6 Hardy Perennials to Plant in February – for a Dreamy Garden That Thrives With Less Effort

It’s February and winter still may have your region in its grip. But gardeners everywhere are eager to get their hands dirty planting flowering perennials outdoors. Fortunately, this is entirely possible, as long as you select the right seeds – like the seeds of hardy perennials. The best choices are seeds that need chill periods to germinate, also known as cold stratification.

Perennial garden plants are the workhorses of the flower garden, blooming not just this year but next year as well, and sometimes, for many years to come. You won’t see these flowers in February, but just knowing the seeds are planted makes spring seem closer and more certain to arrive soon.

So what hardy perennial flower seeds should you plant in February? Here’s a shortlist of the best varieties to get started this month for a garden that’s bursting with dreamy blooms this summer. Plus, they're all easy to grow!

1. Columbine

It’s no secret. Everybody knows by now that the best way to keep the maintenance down in your perennial garden is to plant wildflowers. That makes columbine a top choice.

It's a knockout native flower with enchanting spring blooms. The flowers are unique and gorgeous. They're small bell-shaped buttercup-like flowers with five petals nestled within five spurs extending backward. They are born on tall stems, which adds a whimsically dreamy element to any garden.

Though this native perennial looks so delicate, it’s actually one of the hardiest plants, making it perfect for a February planting. That’s because the species is native to colder climates and appreciates a period of cold stratification before germination.

What colors are the flowers? Where shall we begin? Different types of columbine are different colors and some are even bi-colored. For example, eastern red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) grows showy red and yellow bell flowers, while Rocky Mountain blue columbine (Aquilegia coerulea) bears violet and white blooms with yellow stamens.

You can also find combinations of crimson, pink, lavender, blue, yellow, or white. The lacy foliage is a lovely shade of blue-green and turns purple in the fall. Shop seeds for tons of stunning columbine varieties from Burpee.

Hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators flock to the tubular blooms during spring and early summer. In autumn, birds feed on the seeds.

2. Delphinium

Delphiniums are so delightful and they flower not one week, not two, but all summer long! Maybe that's why they are the 2026 Flower of the Year. These elegant flowers have large blue, purple, or pink blooms on three-foot (1 m) stems. A classic in summer flower gardens, these hardy perennials grow long flower spikes that are bright and colorful. You will love the blossoms – and so will the butterflies and hummingbirds!

Delphiniums are cold-hardy flowers that thrive in cool climates. In these regions, the February direct sowing method is the best option to include these flowers in your spring garden. In warm zones, they are grown as annuals and can be planted in fall.

Note that variety is king when it comes to these perennials. With over 300 delphinium species, you can find dwarf hybrids, three foot (1 m) tall plants, but also six foot (2 m) tall varieties. These versatile cottage garden plants can play many roles in your perennial beds. Note that the tallest types may need stakes to keep them upright.

While the most common delphinium color is blue, you can also find varieties in beautiful hues of violet, pink, white, red, and purple. Shop a wide array of delphinium seeds from Burpee to grow every color in your garden.

3. Lupine

Call these perennials lupine, lupin, or blue bonnet. All refer to native wildflowers with tall spikes of bell-shaped blossoms that light up the landscape in spring and summer. The pea-like flowers are clustered on tall, upright spikes and vary in color from deep blue to purple, pink, and yellow. Lupine leaves are also lovely. They're grayish green with silvery hairs.

The most common species of lupine are native to North America. They prefer to grow in cooler, wetter regions as they do not tolerate heat, humidity, or drought. Planting seeds outdoors in February works well, but first, soak seeds in warm water for a day or two, then roughen them against sandpaper before planting. This type of scarification greatly improves the odds of germination. Any subsequent snowfall is a plus, since it offers additional insulation.

Assuming all goes well, you should start to see blossoms in late March or April. As native wildflowers, they require little or no human intervention to thrive. Explore a variety of lupine seeds on Amazon to find the perfect ones for your garden.

4. Yarrow

Yarrow is a pretty perennial with large, flat flower heads and feathery leaves. Rugged and adaptable, this North American native wildflower grows vigorously and deserves a spot in your perennial garden. The flowers come in a wide range of gorgeous colors, from scarlet to pink to egg-yolk yellow. The blossoms add vivid color to the garden.

The species plant offers sunshine-yellow flowers on tall stems. But you can find different yarrow varieties that provide different plant sizes, from short to towering. All are stunning in the garden, given their gorgeous shades. And all types of yarrow thrive on neglect, as you would expect in a native wildflower. Give it a sunny location with excellent drainage and it is satisfied.

Scatter yarrow seeds in February and press them into the soil surface to keep them in place. Then just count the days until spring. Find your new favorite yarrow seeds on Amazon.

5. Foxglove

Foxgloves are native to the area of France where I live and they appear regularly every spring, their stunning bellflowers standing tall on sturdy upright stems. Yes, they are toxic if eaten, so plan on something else for dinner. But the butterflies and bees are happy to have the foxglove nectar to themselves.

It takes two years for common foxglove to bloom in some regions. Plant in year one and you may see only a rosette of leaves. In year two, you’ll see an amazing spike appear, perhaps as tall as you are, covered in small, tubular flowers in purple, white, or pink. If you’d rather get flowers the same year, wait until spring and transplant a mature plant from the nursery.

Foxgloves rely on bees for pollination, so they make them welcome. Each tube blossom has a small lip, creating a perfect site for a bumblebee to sit and access the nectar.

The flowers are said to bloom from late spring through midsummer, but in France, I still have foxglove blossoms in July and August. They make a lovely backdrop for shorter summer flowers like poppies or coral bells. They need sun to thrive, and moist soil with good drainage.

Surface sow the seeds in February. Don’t push them in or bury them. Just rake the area lightly to set them in place. Shop foxglove seeds on Amazon to get your garden started today.

6. Bee Balm

Bee balm is another native wildflower that has become a garden favorite. It is a tough, hardy, resilient plant with show-stopping blooms. Different varieties offer blooms in shades from purple to pink to red.

All types, including the species bee balm, have long-lasting blooms that flower from early summer through fall. Fortunately for gardeners everywhere, this stunning perennial is low-maintenance and easy to grow almost anywhere.

Do you need any other reason to grow bee balm than the beauty of the flowers? Consider this: the plant requires almost no maintenance and the flowers attract pollinators like hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and hummingbird moths.

While some gardeners prefer to plant bee balm in autumn before the first frost, winter sowing seeds in February also works, given the natural cycle of cold and moisture in late winter. Explore tons of bee balm seeds in a variety of colors on Amazon.