Zone 3 - Perennials

Cold-climate gardens can still offer dependable color, texture, and seasonal interest. Our Zone 3 perennials include bellflowers, catmint, yarrow, salvia, hostas, ferns, and ornamental grasses selected for reliable performance through northern winters. Use these plants in borders, ground covers, and pollinator gardens, while mixing bloom times and foliage to keep Zone 3 flowers lively from spring through fall.
A tall spike of vibrant blue delphinium flowers with white centers stands against a blurred green background of foliage and grass.
'Angel Bells' Bellflower (Campanula) features lush green foliage and dense clusters of small white bells, thriving in garden beds with mulch and grass - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A cluster of 'Angel Bells' Bellflower (Campanula) blooms above green foliage in a mulched garden bed, with white flowers with blurred purple blooms and lush grass in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Angel Bells' Bellflower (Campanula)

$19.99
$19.99
A close-up of the vibrant 'Arizona Apricot' Blanket Flower (Gaillardia), a butterfly attractant, glowing in sunlight with green leaves and softly blurred foliage in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of vibrant yellow and orange 'Arizona Apricot' Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) blooms with round, spiky yellow buds and green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Arizona Apricot' Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of vibrant 'Astra Blue' Balloon Flower (Platycodon) blooms showing prominent veined petals and green leaves in the background under bright sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of the 'Astra Blue' Balloon Flower (Platycodon), a deer-resistant perennial, displays vibrant purple blooms with delicate petal veins, set against green buds and leaves - Photo Courtesy of Pixabay

'Astra Blue' Balloon Flower (Platycodon)

$17.99
$17.99

Cluster of pale pink, star-shaped 'Astra Pink' Balloon Flowers (Platycodon) with light pink veins, green foliage, and several pink buds - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close-up of a 'Astra Pink' Balloon Flower (Platycodon) shows its pale pink-purple petals with light violet veins, blooming among green leaves and unopened buds - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Astra Pink' Balloon Flower (Platycodon)

$17.99
$17.99

Two vibrant red 'Beauty of Livermere' Oriental Poppy (Papaver) blooms rise above green leaves and unopened buds, set against a background of white star-shaped flowers and dense foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of a vibrant ‘Beauty of Livermere’ Oriental Poppy (Papaver) displays striking red, crinkled petals above lush green leaves, making a bold statement with its spring blooms in the garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Beauty of Livermere' Oriental Poppy (Papaver)

$17.99
$17.99

A clump of 'Bells and Whistles' Bellflower (Campanula), a striking purple flower with bell-shaped blooms and green leaves, grows in a garden bed with soil visible around the plant - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A cluster of vibrant purple 'Bells and Whistles' Bellflower (Campanula) with green leaves blooms in a garden bed among other plants and grasses, with wooden picnic tables and a lawn blurred in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Bells and Whistles' Bellflower (Campanula)

$19.99
$19.99
A tall spike of 'Black Eyed Angels' Hybrid Bee Delphinium features striking white blooms with dark centers amid lush foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of 'Black Eyed Angels' Hybrid Bee Delphinium reveals tall clusters of white flowers with dark centers, ideal for cut flower arrangements, set among green buds and blurred purple blooms in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Black Eyed Angels' Hybrid Bee Delphinium

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of 'Blacknight' Hollyhock (Alcea), featuring striking dark purple perennial blooms with pale centers and fuzzy green stems, set against lush foliage - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close-up of 'Blacknight' Hollyhock (Alcea), a classic perennial with dark purple petals, a pale center, and visible stamens, set against a soft-focus green and yellow cottage garden background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Blacknight' Hollyhock (Alcea)

$17.99
$17.99
Bleeding Hearts' False Sunflower (Heliopsis) is a bushy perennial with many orange and yellow daisy-like flowers - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Bleeding Hearts' False Sunflower (Heliopsis) features vibrant orange-red daisy-like flowers with dark centers and green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Bleeding Hearts' False Sunflower (Heliopsis)

$17.99
$17.99
Striking Blue Buccaneers' Hybrid Bee Delphinium grow in tall, vibrant spikes with lush green foliage at the base, creating a vivid display of blue densely packed flowers ideal for any cut flower garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Tall spikes of vibrant Blue Buccaneers' Hybrid Bee Delphinium bloom among green foliage in an outdoor flower garden, set against a soft-focus backdrop of trees and grassy landscape - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Blue Buccaneers' Hybrid Bee Delphinium

$18.99
$18.99

Several globe-shaped purple flowers of 'Blue Glow' Globe Thistle (Echinops) bloom on tall stems with spiky green leaves against a soft-focus garden backdrop; a bee visits one of the thistles to the right - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.'Blue Glow' Globe Thistle (Echinops) with spiky, round purple-blue flowers on tall stems, adding striking color and texture to a garden with its dense growth among grass and leafy plants - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Blue Glow' Globe Thistle (Echinops)

$17.99
$17.99

Tall spikes of 'Blue Lace' Hybrid Bee Delphinium bloom in the garden before a wooden lattice, with some buds still closed and others fully open, showing off their delicate light blue petals on this perennial plant - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

'Blue Lace' Hybrid Bee Delphinium

$18.99
$18.99

A cluster of lush green 'Blue Mouse Ears' Hosta with broad leaves and tall stems topped with pale purple flowers blooms in a mulched garden bed, surrounded by other greenery - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of 'Blue Mouse Ears' Hosta displays green, white-edged leaves with water droplets, thriving among brown mulch or straw - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Blue Mouse Ears' Hosta

$17.99
$17.99
A large 'Blueberry Muffin' Hosta with striking blue-green leaves grows in a bed. Thick, textured leaves feature wavy edges and prominent veins - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Top-down view of 'Blueberry Muffin' Hosta, with broad blue-green leaves in a shade garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Blueberry Muffin' Hosta

$19.99
$19.99
A close-up of a 'Born To Run' Daylily (Hemerocallis), a rabbit-resistant perennial with pink petals, yellow accents, and ruffled edges, blooming in a garden against blurred purple flowers and lush green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of the 'Born To Run' Daylily (Hemerocallis) shows its ruffled deep pink petals with yellow edges and a bright yellow center set among green leaves and more buds in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Born To Run' Daylily (Hemerocallis)

$17.99
$17.99

A cluster of 'Captain Kirk' Hosta with bold green leaves and striking variegation, grows in soil near the base of a tree - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.The 'Captain Kirk' Hosta features large, variegated green leaves with yellowish centers and is sun tolerant, making it a standout among perennial shade plants with diverse leaf patterns and colors - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Captain Kirk' Hosta

$18.99
$18.99

Dense spikes of lush green leaves and clusters of lavender-blue flowers create a vibrant garden display with 'Cats Meow' Catmint (Nepeta - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A bushy 'Cats Meow' Catmint (Nepeta) perennial covered in lavender blue flowers on upright stems with green serrated leaves, growing in a mulched garden bed - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Cat's Meow' Catmint (Nepeta)

$14.39
$17.99 $14.39

Close-up of blooming purple Cat's Pajamas' Catmint (Nepeta) with green leaves, grows in a garden bed covered with mulch - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of purple Cat's Pajamas' Catmint (Nepeta) blooms with green leaves in a mulched garden bed by a white lattice fence - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Cat's Pajamas' Catmint (Nepeta)

$17.99
$17.99

A dense cluster of 'Catwalk Queen' Catmint (Nepeta) with purple-blue flowers and green foliage thrives in a mulched garden bed among grass and other plants - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of blooming 'Catwalk Queen' Catmint (Nepeta) flowers, with green stems and blurred purple blooms in the background, create a soft, colorful outdoor scene - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Catwalk Queen' Catmint (Nepeta)

$17.99
$17.99

'Chantilly Lace' Goatsbeard (Aruncus) features delicate, feathery stems topped with tiny cream flowers, creating an airy texture - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Close-up of 'Chantilly Lace' Goatsbeard (Aruncus) features feathery, creamy white plumes and deep green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Chantilly Lace' Goatsbeard (Aruncus)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of 'Chartreuse On the Loose' Catmint (Nepeta) is a bushy perennial with vibrant purple flower clusters and light green, serrated leaves, thriving in natural gardens and blooming for an extended period - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.'Chartreuse On the Loose' Catmint (Nepeta) is a bushy perennial with bright green leaves and clusters of small purple flowers, thriving outdoors in sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Chartreuse On the Loose' Catmint (Nepeta)

$17.99
$17.99

'‘Cinderella’ Milkweed (Asclepias) features clusters of pinkish-purple blooms on green stems with slender leaves against a blurred floral backdrop - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A striped monarch caterpillar crawls on the stem of a pink 'Cinderella' Milkweed (Asclepias) flower cluster, a perennial favorite in Monarch Butterfly habitats, surrounded by lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Cinderella' Milkweed (Asclepias)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of bright blue 'Cobalt Dreams' Hybrid Bee Delphinium blooms with white centers rise on tall green stems, creating a striking focal point for any perennial garden against lush green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Cobalt Dreams' Hybrid Bee Delphinium

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of a dense cluster of vibrant purple flowers—'Coccineus' Red Creeping Thyme (Thymus)—thrives as a drought-tolerant ground cover among green foliage and wood mulch in bright sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A dense mat of vibrant pink 'Coccineus' Red Creeping Thyme (Thymus) flowers creates a drought-tolerant ground cover, contrasting beautifully with green foliage and brown soil - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Coccineus' Red Creeping Thyme (Thymus)

$18.99
$18.99
Spintop Red Blanket Flower with red and orange blooms, yellow-tipped petals, and green foliage

Choose Hardy Zone 3 Perennials for Your Growing Conditions

The best perennial garden begins with plants suited to your climate and each bed. These perennials may tolerate low winter temperatures, but they still need the right sunlight, soil drainage, and moisture to perform well. Check each plant’s care information before deciding where it belongs.

When arranging perennials, sunny beds can support yarrow, catmint, false sunflower, milkweed, perennial salvia, and ornamental grasses. In locations with less direct light, hostas, lady ferns, lungwort, and other foliage-rich choices can bring color and texture. Group plants with similar needs together, then leave enough room for each variety to reach its mature size.

Mini Marvels Twilight Bellflower with light purple blooms and dense green foliage

Plan Flowers for Color Across the Seasons

A beautiful Zone 3 garden does not need to bloom all at once. Select Zone 3 flowers with different bloom windows so fresh color continues as the growing season progresses. Bellflowers and catmint can begin the display, while yarrow, milkweed, false sunflower, and salvia provide summer interest. Foliage plants and grasses help carry the design between flowering periods and into fall.

Use the collection filters to compare sun exposure, bloom time, water needs, pollinator value, critter resistance, and design use. You can also find plants suited to borders, mass plantings, containers, ground cover, and cut-flower gardens.

Shop online or from a family-owned nursery with more than 20 years of plant-shipping experience. Every order is personally inspected before leaving Garden Crossings, helping you start with healthy plants selected for garden success.

FAQs

Plant these perennials in the springtime after the soil becomes workable, and the risk of a hard freeze has passed. Early fall planting is also possible, but we recommend planting them six weeks before the first freeze.

Plants such as catmint, yarrow, salvia, and bellflower can provide weeks of color when planted in suitable conditions. Combine plants with different bloom times to enjoy these perennials from late spring through fall.