Large perennial plants provide a general effect of mass, with their dense foliage serving as backdrop to a border. An asterisk (*) indicates that the plant may reach 5 feet or more.
| Common Name | Botanical Name |
| Boltonia* | Boltonia asteroides |
| Delphinium | Delphinium elatum |
| False indigo | Baptisia australis |
| False lupine | Thermopsis caroliniana |
| Goatsbeard | Aruncus dioicus |
| Heartleaf crambe* | Crambe cordifolia |
| Lavender mist meadow rue | Thalictrum rochebrunianum |
| Olympic mullein | Verbascum olympicum |
| Rosemallow* | Hibiscus moscheutos |
| Sunflower | Helianthus decapetalus |
| Grasses | |
| Eulalia grass* | Miscanthus sinensis |
| Little bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium |
| Pampas grass* | Cortaderia selloana |