18 Best Perennials to Grow in New York

2 Shares

We bought about seven acres of land back in 2019. As we expand our gardens, I’ve been trying to determine the best perennials to grow in New York. So what does an adult woman who isn’t quite sure how to do something do? Call her parents! Thankfully, my wonderful step mom has a ton of experience in this department. She has some of the most beautiful gardens I’ve ever seen (just one of many pictured below). She gave me some great advice on perennials, and with a little help from my dad as well – this list was created.

Best Perennials to Grow in New York

This site is a participant in the Amazon Associates program, as well as other affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain some affiliate links for your convenience.

Use the table below for the full list of the best perennials to grow in New York, you can skip to a specific plant if you choose or scroll through them all.

Astilbe

  • Zones 4-8
  • Likes shady areas
  • Blooms in the summer time
  • Available in a variety of colors including red, white, pink and lavender
  • Also known as false goat’s beard and false spirea
  • Mixes well with other plants
  • Buy on Amazon here

Bee Balm

  • Zones 4-9
  • Bee balm is the common name, but the scientific name is Monarda
  • Other names include: bergamot, horsemint, Oswego tea
  • Will attract butterflies and pollinators
  • Blooms in the summer
  • Grows in purple, pink, red or white
  • Can be used to make tea, which some claim have medical benefits, you can see more about that here
  • Buy seeds on Amazon here

Black Eyed Susan

  • Zones 4-8
  • Blooms midsummer to frost
  • Deer resistant
  • Prefers sun
  • Will attract butterflies and pollinators
  • Various medicinal purposes – but watch out for poisonous seeds!
  • Buy seeds on Amazon here


Butterfly Bush

  • Zones 5-9
  • Deer tend to leave it alone
  • Blooms midsummer to fall
  • Full sun to partial shade
  • Comes in variety of options/colors
  • Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds
  • Buy seeds on Amazon here

Chives

  • Zones 4-8
  • Flower blooms early summer
  • Edible herb, in the onion family
  • Full sun needed
  • Can harvest the leaves all summer long for cooking
  • Buy seeds on Amazon here

Clematis

  • Zones 4-9
  • Blooms early summer and early fall
  • Deer resistant
  • Violet flowers
  • Full sun to partial shade
  • Is a vine, so great for planting along a fence or trellis
  • Buy seeds on Amazon here

Coneflowers

  • Zones 3-9
  • Blooms from summer to frost
  • Attracts pollinators and butterflies
  • Variety of colors, including pink, white and purple
  • Full sun
  • Buy seeds on Amazon here

Gladiolus

  • Zones 3-10
  • Blooms from mid-summer to frost
  • Attracts pollinators and butterflies
  • Variety of colors
  • Part to full sun
  • Buy bulbs on Amazon here.

Hosta

  • Zones 3-9
  • Likes shady areas
  • Cost efficient way to fill a shady area
  • Does come in a variety of types
  • Low maintenance
  • Buy roots on Amazon here.

Iris

  • Zones 4-9
  • Full sun to partial shade
  • Deer should avoid
  • Reblooming varieties should bloom in spring and then again in late summer
  • Buy roots on Amazon here.

Lavender

  • Zones 4-9
  • Blooms from summer to frost
  • Attracts butterflies
  • Full sun
  • Known for its fragrance
  • Can be used to make potpourri, teas and many other uses
  • Buy seeds on Amazon here

Lilies

  • Zones 3-10
  • Blooms in early to late summer
  • Deer resistant
  • Full sun to partial shade
  • Buy bulbs on Amazon here

Lupines

  • Zones 4-8
  • Bloom late spring to early summer
  • Full to partial sun
  • Comes in a variety of colors
  • Will attract birds and butterflies
  • Buy seeds on Amazon here

Mums

  • Short for Chrysanthemum
  • Zones 3-9
  • Comes in a variety of colors
  • Full sun to partial shade
  • Blooms in the fall
  • Attracts butterflies
  • Deer should ignore
  • Buy mixed peony seeds on Amazon here.

Peonies

  • Zones 3-8
  • Comes in a variety of colors
  • Full sun to partial shade
  • Blooms in summer through fall
  • Attracts butterflies
  • Deer should ignore
  • Buy mixed peony seeds on Amazon here.

Poppies

  • Zones 3-8
  • Most notably in the red color, but other varieties available
  • Full sun
  • Blooms in summer through fall
  • Come in both annual and perennials varieties, be mindful of what you’re planting
  • Buy seeds on Amazon here

Roses

  • Zones 4-8
  • Full sun or partial shade
  • Blooms in late spring through frost
  • Attracts pollinators and butterflies
  • Lots of varieties, colors, etc. So check the specifics on the plant you’re buying
  • Purchase a plant on Amazon here

Sedum

  • Zones 3-9
  • Full sun
  • Blooms in summer through fall
  • Attracts pollinators and butterflies
  • Purchase seeds on Amazon here

Why Are Perennials Great?!

Perennials are great for your garden in New York or wherever you live because they come back each year. Often, they are also spreaders, so they can fill empty spaces of land. This is great for pollinators and butterflies. Helping pollinators and butterflies are important to me, so I am enjoying adding more and more perennials to my yard/garden each year. In addition, they are generally low maintenance – which is also super important to me. As a working mom of little kids, I don’t often have the time and energy I’d like to have to deal with anything high maintenance.

Lastly, they are great for your garden because they have beautiful flowers, in a variety of colors. This can take a drab looking area and making it look great each summer with very little effort!

Finding Your Zone

When choosing a plant for your garden, its first important to know your zone. This zone is used to determine what plants will do well in your area. You can go to this website and put in your zip code for your specific zone. In New York, the zones range from 3a to 7b. I will list the zones for each suggestion, but because New York has such a variety of zones, its important to know exactly where you fall.

Wrap Up of the Best Perennials to Grow in New York

I hope this article on Best Perennials to Grow in New York was helpful! If you liked this post, it would mean a lot if you would follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram. If you use #handcraftedhomegrown on Instagram, I’ll be watching! 🙂

2 Shares

Similar Posts

4 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *