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Perennials

From the Sand Dunes to Pikes Peak, from the Eastern Plains to the Western Slope; is there any doubt that Colorado is the greatest state in the whole country? Just think of those poor flatlanders who’ve never known the sublime serenity of a Rocky Mountain sunset or the charm and beauty of Denver, the Queen City of the Plains. Yes, we are truly lucky to live in such a wonderful corner of the universe.

However, as with most wonderful things, there are trade-offs. Ask any recent transplants who have tried to recently transplant their favorite flowers from back home. Gardening in Colorado can be a trial. That’s why, we at O’Toole’s Garden Centers carry the Rocky Mountain Perennials who love the Centennial State just as much as you. With over 30 years experience dealing with the unique challenges that Colorado's climate poses, we have all the perennials that thrive here in the Rocly Mountain region. Here are just a few of the hundreds of Rocky Mountain Perennials you can find at all three O'Toole's Garden Center locations.

Shade Perennials

Hosta

Though many hostas, also known as Plantain Lilies, do bloom, their real attraction is their foliage. There are legions of hosta varieties with foliage in all kinds of showy colors and shapes. Hostas prefer the shade and generally like moist conditions.

Bleeding Heart

These beloved graceful flowers bloom with a string of heart-shaped flowers in the early summer. These little hearts come in pink, white, yellow and rose and hang pendant-like on arching vertical stems. These old garden favorites prefer the shade and like moderate water.

Jacob's Ladder

Jacob’s Ladder is an upright, shade perennial with variegated, fern-like foliage. It’s big, bell-shaped summer flowers make for great cuttings. Jacob’s Ladder is perfect for shady spots under trees, paired with hostas and coral bells.

Coral Bells

Coral Bells are native to North America. They’re known for their bright sprays of flowers in the summer and dramatic foliage. There are numerous varieties and colors available. Coral bells do best in the shade and are drought tolerant once established. They can be used under trees, as edging or in rock gardens or containers. Some varieties can even form ground covers when planted en masse.

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Part Sun/Part Shade Perennials

Penstemon

Penstemon blooms with a showy burst of summer color. Its tubular flowers, similar to Foxglove, come in a variety of colors and are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. Penstemon is a tough, versatile perennial perfect for beds, borders or containers.

Candytuft

Candytuft has glossy, evergreen foliage that provides interest all year round. In the early spring it also blooms with a profusion of white or pink flower clusters. Candytuft is great for edging, borders, along walks, in rock gardens or even as a small-scale groundcover.

Bee Balm

Bee Balm, also sometimes known its scientific name “Monarda,” is a native flowering herb that is right at home in the perennial garden. Bee Balm blooms from early spring to summer with bunches of round flower clusters that are irresistible to nectar hunters like bees and hummingbirds. Its bushy foliage also exudes a pleasant minty-basil scent.

Columbine

The State Flower of Colorado, Columbines are very versatile and fit into almost any garden setting. Perfect as borders or in mass plantings in part shade areas, columbines bloom with the familiar long-spurred blue and white flowers, but also in pinks, yellows and whites. Columbines are fast-growing and are drought tolerant once established.

Anemons

Anemones are a diverse and adaptable species. Also called windflower, they bloom in the summer with large flowers in a stunning array of colors and shapes. Everything from whites, purples, reds and blues. They make great borders and do equally well in containers.

Foxglove

Foxgloves are towering perennials, getting as tall as four feet. In the summer they bloom with big, tubular flowers that you could easily imagine a little fox making into gloves. These flower come in a variety of pastel colors. They also make great cutting flowers and attract hummingbirds!

Lupine

Lupines are native to the Western U.S. and are prized for their showy flowers in the spring and summer. Tiny blooms are densely packed onto upright spikes to a dramatic effect, which is enhanced in mass plantings. Lupines come in a rainbow of clean colors blues, reds, yellows, pinks and white. Lupines need regular water, especially during the heat of the summer.

Coreopsis

A relative of the sunflower, coreopsis is low maintenance and easy to grow. The many varieties of coreopsis bloom in bright yellows, reds, pinks and purples. Plant en masse for a striking crowd of cheerful, sunny flowers.

Rudbecka

Often known by the more common name, Black Eyed Susan, rudbeckia or coneflower is a native North American flower that delivers color all summer long. It has classic daisy-like flowers.

Daylilly

There are few perennials as durable and adaptable as the Daylilly. They do well in rock gardens, as low edging or in containers.

Spiderwort

Spiderwort is a tough, easy to grow trailing perennial. It’s often seen in hanging baskets or patio pots but can be used in mass plantings or as a groundcover. Spiderwort needs ample water and is best suited for wet areas.

Peony

Peonies are a mainstay or perennial gardening as they produce long-living, big, beautiful blooms. As a larger shrubby plant, Peonies make great borders in cottage or cut flower gardens.

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Full Sun Perennials

Delphinium

These tall perennials make for a perfect garden back border or a striking focal point. Although delphiniums are famous for the blue flowers, there are some varieties that bloom in shades of pink, white, lavender or purple. Delphiniums like rich, porous soil and moderate water.

Dianthus

Dianthuses have been a perennial garden staple for hundreds of years. They are hundreds of different varieties, all of which are very showy and often fragrant as well. Dianthuses bloom in a variety of colors- whites, pinks, reds and purples. Dianthuses are very easy to grow and most often drought tolerant once established.

Blanket Flower

These tough little native perennials are heat and drought tolerant once established. It reliably blooms summer through the fall with big, red-and-gold flowers. Blanket Flowers make nice, compact borders and are great for cut flower gardens.

Coneflowers

Coneflowers are hardy perennials native to North America. They are heat and drought tolerant once established and bloom for long periods throughout the summer. Their distinctive flowers most often bloom with bright yellow flowers around a beehive-like cone, but there are also orange, pink and white varieties. Coneflowers are very versatile and are equally useful in borders, mass plantings and containers. They also attract butterflies and birds to the garden.

English Lavender

Despite the name, English Lavenders are native to the mountains of southern Europe. The hardiest of these varieties is “Munstead” English Lavender. Munstead is heat and drought tolerant once established and suitable for dry, rocky areas where other perennials may falter. Munstead lavender is exceptionally long blooming with plumes of bright, lavender-blue flowers lingering for long periods during the summer. Munstead’s flowers are also wonderfully fragrant with a soothing lavender scent.

Icelandic Poppy

Native to subarctic regions, the Icelandic Poppy is a very hardy, long blooming perennial. Its large, fragrant flowers are perched atop long, skinny 1 to 2 foot stems. There are several varieties of poppies that bloom in shades of yellow, orange, salmon, rose, pink, cream and white. Icelandic Poppies are ideal for borders, containers and bouquets.

Red Hot Poker

Also called Torch Lily, this fiery perennial sports tall flowering stems of that look like torches or burning pokers. In vivid reds, oranges and yellows, Red Hot Pokers are drought tolerant once established and are perfect as a patio plant, cut flower or a landscape accent.

Jupiter's Beard

Jupiter’s Beard, or Red Valerian, is a tough, easy to grow perennial. It is drought tolerant once established, likes the full sun and can even stand poor soil. This makes it a great problem solver for fringe areas in the garden and around rocks and masonry. It blooms with a showy display of fragrant little flowers throughout the summer. Jupiter’s Beard mostly comes in shades of red and pink, but there are also white varieties.

Hollyhoke

Hollyhocks are old fashioned favorites that add a classic look to the perennial garden. They’re prized for their tall stalks and big, bright flowers that attract bees and butterflies. Hollyhocks can have single or double flowers that bloom in vibrant pinks, whites, reds, purples or yellows. They do best with regular water and full sun.

Daisy

Daisies are members of the chrysanthemum family. They are easy to grow, long blooming perennials that lend a classic look to the garden. Daisies have a classic white petals surrounding a yellow center flowers and bloom for long periods during the summer. Great for borders and as cut flowers.

Hyssop

Sometimes also known by its scientific name, agastache, hyssop is a summer-blooming perennial that is a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies. Hyssop blooms with sprays of aromatic flowers that come in shades of pink, purple, blue, red and orange. Drought tolerant once established, hyssop is well suited to dry areas in rock gardens, xeric plantings and containers.

May Night Salvia

May Night Salvia can’t be beat for easy care and showy color. This salvia is drought tolerant once established and blooms with stunning indigo plumes on top of soft green foliage. May Night Salvia is as versatile as it is beautiful, equally at home in flower beds, rock gardens, containers and borders. It also attracts hummingbirds and butterflies to the garden.

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