5 Cheap Perennials to Fill Out Your Garden Space

When it comes to purchasing plants and landscaping, it can really sabotage the budget. A visit to the garden center can easily set you back a few hundred dollars. And some annuals and perennials have a short bloom time, making it feel like you didn't get much bang for your buck.

Why not invest in something that will fill out fast and perform well throughout the season? Check out these 5 cheap perennial plants to quickly fill in the nooks and crannies of your empty yard space.

Hosta

The hosta is the queen of perennials. This is because it is so easy to grow and divide. This green and sometimes variegated plant literally lasts all season long. It is often found in shades of light blue or all predominant white with green stripes. Some varieties like the blue hosta, harbor a unique deep aqua green color. It is a hardy perennial that thrives in partial to full shade.

Once you have one established plant, you can quickly divide the roots to make more plants. One popular variety is the hosta plantaginea. This deep green plant provides foliage all summer long and ends its season with large white, fragrant blooms.

In fact, to really be cheap and savvy, ask a friend for a rhizome or bare root part of their hosta. From there, you can add it to your perennial garden and in a few years you will have shoots of your own to fill in bare areas.

Russian Sage

If you love purple, you will want to add this easy plant to your flower garden. Russian Sage boasts a silvery stem base with purple flowers that bloom almost all summer long.

It is an easy plant to grow and gets big quickly to help fill out barren garden beds. Try snagging this hardy perennial on clearance at your local garden center in the fall.

Coneflower

This perennial is easy to divide once established. You can cut off some of the root base and easily transfer part of a big plant to another location.

Coneflowers come in a variety of colors, ranging from yellow, deep pink to pale apple green. This gives you plenty of options for color and variety. Snag this popular perennial at a local garden swap meet, plant sale or big box store clearance rack.

Phlox

Phlox is a shade loving perennial that also grows wild. You can find it alongside fields or in ditches in late spring. Remove the plant and the root system to transplant. This plant offers a fast-growing transformation. While you won’t see results for a year or two, phlox is a great plant to fill in bare spots between other plants and shrubs.

This plant also likes to spread. Some varieties will multiply each year, providing a gorgeous focal point. Colors range from bright pink to white, with other varieties in between. Phlox, loves partial shade to partial sun, and is best paired up with ferns or hostas.

Sedum

This is a hardy, sturdy perennial that loves all soil varieties. Because of that, it is super easy to grow and take clippings from. If you see one anywhere, you can either take a root cutting or a leaf and propagate it.

One contender for a great cheap and easy plant is Sedum Autumn Joy. It boasts a gorgeous, tall, succulent-like foliage from spring to summer. Then it has luscious green flowers on top that turn burgundy in late summer to early fall.

The best way to get plants is to find someone who is willing to let you take a root or stem for propagation. Neighbors, friends and co-workers are a good starting point. Getting plants on clearance at the end of the season is also good. You just have to be patient for blooms.

Sedums grow relatively fast and you can expect tremendous growth in just one season. Because they are fast growers, this plant needs to be divided annually to prevent over crowding. Tip: Give away the plant overgrowth to fellow gardeners or someone in need.

Gardens are not always built overnight. It takes time and tenderness, but it is totally worth it in the end. Happy Planting!

Originally published on Nurturingcents.com and Medium.com on 5/10/23.