While perennial flowers can initially seem costly, they prove to be an excellent value for your money. These summer bloomers return annually, offering ease of care with their minimal maintenance needs. Additionally, the perennials available at nearby garden centers or nurseries typically consist of indigenous species perfectly adapted to thrive in your region. Such native varieties not only require less upkeep but also draw butterflies, hummingbirds, and local songbirds to your garden.
flower garden
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Summertime perennials can sometimes seem daunting for novice gardeners. Do not worry; although certain perennials require meticulous care, the following blooming plants are simple to cultivate, hardy, and beautiful.
Explore different options. Smaller locations like neighborhood nurseries and farm stands might provide more affordable plants compared to bigger garden centers and chains. These smaller outlets often have a wider selection of species tailored specifically for your region, along with varieties that are favored locally. This way, you’re likely to find plants that thrive better in your specific environment.
1. Bee Balm or Monarda
Bee balm is an resilient indigenous plant known for its fragrant foliage. Its striking red, tube-like blossoms draw butterflies and hummingbirds. This species can reach heights of up to 4 feet, featuring lengthy, thin stalks topped with light-green, lanceolate, heart-shaped leaves. It adapts well to various soil types and thrives best when exposed to ample sunlight and regular watering. Blooming occurs from early through late summertime. To encourage additional flowering, remove spent blooms; however, allow some final flowers to remain so they may go to seed naturally.
Compact varieties of bee balm come in various shades of pink. Blue Stocking features a blue-violet color, whereas Grand Marshal is fuchsia-toned.
U.S. Hardiness Zone
: 3–9
2. Clematis
Clematis
It’s a charming vine featuring an extensive array of forms and hues. As depicted previously, Clematis ‘Jackmanii’ produces sizable lavender-violet blossoms that gradually lose some intensity over time. This species typically blooms from early through mid-summer. Trim it back towards the end of winter for best growth. There’s a common adage about clematis: they thrive when their roots are kept cool, hence it’s advisable to grow smaller plants around the bottom of the vine.
Clematis flowers come in shades of purple, violet-blue, pink, and white. Certain types yield double blossoms.
U.S. Hardiness Zone
: 4-9
3. Coneflowers or Echinacea
Purple coneflower is a native species that resists diseases and pests.
Aster family
These come in a broad spectrum of hues. The purple coneflower reaches heights of about 3.5 feet when grown under direct sunlight with well-draining soil conditions. These water-wise plants continue blooming through the summertime provided you remove faded blossoms regularly. Keep some late-season flowers intact since their dry seeds serve as an attraction for goldfinches during autumn. Additionally, they maintain an appealing appearance even amidst winter’s snowfall.
Purple coneflowers can be found with white, green, and non-wilting petal variants, as well as newer types that have double blooms. Certain cultivars can survive through the winter in regions with cold climates.
U.S. Hardiness Zone
: 5–8.
4. Daylily
Daylilies
Even though they might blossom for only a single day, an abundance of flowers ensures you won’t be disappointed. Daylilies can thrive under dry conditions and in less-than-ideal soils. They boast a broad spectrum of hues and forms, ranging from soft yellows to vibrant oranges, peaches, pinks, multicolored patterns, and rich reds. Their sizable blossoms appear atop sturdy stalks amidst drooping, blade-like foliage that grows into substantial clusters. It’s advisable to divide them during springtime. Smaller varieties and newly developed double-flowered types also exist.
U.S. Hardiness Zone
: 3-9
5. Mexican Evening Primrose or Sundrops (Oenothera)
The Mexican evening primrose is a small, indigenous plant featuring slender leaves and fragile, silky flowers. This species grows between 6-12 inches tall and can withstand both high temperatures and water scarcity, making it an excellent choice for various settings.
rock gardens
Different types of sundrops can be found in shades of white, yellow, and pink. These plants spread throughout your garden effortlessly but remain manageable. Certain varieties bloom exclusively during nighttime or overcast weather conditions, whereas others may flower anytime from dawn till dusk.
U.S. Hardiness Zone:
4-9
6. Ice Plant
The ice plant creeps along close to the ground and expands outward. It features tiny, brilliantly hued magenta blossoms that appear in late spring to early summer. These resilient plants thrive under direct sunlight as well as light shading and can withstand droughts and nutrient-deficient soils due to their nature.
succulents
They thrive beautifully in rock gardens, often spilling over the edges in an attractive manner.
U.S. Hardiness Zone
: 5-9
7. Queen Anne’s Lace
Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota), a hardy indigenous species, frequently thrives alongside roadways. This plant adds charm when included in varied gardens and is commonly utilized for floral decorations. You can find Queen Anne’s Lace at several nursery stores or consider transplanting it. Capable of enduring dry spells and nutrient-poor soil, this plant tends to propagate throughout your outdoor space.
Queen Anne’s lace grows quite tall, reaching heights of 3 to 4 feet, featuring delicate leaves and a striking cluster of small flowers forming a rounded, flat head. Other related plants lack the distinctive small dark spot at the center of the bloom.
U.S. Hardiness Zone
: 3–9.
8. Speedwell or Veronica
Veronica, also known as speedwell, grows with dense flower spikes atop compact, multi-branched foliage. These plants thrive best in wetter soils under conditions ranging from full sunlight to partially shaded areas. Varieties include both ground-hugging types and an array of colors such as dark purple, blue, violet, and light violet shades. Additionally, this plant serves as a magnet for butterflies.
Remove deadheads to promote another blooming period following the initial summer blossoms. Some varieties of veronica can reach heights up to 5 feet, while others are more compact with a creeping habit like veronica prostrata.
In earlier times, Irish wanderers carried a piece of Veronica to safeguard themselves during journeys, which is why the plant was called speedwell.
U.S. Hardiness Zone
: 3–8.
9. Sea Holly, also known as Eryngium
Sea holly or eryngium
Is a fascinating and resilient plant, perfect as a talking point in arid, sun-soaked spots with good drainage. This sea holly can reach heights of 2 1/2 feet to 3 feet and blooms with metallic green-blue flowers that turn darker over the summertime. Each blossom is encircled by sharp spines. Its foliage, similarly colored in shades of greenish silver-blue, adds further texture and interest.
Spread sea holly by division or through root cuttings during early spring. It serves as an outstanding choice for gardens.
dried flower
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U.S. Hardiness Zone
: 3-9
10. Pin Cushion Flower
Scabiosa, also known as the pincushion flower, is a low-maintenance plant featuring delicate blooms ranging from 2 inches in shades of lavender-blue, white, pink, or deep red. These flowers grace gardens from late spring through autumn. Regularly removing faded flowers will encourage more blooming. Since these plants can grow between 12 to 18 inches tall, providing them with some form of support might be necessary to prevent them from bending or drooping.
Spread through root division in late winter.
U.S. Hardiness Zone
: 4-9
11. Sedum or Autumn Joy
The ‘Autumn Joy’ Sedum is one of the largest of the huge
sedum
The family includes bushy sedums that grow up to 2 feet tall. These plants begin flowering in late summer with broccoli-like blooms that initially appear green but turn shades of pink, bronzy red, or burgundy as autumn approaches. To avoid the weighty blossoms causing the plant to droop later in the season, trim them back slightly in July.
Plant in well-drained soil. They are drought-tolerant. Water when first planted, then allow to dry before watering—succulents require little water. Full sun to partial shade.
U.S. Hardiness zone
: 3–8.
12. Shasta Daisy
Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum) is a lush, tall perennial daisy with dark green strap-shaped leaves. The flower rises up on a sturdy stem with white petals and a yellow center. If you cut the spent flowers to encourage a second bloom, leave the second bloom to go to seed.
Split plants in late winter or early spring.
Shasta daisies can reach heights of up to 3 feet or more, featuring blossoms around 3 inches wide. These plants thrive best when exposed to full sunlight. Additionally, they adjust readily to clay soil conditions. Ideal as cut flowers for floral displays.
U.S. Hardiness Zone
: 5–8.
13. Tickseed
Tickseed (Coreopsis) grows from 18 inches to 2 feet tall and features finely divided leaves adorned with small daisies all through the summertime. Removing spent blossoms can help stimulate additional flowering. This plant thrives even under drought-like conditions. There are various types of coreopsis available in different hues; for instance, ‘Moonbeam’ yields light purple blooms whereas Sunbeam has golden-yellow ones. Certain tickseeds tend to spread outwards, but some develop into dense mounds instead.
U.S. Hardiness Zone
: 4-9
Purchasing and Installing Summer Perennials: Key Advice
- Buy plants that appear robust with firm stems and vibrant leaf coloring. Inspect them for indications of illness or pest infestations, such as perforated leaves, changes in hue, blotches, or unusual markings on either side of the leaves. While examining the foliage, ensure there aren’t any yellowed or brown-tipped edges.
- Inspect the base of the container. Should you notice roots emerging through the drain opening, consider purchasing an additional plant.
- You have the option to plant perennials during spring, summer, or autumn. Should you choose to plant them in summer, ensure sufficient watering to maintain dampness in the soil.
- Insert your perennial plants into nutrient-rich, well-aerated earth. In the spring season, incorporate compost into your garden beds and scatter bone meal either over the topsoil or within the planting cavity to ensure vibrant, vivid flowers. Ensure that the excavation made for planting is somewhat bigger than the plant’s root system before filling back up with soil enriched with compost.
- Water your freshly planted perennial daily until it establishes itself—indicated by the emergence of new leaves. Once established, water approximately every five days if there has been no rainfall. By the second year, watering once a week should suffice unless there’s insufficient precipitation.
Ensure Those Perennials Keep Returning Year After Year
In the subsequent spring after planting perennials, inspect your garden for emerging shoots. Young plants might be mistaken for weeds quite easily. There’s a risk of accidentally removing what grew earlier in the year. Familiarize yourself with the foliage patterns of these perennial plants to identify them promptly as the season begins.
Snap pictures of the flora once they start flowering. Move back from the garden bed to capture a comprehensive perspective. Doing this may assist you in identifying the plant come next spring. Additionally, create a basic layout as a guide for the upcoming spring season.
When planting your new perennial, insert the plant label with only a small portion visible above the soil surface. Alternatively, you may create or buy additional labels to position close to the perennial. Doing this makes it easier to identify the plants come springtime.
© 2009 Dolores Monet
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