As spring wears off and summer heat picks up, most gardeners find it rather tiring to work in the garden.
That’s why you need to look for flowering plants––both annuals and perennials––that bloom profusely throughout the season without much pampering from you.
Fortunately, you have a wide selection of summer bloomers to choose from.
GAILLARDIA
Gaillardia, or Blanket Flower, is an easy to grow, short-lived perennial with richly colored, daisy-like flowers. There are over two dozen species of Gaillardia and most are native to some area of North America.
Gaillardia pulchella, which is native from the southeastern U.S. through to Colorado and south into Mexico, was cross-bred with Gaillardia aristata, a prairie flower, to create Gaillardia X Grandiflora.
Most of the modern blanket flowers we grow in our gardens are the hybrid Gaillardia X Grandiflora. Gaillardia forms a slowly spreading mound and their common name may be referring to how they can slowly spread and “blanket” an area.
The flower can reseed and sprawl through the garden. Since the original plants are hybrids, expect some variation from self-seeding.
Full sun is what these plants love best! The blanket flower can handle some partial shade, particularly in hot climates, but they will get a bit floppy and will not flower as profusely.
Gaillardia is not particular about soil pH, but it does need well-draining soil. It will grow in somewhat moist conditions, but heavy clay soil will probably kill it.
HYDRANGEAS
Hydrangeas have been popular garden plants for decades. Older varieties add sentimental charm and new hydrangea shrubs can bloom from mid-summer through fall. Hydrangea flowers now come in an even wider variety of colors, including bright blue, deep red, and pale green. These versatile shrubs will thrive in both sandy coastal soils and in shady woodland sites and almost everything in-between.
Most hydrangeas adapt to a wide range of growing conditions. They are hardy from USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9. As long as they are planted in well-draining soil with plenty of organic matter, they should grow well. The biggest problem that gardeners face is a lack of flowers.
Hydrangeas are propagated from cuttings, and they should be sited carefully taking into consideration the amount of sun and water they would receive.
They prefer morning sun and afternoon shade in places with very warm summers but can take full sun for most of the day in cooler regions.
COREOPSIS
If you’re looking for low maintenance, drought-tolerant, long-blooming and cheerful plants for a flower border or a filler, coreopses are a perfect choice. Native American prairie and woodland plants, their ruggedness and profuse blooms have made them popular with plant breeders.
Their common name, “tickseed,” is supposedly for the seeds’ resemblance to ticks. Even so, birds (particularly Goldfinches) love to snack on the seeds during fall and winter. Bees and butterflies are drawn to them, too.
Their daisy-like flowers range in colors from bright yellow and orange to pink and red. Coreopsis forms upright clumps and have a moderate growth rate. Plant them any time from early spring to fall; most varieties will start blooming in early summer and repeat bloom periodically through fall.
Coreopsis will bloom best in full sun, but it can also be successfully grown in partial shade. The plants may get a bit lankier in partial shade, but they will adapt. In areas with intense dry, heat, coreopsis may even prefer some afternoon shade.
Most coreopsis varieties are very easy to grow and are not particular about soil quality or soil pH. They like well-draining soils and some, such as the thread leaf coreopsis, will tolerate dry, rocky soils. Heavy, wet soils can be problematic for the clump-forming varieties in winter; amending with compost will help.
MARIGOLD (TAGETES)
Marigolds are incredibly easy-going and reliable under a wide range of growing conditions. Once planted, marigolds grow rapidly with no fuss. Most thrive in full sun, taking hot, sunny exposures in stride. Marigolds can even handle the reflected heat and light of paved surfaces as long as they get regular moisture. However, marigolds will tolerate up to 20% shade if there is a bright light for the rest of the day. In fact, lovely white ‘Snowdrift’ actually prefers some afternoon shade in regions where summers are extremely hot.
Marigolds are not at all fussy about soil, accepting poor to average soil without complaint as long as it is not constantly soggy. In fact, marigolds bloom better and more often in poorer soil. Too rich a diet stimulates lush foliage growth at the expense of flowers.
Marigolds are easily grown from seeds, but the seeds collected from hybrids may not give the expected results. Use them as bedding plants in sunny areas. Regular watering is a must.
PETUNIA
Petunias are one of the most popular garden flowers for both borders and containers. They are prolific bloomers, although some forms require deadheading to keep them going. However, most petunia varieties will bloom throughout the summer, except in extreme heat. You can find petunias in just about every color but true blue and with growing habits that mound in borders or trail down containers.
Petunias have wide trumpet-shaped flowers and branching foliage that is hairy and somewhat sticky. Within the petunia family, there is a great variety: single and double blooms, ruffled or smooth petals, striped, veined or solid colors, mounding and cascading habits and even some with fragrance. Most of the petunias sold today are hybrids, developed for specific design purposes. They grow easily when you transplant them to the garden, and this should be done in the spring when the threat of frost has passed.
Most petunia varieties prefer full sun, but in the heat of summer, the partial shade will keep them refreshed and blooming better.
Petunias require a light, fertile soil that provides good drainage. They like a slightly acidic soil pH.
ZINNIAS
One of the easiest annuals to grow, zinnia flowers brings an explosion of color wherever they go. The show lasts from late spring until the first frost in fall. Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to the cheery flowers that bloom in nearly every bright color imaginable. They grow quickly and reliably, making them a great choice for first-time flower growers. Add in their low maintenance requirements and the variety of sizes and shapes, and you can’t lose.
While zinnias aren’t particularly picky about their soil, they do prefer it to be fertile, humus-rich, well-drained and with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5.
ROSE OF SHARON/HARDY HIBISCUS
If you crave a taste of the tropics in the North, try growing hardy hibiscus plants. They often produce flowers of a size rare for plants that can survive cold winters. Perennials that serve as excellent foundation planting, hibiscus are a colorful addition to a garden. They can be planted in spring or fall (as long as there is no risk of frost) and grow quickly.
The showy flowers—often referred to as “dinner plate hibiscus”—feature tissue-thin, ruffled petals in blues, pinks, reds, and whites. However, they’re better suited to the landscape than to being cut and placed in a vase, where they’ll last only a day or so.
For your hardy hibiscus plant to bloom to its greatest potential, it needs about six hours a day of full sun. However, if you live in a hot and dry zone you should provide your hardy hibiscus occasional relief from the bright afternoon sun. Shade from other leafy plants placed nearby should help. Indoor hibiscus plants should be situated near a sunny (southwest facing) window and if that still doesn’t provide enough light, you can augment with artificial lighting.
The species plant is a wetland plant, and hardy hibiscus flowers can be treated as plants for wet soils. So if your landscaping situation is a soggy area where most plants do not grow well, H. moscheutos might be the answer. This makes them useful around water features.
ASTER
Asters are daisy-like perennials with starry-shaped flower heads. They bring delightful color to the garden in late summer and autumn when many of your other summer blooms may be fading.
There are many species and varieties of asters, so the plant’s height can range from 8 inches to 8 feet, depending on the type. You can find an aster for almost any garden at garden centers in autumn!
The plant can be used in many places, such as in borders, rock gardens, or wildflower gardens. Asters also attract bees and butterflies, providing the pollinators with an important late-season supply of nectar.
Asters can be started from seeds, but purchasing young plants is the best option. Plant them out in spring for summer blooming that usually extends to fall.
Asters do well in both full sun and partial sun, but they can’t stand too much heat. Rich and moist soil with good drainage bring out the best in these beauties.