I love using certain perennial plants in containers because they look great all summer long, can be planted in the garden in early fall, and will come back the following spring.

Note: Be sure to get your perennials into the ground in early fall, or about six weeks before your first average frost date. This will give them time to establish roots before winter arrives.

When shopping at nurseries, look for perennials in quart size pots or smaller, which are much easier to fit in containers than plants in one gallon pots or larger. Plus, small perennials are often less expensive than annual flowers.

Here are a few of my favorite perennials to use in containers.

Heuchera (Coral Bells)

Heuchera, or Coral Bells, might be the perfect filler for mixed container plantings. I have been using pint size Coral Bells for several years now, usually Palace Purple because they seem to be the most commonly available. Regardless of the variety, I always grab a few whenever I see them in small pots at the nursery.

Flowers appear in late spring to early summer and are small and airy, but numerous. Really though, I’m in it for the foliage. Heuchera foliage comes in almost every shade imaginable, from dark purple to chartreuse green to multicolored, with interesting leaf patterns and shapes. While almost all Heuchera varieties can handle shade, there are many that do just as well in the sun.

Ferns for Containers

All types of ferns add interesting texture to a container planting. Some varieties can get quite tall, so check the tag before buying to be sure you know what you’re getting. This year I planted Japanese Holly Ferns in several large mixed containers to add height and texture. So far, I really like the way they’re turning out.

Hakonechloa Grass (Japanese Forest Grass)

Hakonechloa Grass, or Japanese Forest Grass, is one of my all-time favorite shade perennials. It can stand alone in a medium to large container, but also looks great in a mixed container, its wispy chartreuse leaves beautifully spilling over the edges. Japanese Forest Grass is hard to find in pots smaller than one gallon, but it is easily divided into smaller plants.

Containers: Hostas

These need no introduction. Small leaf Hosta varieties are great fillers for the edge of a mixed container, while taller Hostas can fill a container alone or add height to a mixed planting. Beware if you live in an area where deer are a problem, because Hostas are like candy to them. (All of the other plants in this list are deer resistant.)

Brunerra

Brunerra is another nice filler plant to add near the edge of a container. I like to use the varieties with variegated silver foliage to add color and texture to a mixed planting. Brunerra’s airy blue flowers appear in spring and are short-lived, but the foliage will look great all season long.