Recommendations help us when making decisions. When you go to a restaurant, you might ask your waitress for recommendations from the menu.

I am going to give you some recommendations for choosing some great perennials for your sunny garden area. They are tried-and-true, sure-to-please plants that will serve you well.

1. ACHILLEA:(a.k.a. Yarrow) (Achillea ‘Saucy Seduction’) This hardy perennial is drought tolerant, so that alone makes it a desirable selection in many instances. ‘Saucy Seduction’ has fuchsia colored flowers on top of 18”-24” tall ferny foliage.

2. ASCLEPIAS:(a.k.a. Butterfly Weed) (Asclepias tuberosa) If you’re into butterflies, don’t pass this up! It’s a butterfly magnet. 18”-24” tall and bright orange flowers.

3.ASTER:(Aster ‘Carmine Red’) This is a large aster standing at 3’ tall. Nice fall interest with vibrant, carmine-red blossoms, each with a tiny bright yellow button eye.

4. BAPTISIA:(a.k.a. False Indigo) (Baptisia ‘Pink Lemonade’) 3’-4’ plant with bicolor flowers: yellow to raspberry blooms; deep blue-green foliage.

5. ECHINACEA:(a.k.a. Coneflower)(Echinacea ‘Dixie Scarlet’) This 2’ tall selection has scarlet flowers for most of the summer.

6. HEMEROCALIS:(a.k.a. Daylily) (Hemerocalis ‘Rosy Returns’) This smaller size daylily stands 14” tall and has hardy rose-pink flowers with a yellow throat. Continuous blooms for lots of effect!!!

7. LAVENDULA:(a.k.a. Lavender) (Lavendula ‘Phenomenal’) If you like lavender, why not plant a large sized one?! This impressive lavender is 2’-3’ tall. It’s zone 5 so be careful of that if you live further north.

8. LEUCANTHEMUM:(a.k.a. Daisy) (Leucanthemum ‘Snow Cap’) While a standard daisy can be much taller, this 12” variety makes a nice mound of single white flowers with yellow centers!

9. NEPETA:(a.k.a. Catmint) (Nepeta ‘Junior Walker’) This nepeta is a little more compact and won’t lay down as much. Nepeta is very satisfactory for its long bloom time. Lavender flowers

10. PAEONIA:(a.k.a. Peony) (Paeonia ‘Coral Charm’) This coral colored Peony is an unusual color to find for the garden. It really is a beautiful selection. Reaching to nearly 3’ tall.

11. PEROVSKIA:(a.k.a. Russian Sage) (Perovskia ‘Crazy Blue’) This 18” plant is a sturdy, compact cultivar which resists flopping. Silvery foliage. Blue flowers.

12. PHLOX:(Phlox paniculate‘Starfire’) 3’ tall upright garden phlox has hot pink flower panicles.

13. SALVIA:(Salvia ‘East Friesland’) 18” Spikes of intense violet-blue flowers.

14. SEDUM:(Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’) This is a favorite choice of Sedum for a good reason! This beautiful, sturdy plant has a lot to offer. Rosy clusters of flowers bloom August through November.

15.THYMUS:(a.k.a. Creeping Thyme) (Thymus ‘serpyllum ‘Coccineus’...Red Mother of Thyme) Last but not least on this list is a 3” tall ground cover with glossy green leaves and rose purple flowers. It is good for filling in between stepping stones - a ‘Steppable’ plant.

These perennial selections for a sunny garden will be sure to please. Be sure to look up the specifics on any plant you are interested in to check on things such as if the plant prefers a moist or a dry soil, and if it is deer resistant (among other things). Have fun and give them a try. They will repay you with many years of beauty! The photo is Echinacea ‘Dixie Scarlet’.