Grow Shrubs-Like Perennials for a Big Impact

Sometimes, you want a flowering plant that can fill a large space in summer and then disappear in winter. The space may be under an eave where snow and ice damage a woody shrub. Maybe the space is close to a deck, patio, or walkway where you want the coziness of a plant nearby in summer but want to be able to shovel snow there in winter. Maybe it's a space that's loaded with spring flowering bulbs that disappear come early summer and you want something large to take their place.

The answer is shrub-like perennials. There are some perennials that can grow 3+ feet tall and wide in one season. They provide color, flowers, interest in sun or shade, and dieback to the ground each fall. We grow Amsonia and Baptisia under our eaves for this reason. No matter how much snow buries them in winter, they pop out of the ground in spring and fill in the area near our deck each summer. Here are some other good choices for shrub-like perennials.

For a sunny spot, nothing beats the hardy hibiscus. This is a relative of the subtropical, woody hibiscus, but it's an herbaceous perennial. It emerges late and slowly from the ground in spring, but once it gets warm, the plant explodes with growth. By mid to late summer, it's flowering and continues into fall with 7-inch diameter colorful, show-stopping blooms. The plants grow up 4 feet tall and wide to quickly fill an area. The Summerific^® series of hardy hibiscus are particularly striking. They're hardy to zone 4, flower well in full sun, and produce abundant flowers. I like the bi-color flowering types, such as .' It has white flowers from top to bottom on the plant with a dark red eye. 'Edge of Night' is unique for its jet-black foliage that contrasts nicely with the pink flowers with darker-colored edging. 'Lilac Crush' has lavender blue flowers with a red eye. It's a more upright perennial and nicely planted together to make a low, temporary hedge.

Another large, sun-loving perennial is goat's beard or Aruncus hybrid. Chantilly Lace grows in full sun or part shade to 4 feet tall and wide. It's a zone 4 hardy tall perennial for the back of a border, along a tall wall, house, or structure, or in a sunny nook to fill the space. Chantilly Lace has lacy, cream-colored flowers and is more drought tolerant than astilbe.

For shade, I like large perennials with showy leaves. There are hundreds of hosta varieties available to grow, and some of the best grow huge. 'Wu-La-La' has blue-green leaves edged with apple-green. 'Coast to Coast' features striking golden, puckered leaves on 3-foot-tall, wide plants. The color is even more intense in the morning.

For a truly striking, part-shade-loving, shrub-like perennial, consider 'Sun King' Spinard, Aralia cordata. This plant is a showstopper with its large, bright yellow leaves in part sun and deeper chartreuse-colored foliage in the shade. The small white flowers it produces in fall give way to black, inedible berries, adding another layer of interest to the plant. It thrives in well-drained, moist soil, making it a unique and eye-catching addition to your garden.