I was welcomed home from my international trip by my viburnum bush in my rear yard putting on an extraordinary display of beauty as it does every year. I’ve written about this bush before, it’s my favorite perennial in my yard. Also known as ‘Chinese snowball’ it booms in late spring and gives me the most gorgeous white puffballs.
A perennial is a plant that comes back year after year, and lives for at least three years, whereas annuals are grown from seed every year. I had no idea when I planted my perennial viburnum fifteen years ago that I would love it so much, it was a most happy accident. Today I cut a large bouquet of stems and created a bouquet for our living room to enjoy all weekend long. How fortunate to have a plant that gives me these stunning white blooms year after year.
There are many perennial bushes or shrubs you can plant in your particular zone for cut blooms each year. Below are ten worth considering planting in your yard to give you scented stalks or beautiful blooms for bouquets in your home.
1. English or French Lavender
World famous and extremely popular for its therapeutic oils and alluring scent, lavender is a perennial that grows in thin purple stalks and looks just as beautiful dried as it does fresh. Find a helpful lavender blooming guide here.
rhumb line vineyard
2. Phlox
Small round clusters of little flowers that smell divine, these blooms come in shades of lavender, pink, and white and they attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. These bloom in Zones 3 to 8, find more information on how to care for phlox here.
colonial house
3. Japanese Anemone
Also called windflowers, these wiry bending stems support colorful blooms. Plant in Zones 4 to 8 for midsummer to fall blossoms. Find more information on Japanese anemone care here.
tulipina
4. Salvia
Dense 8″ deep-blue spikes bloom on a plant that grows 24” summer to frost, these plants thrive in Zones 7 to 10. Find salvia care tips here.
image via johnny seeds
5. Bearded Iris
Upright and intricate, with sculptural petals, bearded irises are available in a rainbow of colors patterns. Plant in Zones 3 to 11, and find more information on perennial irises here.
claire austin plants
6. Peony
Famous for their layers of large petals, pink is always a fan favorite, but these gorgeous and hardy blooms are also available in white, red, yellow, and orange. Peonies bloom in Zones 3 to 8, learn all about how to plant and grow peonies here.
in its time floral
7. Clary Sage
This perennial is an aromatic herb known for its tall spikes of colorful flowers and a sweet, herbal fragrance. Clary sage grows well in Zones 6-10, find an extensive guide for growing it here.
farmermaid
8. Roses
Known for its signature timeless scent, the rose can feel a little generic since we see it everywhere, but they maintain their timeless appeal, especially the heirloom, cottage, and florabunda varieties. Roses are hardy when properly cared for, and give back an abundance of blooms year after year.
my one hundred year old home
9. Hydrangea
Synonymous with the summer season, these beloved blooms grow in shades of blue, white, and pink depending on soil conditions. Martha has a great hydragea care guide you can read here.
martha stewart
10. Viburnum
Giving snowball blooms in spring and variegated leaves in fall, plant this hardy perennial in Zones 2 through 10. Learn all about planting and growing viburnum here.
Looking for more options? Consider yarrow, pentstemon, lobelia, hollyhock, clematis, lily, and foxgloves as additional perennials to plant to have cut stems for your vases. Can you think of any others?