There's a certain kind of magic that happens when you start planning a garden. You picture the colors, the textures, the way a particular fern might look tucked beneath a flowering plum or how a pair of boxwoods could frame a garden path just so. That daydream is exactly where great gardens begin, and it's something Kadie knows well.
Kadie is the Pacific Northwest gardener behind Rain or Shine Gardening on YouTube and Instagram. Gardening in hardiness zone 8b, she shares her love of plants, creative projects, and the peace that comes from working in the soil. As a longtime Heirloom™ fan, one of her favorite things about shopping for perennials is being able to see exactly what each plant will look like at maturity before it arrives at her door. It makes the planning part just as much fun as the planting.
Watch her latest haul below and let it inspire your own garden planning.
Kadie's Perennial Picks
From a shade-loving fern to a statement hydrangea, Kadie chose five varieties to bring new color, texture, and structure to her garden beds. Meet them below.
First Love Veronica - Deep pink flower spikes fade to soft lavender, reaching 12 to 18 inches tall. This sun-loving perennial thrives in well-draining soil and is a great pick for hot, bright spots in the garden. Hardy in zones 4 through 8.
Fire Light® Hydrangea - A panicle hydrangea that blooms on new wood and grows to an impressive 6 to 8 feet tall. Flowers open creamy white and deepen to rich pink as the season progresses. Kadie tucked hers in near a columnar oak where it gets sun with some afternoon relief from the heat. Hardy in zones 3 through 8.
Lacy Autumn Fern - An evergreen fern with finely cut, coppery-red fronds that mature to deep glossy green. At 24 inches tall and wide, it thrives in partial sun to shade and is drought-tolerant, a real plus for PNW gardens that dry out through summer. Hardy in zones 5 through 9.
Amore Rose Dicentra - A bleeding heart with blue-green foliage and rosy pink flowers that bloom from May through August and attract hummingbirds. Kadie planted hers alongside the Lacy Autumn Fern in a shaded bed under a thundercloud plum. Hardy in zones 5 through 9.
North Star® Boxwood - A compact, deer-resistant evergreen with a dense globe shape and glossy dark green foliage that holds its color through winter. Topping out at just 2 to 2.5 feet tall and wide, it's perfect for borders, low hedges, and foundation plantings. Kadie planted two to flank a new flagstone staircase at the front of her garden. Hardy in zones 5 through 9.
Inspired by Kadie's haul?
Browse our full perennial collection here and fair warning, as Kadie puts it: once you start browsing, it's very easy to lose track of time.