Gardening can be demoralizing if, after hours of sweaty work, your results are lackluster and your plants decimated by bugs or eaten by deer. Worse is when the flowers you did manage to coax into bloom don’t bother showing up again the next year. That’s why perennials are so important for any flower garden—because they aren’t “one and done” wonders, but rather they’re the diligent, steadfast bedrock of your garden. Perennials come back year after year to provide color, cover, and inspiration. If you’re losing your will to garden, the answer might be to recalibrate: Choose a roster of easy perennials that don’t require advanced gardening skills, can withstand all manner of neglect and abuse, and still provide your annual dose of color and joy.
Note that not all perennials grow enthusiastically in every region, so check your growing zone before loading up on a bunch of plants that will absolutely hate your local climate. And keep in mind that while you can plant a perennial literally any time, it’s always going to be best to plant them in the fall and spring when it’s neither too hot or too cold. Finally, not all perennials are the same. Some require more care than others. Here are some examples of easygoing perennials that even brown-thumbed people can easily enjoy.