Delphiniums

• Botanical Name: Delphinium spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained
• Soil pH: Neutral

Been dreaming of a country cottage garden? These towering columns of bright purple blooms will definitely do the trick.

Delphinium blooms (also called larkspur) attract butterflies and bees and add height as they grow from 1 to 6 feet tall or more in gardens. Hybrids should be treated like annuals as they don’t like long, hot, humid summers, while less-spectacular-looking native species are reliable perennials, according to The New Southern Living Garden Book.

Hyacinths

• Botanical Name: Hyacinthus orientalis
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic, neutral

These perennials produce vibrant, fragrant flowers and make quite the addition to any Southern garden, especially creating eye-catching curb appeal.

Hyacinths are bulbs that can be planted from October to December for flowering in the spring months (usually March and April).

Sweet Peas

• Botanical Name: Lathyrus odoratus
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained
• Soil pH: Alkaline

Another charming garden essential: these delicate, brightly colored blooms atop tall, tangled stems. They’re a cinch to plant, and with a little attention, will thrive in your garden.

They come in a bush or vining form and do best with rich soil, regular water, and full sun.

African Violets

• Botanical Name: Saintpaulia ionantha
• Sun Exposure: Partial
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic, neutral

This nostalgic plant might remind you of your grandmother’s house, which already makes it a winner. African violets are popular perennials best grown as compact potted plants. Perfect for a pop of color on your porch, hmm?

To grow, African violets need 16 hours of bright, filtered light and eight hours of complete darkness. They thrive in humidity and require soil that retains moisture but drains quickly.

Fan Flowers

• Botanical Name: Scaevola aemula
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic, neutral

Say hello to your new favorite outdoor container filler. Scaevolas, or fan flowers, are often sold already planted in hanging baskets, and we’d recommend adding another hue or two of blooms to keep things interesting. This Australian-native plant likes full sun.

Summer Phlox

• Botanical Name: Phlox paniculata
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Neutral

Want to bring all of the butterflies and hummingbirds to the yard? Summer phlox can help. The lush sweep of color is just a bonus, really. It’s a sun-loving, hardy perennial.

They can be susceptible to mildew at the end of blooming season, so provide good air circulation and plant mildew-resistant selections.

Anemones

• Botanical Name: Anemone spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic, neutral

Prepare to be charmed by these pretty, pretty flowers, which come in all shapes and sizes. They make great container plants but add interest to any outdoor garden, too.

Anemones, also called windflowers, are perennials that bloom from early spring to fall. Plant in October to ensure spring and summer blooms.

Clematis ‘Jackmanii’

• Botanical Name: Clematis ‘Jackmanii’
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Neutral

We’d let this pretty, perennial vine creep up our mailbox or porch column any day. Use the climbing vine to bring color to higher areas of your garden. Expect a spectacular floral display in late spring or early summer (depending on where you live) and then off-and-on blooms through the summer.

Keep clematis ‘Jackmanii’ moist and well-fed with a monthly liquid fertilizer during the growing season for healthy growth.

Wisteria

• Botanical Name: Wisteria frutescens
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic

Wisteria is a looker, that’s for sure, but even the most seasoned of gardeners will get frustrated with the varieties that spread like wildfire, such as Japanese wisteria. Annual pruning will keep native wisteria varieties like Kentucky wisteria in check, while American wisteria grows even slower.

“For best flowering, plant either vine in full sun in moderately fertile, well-drained soil,” says the Grumpy Gardener. The vines should bloom by the second or third year of planting and become drought tolerant once established, he says.

Little Girl Magnolias

• Botanical Name: Magnolia Little Girl series
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moist, loamy
• Soil pH: Acidic, neutral

Give this later-blooming, compact magnolia tree a try—you won’t be disappointed. While your spring-blooming magnolia might be tricked into early blooming by mild late-winter weather, this tree sees right through it.

Little Girl magnolias have names like ‘Jane,’ ‘Betty,’ ‘Pinkie,’ and ‘Susan.’ They like full to part sun and loamy, moist soil, and they will grow slowly into a dense, multi-trunked tree generally around 12 to 15 feet tall and wide, says the Grumpy Gardener.

Princess Flowers

• Botanical Name: Tibouchina urvilleana
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic, neutral

Every Southerner will love this heat-tolerant plant. As the temps grow higher, these blooms won’t faint from the heat. Per the Grumpy Gardener’s instruction: “Give the potted princess flower full-to-part sun, and prune it in spring.”

Princess flower is a Brazilian native shrub that prefers rich, well-drained, slightly acid soil, and a thick layer of mulch to help keep the roots cool, according to The New Southern Living Garden Book.

Bee Balm

• Botanical Name: Monarda didyama
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Neutral

As their name suggests, these fragrant purple flowers will attract bees and other pollinators to the garden. Give this sun-loving plant plenty of light and moist, rich soil. While bee balm is deer resistant, it is susceptible to powdery mildew so look for disease-resistant varieties to plant in your garden.

Petunias

• Botanical Name: Petunia spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic

Trumpet-shaped petunias come in a range of colors. Add purple blooms to your flower beds, borders, or containers to attract hummingbirds. Deadhead these annuals regularly for fragrant flowers all season long. Give them plenty of light and well-draining soil. They can tolerate nearly any kind of soil as long as it has good drainage.

Butterfly Bush

• Botanical Name: Buddleja davidii
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic, neutral

This sun-loving shrub comes in various shades of purple, attracting not only butterflies but also bees and hummingbirds. Because butterfly bushes are invasive in some areas, look for seedless or non-invasive varieties. Many cultivars are dwarf varieties that make them perfect for smaller yards and flower beds.

Beardtongue

• Botanical Name: Penstemon
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Sandy, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic, neutral

Tall purple spikes add height to a flower bed, walkway, or container garden. These bell-shaped flowers reach three feet tall or more. Create a wildflower or rock garden, or use them on their own for privacy around the patio. Attractive to pollinators, beardtongue will draw many visitors to your garden all summer long.

Allium

• Botanical Name: Allium
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic

Choose these purple pom-pom flowers to complement a variety of late-spring bloomers. Their globe-shaped heads stand tall above other flowers in your garden. While these ornamental onions aren’t edible, their stems do give off a mild onion scent when crushed. Give them lots of sun for the best growing conditions.

Catmint

• Botanical Name: Nepeta spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Sandy, loamy, clay, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic, neutral, alkaline

This perennial herb belongs to the mint family and spreads as it grows. Plant along a path or as a border. Delicate purple flowers bloom all summer long. Catmint is resistant to deer and other pests. This easy-growing plant is a favorite among gardeners.

Lavender

• Botanical Name: Lavandula spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-drained
• Soil pH: Alkaline

Give this fragrant perennial herb plenty of sunlight. Lavender plants don’t like excessive moisture, so add sand to the soil before planting to improve drainage. Compact and upright, this fragrant plant works well in raised flower beds or containers. Lavender plants typically decline after ten years, so plant new ones accordingly.