The Best Perennials for Upstate NY: What You Need to Know

If you are planning a showy new garden to enjoy, here’s what you need to consider about the best perennials for Upstate NY

You want to know the best perennials for upstate NY. It’s a good idea to start out by choosing the plants proven to be the best growers for your region. If they thrive, they return year after year, growing larger and producing more blooms with time. But growing conditions are key to the survival of any plant. Conditions including soil type, the amount of sun they will receive, your hardiness zone, and the amount of time you have for gardening will affect the success of your plants. 

Read on to learn more about flowering perennials and what you need to consider before planting your garden.

At Manzer’s Landscape Design & Development, we specialize in bringing out the full potential of Westchester, NY backyards. With dependable and inspiring design solutions for all types of property conditions and style preferences, Manzer’s delivers outdoor living spaces that families will enjoy for many, many years.

Get in touch to discuss garden design and installation for your property! 

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Consider plant lifespan

It can be frustrating to invest in a garden only to have to replant it when the plants reach the end of their lifespan. Working with a professional landscaping company allows you to enjoy the beauty that seasonal annuals or favorite perennial plants bring to your yard, without the work or stress of replanting. 

But if you envision establishing a garden that will last, consider plants known to have long lifespans. 

Alas, even the best perennials for upstate NY do not live forever. But some can keep producing and thriving for years. Here are a few examples:

  • Cheerful daffodils light up a spring garden and are hardy enough to keep poking their faces through the soil for years to come. 

  • Late summer blooming daylilies add height and a range of color to any northeast garden and have the tenacity to keep coming back. 

  • The showy bloom of peonies is worth waiting the few seasons it will take for them to get established in your garden. 

  • And sedum, with its succulent-like leaves, can withstand just about anything. 

Know your soil Ph

In the Northeast, soils tend toward acidity, which some plants love. You may find that conditions in your landscape are ideal for acid-loving shrubs like azaleas and hydrangeas.  Lovely iris flowers love acidic soil. They offer hardy, deer-resistant blooms with a delicate appearance in the late spring.

Conditions do vary throughout the region and across time, so it is best to have a soil test every few years. Then you can choose from the best perennials for upstate NY that are right for your soil conditions. 

The best perennials for upstate NY

The best perennials for upstate NY are attractive to pollinators like butterflies, but able to withstand pests like deer. Here are a few reliable flowers to use as a leaping-off plant as you imagine your ideal perennial garden:

  • Coneflower and Brown-Eyed Susans. Tall, pretty flowers that are now available in a wide range of colors, these classic field flowers add a wildflower feel to your garden and make great cut flowers for your vase. 

  • Coralbells. A delicate early spring bloom beloved of hummingbirds, many gardeners plant coralbells just for the beautiful foliage. Look for shades of silver, burgundy, bronze, plum, and gold.

  • Blue Russian Sage. Gardeners agree the lacy blue blooms of this hardy and long-lived perennial make a great addition to any garden. It has a long-lasting, delicate bloom and fragrant, dark leaves.

  • Bee Balm. This native wildflower comes in a wide array of showy colors and is a favorite of pollinators. It’s low maintenance and many pests turn up their nose at its minty-scented foliage. 

Partner with the experts

Working with a landscape professional is simply the best way to choose which of the best perennials for upstate NY are right for your landscape’s unique conditions. Manzer’s will work closely with you to make your landscape a creative and inspiring place to spend a lot of your time.

 Call (914) 739-2020 or contact us online.

Photo by Cathy VanHeest on Unsplash