Choosing the right perennials for landscape projects ensures your clients have a vibrant, visually appealing outdoor space all year long. As a landscape contractor in Bergen County, NJ, selecting perennials that provide continuous color through the changing seasons is crucial. Focusing on perennials that thrive in local conditions and offer seasonal interest will make your landscape projects stand out and provide lasting aesthetic value.
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Spring Perennials for Early Color
The first step in ensuring year-round color is selecting spring perennials to wake up the landscape after winter. For early-season interest, look for hardy plantings that bloom as temperatures rise. Our area’s climate supports several reliable choices for spring perennials that can establish quickly and offer bright, vivid colors.
Essential perennials like Phlox subulata (Creeping Phlox) create a colorful carpet of blooms in early spring, ideal for ground cover installations. Dicentra spectabilis (Bleeding Heart) adds a touch of elegance with its delicate, heart-shaped blooms. These spring bloomers thrive in partial shade and bring a sense of softness to a landscape design.
To add structure and height, consider Iris germanica (Bearded Iris), which provides showy blooms and sword-like foliage that can create vertical interest in planting beds. A well-rounded combination of these spring perennials gives a project the necessary burst of color to satisfy clients looking for an impressive start to the growing season.
Summer Perennials for Mid-Season Impact
As the season transitions into summer, focus on perennials that can withstand the heat while maintaining vibrant blooms. Reliable, long-blooming varieties offer bold colors and strong performance during the hottest months.
Echinacea purpurea (Coneflower) is a top choice for summer, offering hardy blooms that are drought-tolerant and attract pollinators. The striking blooms come in various colors, from traditional purples to newer varieties in orange and red. These make excellent additions to sun-drenched areas and are perfect for borders or mass plantings.
Another excellent summer performer is Coreopsis verticillata (Threadleaf Coreopsis). Known for its daisy-like blooms, this perennial thrives in full sun and delivers weeks of bright yellow blossoms. You can rely on this planting’s low-maintenance characteristics, making it ideal for projects where your clients want maximum color with minimal upkeep.
Adding Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan) will bring late-summer warmth and vibrant gold tones to planting beds. These perennials provide long-lasting color and draw in wildlife, enhancing a landscape's biodiversity. Pairing these with ornamental grasses like Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) ensures the landscape will maintain visual interest even during summer’s heat.
Related: Blooming Seasons of Perennials: Planning Year-Round Color in Hudson Valley, NY and Bergen County, NJ
Fall Perennials for Late-Season Appeal
Fall color is essential for extending the beauty of a landscape well into cooler months. You should focus on perennials that bloom in late summer and continue through the fall, providing rich hues that complement the season.
Sedum spectabile (Autumn Joy) offers fleshy leaves and large clusters of blooms that change color throughout the fall. Its pink blooms deepen to copper and brown tones as temperatures drop, making it a valuable addition for fall interest. Aster novae-angliae (New England Aster) provides vibrant purple or pink blooms, offering a striking contrast against autumn foliage.
For contractors looking to add drama and height, Anemone hupehensis (Japanese Anemone) brings a graceful, airy quality to fall landscapes with its delicate, wind-swept blooms. These plantings thrive in partial shade and can extend the bloom season well into October, creating a continuous display for clients.
Winter Interest Through Foliage and Structure
Evergreen perennials like Helleborus orientalis (Lenten Rose) provide year-round foliage and bloom as early as February. Heuchera (Coral Bells) is another strong choice, with its bold foliage available in shades ranging from burgundy to lime green. These plantings hold their leaves through winter, adding texture and contrast to snow-covered landscapes.
Ornamental grasses such as Calamagrostis acutiflora (Feather Reed Grass) retain their upright form and subtle golden tones throughout the colder months, ensuring the landscape doesn’t lose its visual appeal during winter.
Related: Accessing Top-Grade Garden Nursery Offerings for Landscaping Projects in Bergen County, NJ
