racemosa)
• Chinese rhubarb (Rheum palmatum)
• Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)
• Cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea)
• Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus)
• Japanese anemone (Anenmone x hybrida)
• Japanese painted fern (Athyrium nipponicum ‘Pictum’)
• Lenten rose (Helleborus)
• Variegated Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii ‘Variegata’)

Top 10 Perennials for Dry Soils

• FOR SUN
• Blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora)
• Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
• Creeping verbena (Verbena hybrids)
• Yarrow (Achillea)
• Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)

• FOR SHADE
• Barrenwort (Epimedium x rubrum)
• Dwarf crested iris (Iris cristata)
• Male wood fern (Dryopteris filixmas)
• New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax)
• Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum)

Top 10 Perennials for Seaside

• FOR SUN
• Creeping verbena (Verbena hybrids)
• Crocosmia (Crocosmia hybrids)
• Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
• Wormwood (Artemisia ludoviciana)
• Yarrow (Achillea)

• FOR SHADE
• Beard-tongue (Penstemon)
• Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia)
• Coral bells (Heuchera hybrids
• Japanese anemone (Anemone x hybrida)
• New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax)

Top 10 Perennials for Wet Soils

• FOR SUN
• Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
• Japanese iris (Iris ensata)
• Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris)
• Rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)
• Yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus)

• FOR SHADE
• Jananese primrose (Primula japonica)
• Ligularia (Ligularia)
• Maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedaturn)
• Rodgersia (Rodgersia pinnata)
• Variegated Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii ‘Variegata’)