Many perennials are very suitable for cottage gardens. Here are some suggestions.

Columbines are native perennials. Both the common columbine and the Rocky Mountain columbines are hardy to zone four. These demand good drainage. They’re typically one to three feet in height. Flowering usually occurs in the spring, depending on the type being grown.

Lupines can be perennials or annuals, according to the type being grown. The perennials are rather stately plants.

The Russell hybrids are considered one of the best of the perennial lupines. The sturdy flower stems are covered with small, showy, pea-like blossoms. The Russell flowers can be purple, blue, pink, or yellow. The plants prefer a moist site with partial shade to full sun.

Garden phlox is a wonderful summer blooming perennial for cottage gardens. Choose a disease resistant variety if possible as this plant can experience powdery mildew. Suitable for both partial shade and full sun, this reliable perennial bears showy sweetly scented blooms on sturdy stems. The plants can reach three to four feet in height.

Candytuft is an evergreen perennial with tiny dark green leaves. Growing to a foot in height, this bears pure white scented blooms during the spring. A member of the mustard family, the plant is hardy to zone four. Keep well watered to prolong candytuft’s blooming period. The flowers are borne on short terminal clusters.

There are quite a few bellflowers and the related harebells that are suited to cottage gardens. These are named for the exquisite bell-like flowers. They’re typically white or pink. Hardiness varies according to the species, but is usually zone four or five. Bellflowers are easy to grow and most prefer full sun.

Perennial flax is often seen in cottage gardens. Hardy to zone five, this reaches one to two feet in height. The pure blue blossoms, an inch wide, appear from late spring into mid-summer. The plant features lovely blue-green foliage. Dead head the plant to prolong the flowering period.

The common baby’s breath is a great choice for cottage gardens. Hardy to zone four, this grows to about 4 feet in height. It prefers a somewhat alkaline to neutral soil. The tiny flowers cover the plant during the spring and summer.

Although the flowers are generally white, varieties with pink blossoms are also available. As with some other perennials, dead heading will encourage baby’s breath to rebloom. The dried flowers make good everlastings.

Daylilies are a very popular. These reliable, easy to grow perennials are highly suited to cottage gardens. I recommend varieties that rebloom as this keeps the cottage garden colorful throughout the summer.

The golden marguerite or yellow daisy is also known as yellow chamomile. This perennial is hardy to zone four and grows to three feet in height. The two inch wide blossoms are showy and appear throughout the summer. An easy to grow species, this can tolerate dry soils and hot summers.