These are the best new perennials for your Colorado garden, according to CSU researchers

How do you pick your perennials? Don't.

Instead, let Colorado State University researchers do it for you. After three seasons growing and studying newer perennial cultivars in the Rocky Mountains' challenging conditions, eight plants have risen to the top of the CSU Perennial Trial Garden's list of top performers.

They are...

'Firefly Sunshine' yarrow

This variety of yarrow combines compact growth with bright, long-lasting color. Plus it gets bonus points for its hardy winter survival and lack of garden spread.

'Alchemy Silver' brunnera

Terra Nova Nurseries' "Alchemy Silver" variety of brunnera macrophylla is a vigorous plant that can brighten up your garden's shady areas with a constant display of silver foliage and delicate blue flowers from May into June, according to CSU.

'Euphoria Ruby' Joe-Pye weed

This shorter and more compact variety of Joe-Pye weed is a great pollinator and has dependable ruby- and lilac-colored blooms — making it one of CSU's unanimous choices for its "top performer" perennial award.

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CrazyBlue Russian sage

Looking for some long-lasting blooms? Try CrazyBlue Russian sage, a mid-sized plant that grows about three to four feet tall and shoots off violet-blue flowers longer than other Russian sage varieties. Already sold? Go grab your own CrazyBlue Russian sage plant at this year's community spring plant sale at the Gardens on Spring Creek.

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Sunbeam Veranda roses

Bring some sunshine to your garden this season with Sunbeam Veranda roses, a compact plant perfect for smaller gardens or tight spaces. Its bright golden blooms start in June and last well into September, with excellent winter hardiness.

Cherry Frost roses

Looking for a good climbing Colorado rose? Look no further than the abundantly and bright-blooming Cherry Frost rose, which offers up both red flowers and good disease resistance. Its clusters of small flowers keep coming back throughout the season, offering long-lasting color and — in true rose form — excellent winter hardiness.

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Prima Angelina sedum

Neon green foliage in the summer and a showy shade of red come winter? Sign me up. This sedum variety, with its versatility, strong branching and uniform growth habit, is a great choice for rock gardens or a good friend for any of your existing sedum plants.

Moody Blues veronica (mauve improved)

Want a sure thing? This vibrant variety of the veronica plant had 100% winter survival when studied by CSU. Its mauve-colored blooms also burst on the scene at the peak of its very first year, and still kept coming back for more throughout the season.

Erin Udell reports on news, culture, history and more for the Coloradoan. Contact her at [email protected]. The only way she can keep doing what she does is with your support. If you subscribe, thank you. If not, sign up for a digital subscription to the Coloradoan today.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: The 8 best perennials for your Colorado garden, per CSU researchers