Plant These 10 Perennials in January for a Garden Filled With Glorious Color All Spring and Summer
A little gardening effort this January will pay off tenfold when the warmer weather arrives...
Baby, it's cold outside! If you can brave the chill, though, and plant up some perennials in January, you can give your garden a head start on vibrant color and pollinator support months before most gardeners have even found their trowels.
Oh yes, while we tend to associate the best perennial flowers with warmer months still to come, many need to be planted over the winter – which means it's always important you think about your perennial garden design while there's still time to get cracking with it all.
To help you on your way, here are our pick of the best perennials for January planting or winter sowing, especially if you want colorful blooms later down the line. Just be sure to check the conditions for your own USDA Planting Zone before you set to work in earnest, OK?
1. Masterwort
Masterwort, or astrantia, is a pretty perennial with pincushion‑like blooms and delicate petals that make it a standout in shaded borders. Hardy and adaptable, it tolerates partial shade thanks to its woodland origins... and it's one of those plants you can get started on now.
Yes, ordering roots or sowing seeds in January gives this perennial a head start once spring arrives. Check out the Masterpiece Masterwort via Nature Hills now, and try not to be wooed by those pastel petals.
2. Coneflowers
One of the most popular perennials to plant in January is the iconic purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). This pretty flower thrives in full sun and is generally hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 8, and it just so happens to be one of the best plants for pollinators, too.
Yes, its vibrant, daisy‑like blooms draw bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects, and its seed heads provide vital winter bird food. Ordering bare‑root coneflowers in January (or winter sowing seeds) is a great way to get started, as it allows roots to settle so the plant can flourish in spring and summer.
If you really want that 'wow' effect, try something like a double decker coneflower, available bare-root from Dutch Grown. Its two-tiered, deep rosy-pink flowers are sure to make an impact in your borders.
3. Yarrow
Yarrow is an easy‑care, drought‑tolerant perennial that is positively ideal for winter sowing. Its feathery foliage and flat‑topped flowers come in shades of white, yellow, pink and red, attracting pollinators throughout the growing season.
It’s hardy in many regions and won’t mind a bit of early planting, so start seeds indoors about six to eight weeks before your last frost date. Or, y'know, pick up a dazzling red Achillea Sparkling Contrast as a bare-root from Dutch Grown. The choice is yours!
4. Roses
You'd best believe that roses are perennials! And, yes, you'd best believe that January is one of the best months to plant bare root roses, largely because it allows the roots to establish before the spring flush, so they’re ready to produce abundant blooms.
Make sure to choose cold-hardy varieties and follow bare‑root planting instructions carefully. Something like this stunning white 'True Love' rose from Amazon, then, should transform your garden – and all you have to do is dig a hole, plant, backfill, and water well. Easy, right?
5. Dianthus
Dianthus are classic cottage-garden perennials prized for their fringed, clove-scented flowers and neat, blue-grey foliage that stays attractive year-round. Hardy in USDA Zones 3–9, they’re reliable, low-growing plants that work beautifully at the front of borders, in rock gardens, or along pathways.
January is an ideal time to order seeds or bare-root plants and begin planning where dianthus will thrive. They prefer full sun, where their fragrance is strongest, and benefit from cooler nights, which encourage sturdier growth. Many gardeners choose to start seeds indoors in late winter or use winter-sowing methods outdoors to mimic natural cold exposure.
Try Amazon's Dianthus Baby Doll Flower Seeds for pure pinks magic come summertime, then!
6. Hostas
Hostas may not be the first thing to spring to mind when you picture perennials that pack a serious color punch, but that evergreen hue is undeniably pretty, adding an almost effortless lushness to garden borders.
These shade-loving icons can be planted as bare roots in January in milder regions or prepared indoors for early spring planting. They’re hardy and low-maintenance, perfect for adding lush foliage and structure to shady spots in your garden. Just be wary of slugs; they'll chomp right through them if you aren't careful.
If you're wondering, this Fire & Ice Hosta (available as a bare-root from Dutch Grown) is one of the most popular varieties around.
7. Stonecrop
Yet another perennial worth starting in January, sedums (or stonecrop, if you prefer) are succulent‑like plants with clusters of starry flowers that bloom late summer into autumn, providing nectar for insects and structural interest in borders.
Many varieties are perfect for winter sowing or bare‑root planting, and their winter‑hardy nature makes them durable plants for colder climates. Remember, though, that while most are hardy to USDA zone 3, while others need a warmer climate.
Personally, the classic Sedum Autumn Joy Herbstfreude (available as a bare-root plant from Dutch Grown) will always hold a place in our hearts, but feel free to choose the variety that sparks joy for you.
8. Red Hot Poker
For bold vertical color, Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) delivers blazing spikes of nectar‑rich blooms that attract hummingbirds and beneficial insects alike. And, yes, if the ground isn't frozen, you can absolutely plant this perennial in January – so long as you opt for a bare root version.
Luckily, Dutch Grown has a good Red Hot Poker Breeders Mix available as a bare root package, so give it a go. The very literal birds and the bees will be happy to see the fruits (flowers?) of your labor come summer.
9. Coreopsis
A cheerful addition to any perennial bed, coreopsis (sometimes fondly referred to as tickseed) produces sunny, daisy‑like flowers loved by butterflies and bees. It’s also one of the easiest perennials to winter sow, so long as you start them off indoors somewhere between 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost.
Pick up some coreopsis seeds from Amazon, then, and get started on some magical sunshine blooms for warmer times to come.
10. Joe Pye Weed
This tall, native perennial is a butterfly favorite thanks to its large clusters of nectar‑rich flowers, which means Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum) brings height and wildlife appeal to any garden.
It’s also cold‑tough and suitable for early planting, so long as you match the plant to your zone and soil conditions. Bag yourself a pack of Joe Pye Weed seeds from Amazon, then, and make the most of all that cold stratification goodness while you can.
Planting Essentials:
If you're planting outdoors, you'll need a good trowel for the job.
Don't get caught out; make a note so you don't forget what's growing under the soil.
It's always a good idea to improve the soil before you plant anything.
Remember: January gardening looks different depending on where you live, and that’s okay. In colder regions, the work happens indoors: ordering plants, planning borders, and starting seeds under cover. Alternatively, try starting these flower seeds indoors to mirror nature’s rhythms while staying one step ahead of the season.
Whichever way you go, your garden will already be awake, rooted and ready come spring. What could be a better reward than that, eh?
