Wait a minute, Bob S.!

iris
lilies
eupatorium
ornamental grasses
geranium

Good grief, now I've forgotten the Eupatorium as well as the Sedums.

and I forgot my Allium giganteum !

For me it would have to be, hmm ... well, I have so many favorite perennials, it's almost impossible to choose but here are my favorites in lists of five with list #1 (probably, more than likely) being my very favorites.

List 1:
Echinacea
Gardenia jasminoides
Lantana camara
Pentas lanceolata
Rosa Knock Out

List 2:
Agapanthus africanus (Lily of the Nile)
Hibiscus
Lilium longiflorum (Easter Lily)
Passiflora
Plumbago

List 3:
Caladium
Gerbera jamesonii
Oxalis violacea
Salvia
Tradescantia ohiensis


LOL, I listed them all and then moved them from list to list and back again ... I just cannot decide on which 5 I would grow if I could only have 5!

CHEATER!!!

Clever, methinks.

That's what makes it a challenge to keep it to 5.

Groups of five, Hmmmmmmm I like that.

LOL, I think Lin is trying to cheat, too ! But I sure would hate to only be able to grow 5... that is so NOT going to happen !

I never was good at challenges.

Me neither, apparently.

Actually, I think the two of you did better than most of us, lol...

I think if you are living in a higher zone you have many more perennials to choose from, only 2 of Lin's first choice are perennial for me.

My 5
Hardy geranium
Columbine
Iris
Peony
Campanula (because of it's diversity of blooms)

Lupine would have made the list but it wont grow here for me .
I use to have beautiful ones in Michigan.

Very true, Cinda. Sometimes so frustrating when you've grown something before that you would really love to grow now and can't. There's a big difference in zone 5 and zone 7!

It is disappointing to find something you really like, and then find out it can't survive where you live.

if you live in the north long enough you get used to it, believe me!

Poor Bob, You really need some local nurseries there to grow stuff for your zone. If you are just browsing anyway, look for a website that will let you enter your zone and just show you those plants. I use some websites just for information even though I have no intention of ordering a thing from them. For example Great Garden Plants.com will let you enter your zone at the top and just show you plants for your zone. They have a lot of pretty pictures, do not be deceived.
Nature hills same way, lots and lots of plants by zone, very informative but you do not want to order from there. It's a joke.

http://www.greatgardenplants.c...
http://www.naturehills.com/def...

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So those in higher zones get more choices? wait, I am so calling foul! ~Jan

philljm said:So those in higher zones get more choices? wait, I am so calling foul! ~Jan

Yep, there are lots of choices for perennial plants in higher zones. I'm in zone 9b Florida where many plants are perennial. But, there is a drawback ... we humans have to put up with the sometimes not so pleasant heat and humidity for 9-10 months of the year too.