Perennials
Life-long plants that will add beauty year after year.
Gethsemane takes pride in offering a vast choice of quality perennials that will satisfy both the novice and the seasoned gardener.
City gardeners can find an extensive variety of shade plants that can be tucked in among shrubs and trees and used as ground covers. We also specialize in drought-tolerant plants such as sedums, perennial subshrubs, and natives. Our vines will add another dimension to the garden by using vertical space.
Common perennials we stock
Our inventory changes all the time, but we always stock some tried-and-true favorites. Looking for something specific? We welcome special orders, just get in touch with our Perennials gardeners!
Spring – Summer – Fall
Hellebores, echinacea, daylillies, rudbeckia (coneflowers), sedum, shade grasses, carex, hostas, boston ivy, climbing hydrangeas, astilbe, summer-blooming allium, asters
Most perennials may be planted any time the earth is soft enough to till, in Chicago this is usually from May to October, with fall and spring typically being the best times to plant.
Perennials Resources
plant lists
Download this comprehensive list of:
- Perennials for Containers
- The best perennials to plant for a lush cutting garden
- Perennials to plant in your garden to attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds
perennials organized by bloom month
Useful external links
For information on our local zone hardiness – see the USDA Interactive Plant Hardiness Zone Map
For information on invasive species in Chicago – see the City’s Natural Resources & Water Quality website
For assistance in planning next years garden, you may wish to consult:
- Fine Gardening Magazine
- Horticulture Magazine
- DiSabato-Aust, Tracy. The well-tended perennial garden: planting & pruning techniques. Portland:Timber Press (2006).
- Oudolf, Piet and Noel Kingsbury. Planting: a new perspective. Portland:Timber Press (2013).
- Burrell, C. Colston and Judith Knott Tyler. Hellebores: a comprehensive guide. Portland:Timber Press (2006).
- Mackenzie, David S. Premium Plants: Superior Perennials for the Great Lakes States. Hortech Inc(2001)).
- Aniśko, Tomasz. When perennials bloom: an almanac for planning and planting. Portland:Timber Press (2008).
- Diblik, Roy. Roy Diblik’s Small Perennial Gardens: The Know Maintenance Approach..
- Illinois Wildflowers
- The University of Illinois Extension Program has a couple of useful sites, including Wildflowers
For inspiration, we look at:
- Chicago Botanic Garden
- American Horticultural Society
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- The Lurie Garden in Chicago’s Millennium Park
- Piet Oudolf
For general gardening discussions and beyond, we read: