If you’re looking to create a garden that keeps giving without needing constant replanting, perennials are a smart choice. These plants come back year after year, saving you time and effort while providing fresh food.
By planting perennials, you can enjoy a reliable harvest season after season with minimal maintenance. This approach helps you build a sustainable garden that supports your needs long-term.
Asparagus
Asparagus is a fantastic perennial to add to your garden. Once planted, it can produce tender spears for 10 years or more with minimal care.
You’ll want to plant crowns about 8-10 inches deep in well-drained soil and full sun.
Be patient—harvesting usually begins in the second year, but the wait is worth it for this long-lasting vegetable.
Learn more about growing perennial asparagus here.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a great perennial to add to your garden. Once established, it will provide you with tasty stalks year after year.
You’ll need some patience at the start, but the rewards make it worth the wait. Plant it in spring or early fall for best results.
Besides being useful in cooking, rhubarb also adds a nice touch of greenery to your garden. For more details, check out rhubarb growing tips.
Horseradish
Horseradish is a hardy perennial that adds a spicy kick to your meals. Once planted, it will come back every year with minimal care.
You mainly harvest its roots, which are great for sauces and condiments. It’s low-maintenance and grows well in many climates, making it a handy addition to your garden.
If you want a perennial that boosts flavor without much effort, horseradish is a solid choice. You can learn more about edible perennials like horseradish here.
Ostrich Fern (Fiddleheads)
If you enjoy foraging, ostrich ferns offer a unique treat called fiddleheads in early spring. These curled young fronds are edible and taste like a mix of asparagus and green beans. You can harvest them year after year from the same plants, making them a reliable perennial food source.
Just be sure to cook fiddleheads properly before eating, as raw ones can cause stomach upset. Learn more about how to identify and cook them here.
Jerusalem Artichoke
Jerusalem artichokes are easy to grow perennials that come back year after year. You plant them once, and after a couple of years, they multiply so you can harvest more each season.
They thrive with little effort and can be left in the ground over winter. You’ll enjoy fresh tubers without replanting annually. Learn more about their benefits and growth here.
Perennial Kale
Perennial kale keeps coming back year after year, so you don’t have to replant it every season. You can harvest fresh, leafy greens over a long period without extra work.
One popular variety, Taunton Deane kale, grows reliably and doesn’t set seed, which means it focuses on producing tasty leaves for you. Growing perennial kale helps fill the gap when other vegetables slow down.
Learn more about perennial kale here.
Sorrel
Sorrel is a hardy perennial that adds a tangy, lemony flavor to your meals. It grows well in Zones 4 and up, making it suitable for most gardens.
You’ll find it thrives best in slightly acidic soil and can be harvested multiple times each season. Its leaves are great fresh in salads or cooked into soups and sauces.
Growing sorrel means you get a reliable, low-maintenance green year after year. Learn more about growing sorrel here.
Walking Onion
Walking onions are a unique perennial you can plant once and harvest for years. They grow green shoots in spring that you can eat like scallions.
These onions produce small bulbs at the top of their stalks, which eventually fall over and take root, “walking” across your garden.
You’ll enjoy a reliable, low-maintenance onion that spreads naturally, making it perfect for any perennial garden. Learn more about growing walking onions here.
Good King Henry
Good King Henry is a low-maintenance perennial that you can easily grow in your garden. Its leaves taste a bit like spinach but are slightly bitter, making them great in salads or cooked dishes. You’ll find it adapts well to many climates, including most parts of the US and Canada. This resilient plant can provide you with fresh greens year after year. For more details, see 16 Best Edible Perennials To Plant Now.
Sea Kale
Sea kale is a hardy perennial vegetable that can thrive in your garden for many years. It prefers coastal-like conditions and tolerates alkaline soil well.
Starting sea kale from seed can be tricky, but once your plants get past the first year, they become easier to care for. Mature plants can spread wide and provide you with tasty, nutritious leaves and shoots. For more details on growing sea kale, check out this guide on how to grow sea kale and other crambes.
Chives
Chives are a great perennial herb for your garden. Once planted, they come back every year with little effort from you.
You can use fresh chives to add a mild onion flavor to your dishes. They also self-seed easily, so you might find new plants popping up nearby. Growing chives near your lawn is no problem—they often mingle quietly with grass while you mow.
Learn more about chives as perennials here.
Lovage
Lovage is a perennial herb that tastes much like celery but stronger. You can add its leaves to salads, soups, or stews to boost flavor.
Once planted, it will come back year after year, giving you a reliable, flavorful addition to your garden. Growing lovage is simple and rewarding for any home cook. For more details about growing it, you can visit a complete guide to lovage.
Nodding Onion
You’ll find nodding onion easy to grow and care for. It’s a perennial, so once planted, it comes back year after year.
This plant thrives in full sun or part shade and attracts pollinators to your garden. Its edible leaves and flowers add a mild onion flavor to your meals.
Nodding onion also resists deer, making it a practical choice for many gardeners. Learn more about growing it here.
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