15 summer plants to consider for a blooming summer display

With summer well underway, many of us will be spending plenty of time in the garden. You’ll undoubtedly dig in to create a blooming summer display for those with green fingers. If you want to create a stunning and colourful flower display and create the perfect garden, we’ve picked 15 flowers for you!

Hardy Geranium

Our choice of plant to consider for a blooming summer display is the hardy geranium. With many different varieties, you certainly won’t be short on choice. These fabulous flowers are among the most popular in the UK due to their attractive blooms and tough qualities.

Hardy geraniums are very easy to grow too. Just make sure you plant them in well-drained and moist soil. After the end of the flowering season, these flowers will regrow the following year!

  • - Lifespan: Perennial.
  • - Bloom time: April-September.
  • - Colour(s): White, pink, purple, blue, and magenta.
  • - Sun & Watering: Full sun & weekly watering.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

Tickseed

Another plant choice to consider for a blooming summer display is tickseed. These bright-coloured flowers can withstand most soils, even well-drained clay soil! Coreopsis (or tickseed) is a low-maintenance plant and drought-tolerant plant.

An easy-to-grow plant, you can plant tickseed in bedding or pots. Once the flowering season is over, prune back the dead plant to near-ground level to ensure continuous blooming for the following year. A great choice if you want a low-maintenance plant!

  • - Lifespan: Annual or perennial.
  • - Bloom time: June-September.
  • - Colour(s): Orange, rose, yellow, lavender, and white.
  • - Sun & Watering: Full sun & deep watering when topsoil is dry.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea is another choice of plant to consider. What’s to love about Bougainvillea? They are drought-tolerant, can be planted in hanging baskets or as climbers, and bloom stunning pink and red colours.

The only problem with this plant is that Bougainvillea can overgrow if left alone. Providing you keep this plant in check by pruning, you should benefit from this attractive plant. You should also avoid planting near buildings showing signs of cracking, as the plant can cause further damage.

  • - Lifespan: Perennial.
  • - Bloom time: May-November.
  • - Colour(s): White, pink, purple, red, and orange.
  • - Sun & Watering: Full sun & once fortnightly watering.
  •  Good for Pollinators: No.

Lavender

Lavender is an excellent choice to consider for a blooming summer display. Not only does lavender look great, but it smells amazing and is a goldmine of pollen for bees. Also, lavender is a very drought-tolerant plant, too, only requiring watering when the soil is very dry.

Make sure soil is well-drained when planting, as overwatering can hinder growth. Originating from the Mediterranean, this plant thrives in the sun, as you would expect. Another benefit of lavender is that the scent can deter pests such as flies. Plant near windows and doors for maximum benefit!

  • - Lifespan: Perennial.
  • - Bloom time: May-September.
  • - Colour(s): Lavender.
  • - Sun & Watering: Full sun & water only during drought. Regular watering in the first year.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

Foxglove

Another to consider planting is foxgloves. A common garden plant, foxgloves can grow easily anywhere. You may have seen them growing wild in roadside verges, but Foxgloves are more than just your typical garden weed. These tall, bell-like flowers are both colourful and attractive to pollinators like bees.

However, you should be careful when handling foxgloves as they are poisonous. The plant contains the toxin cardiac glycosides. Touching the plant can lead to skin rashes and irritation. In extreme cases, it can cause heart problems. Always remember to wear gloves so you can still enjoy this colourful plant.

Fun fact: The same toxin in Foxgloves is used professionally in heart-stimulating medication used to treat heart failure. Don’t try it yourself at home, though!

  • - Lifespan: Biennial or perennial.
  • - Bloom time: June-September.
  • - Colour(s): Red, pink, purple, yellow, and white.
  • - Sun & Watering: Partial shade & once weekly watering.
  •  - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

Verbena

Verbena is another excellent choice. Coming in rich colours of pink and purple, Verbena is a popular choice to add to garden boarders and bedding areas. They also enjoy a nice spot in the sun with well-drained soil.

There are different choices for Verbena too. Varieties, such as Verbena rigida and Verbena bonariensis, can grow in various soil types and soil acidity. Both varieties are also prize picks for the garden and a great choice to help the bees!

  • - Lifespan: Annual or perennial.
  • - Bloom time: May-October.
  • - Colour(s): Blue, purple, lavender, pink, red, apricot, and white.
  • - Sun & Watering: Full sun & once weekly watering.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

Sunflower

You can’t have a list of summer flowers without including the sunflower. This popular summer flower is heliotropic, meaning the direction of the plant changes according to the sunlight direction before growing heavy with seeds. Sunflowers are also a favourite of bees too!

The only downside is that they have a very short bloom time. Sunflowers typically last around ten days before the flower starts dying. While short-lived, you have to admit that these bright and colourful flowers look great. They’re also a popular one to grow with the kids too!

  • - Lifespan: Perennial.
  • - Bloom time: August-September.
  • - Colour(s): Yellow.
  • - Sun & Watering: Full sun & once weekly watering.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

Snapdragon

Another great choice of plant for a blooming summer display is Snapdragons. Antirrhinum (or snapdragon) is an easy-to-grow plant that provides bright and cheerful colours to any garden. Snapdragons can grow to different heights, too (from dwarf size 15cm to tall size 1.2m).

You can mix Snapdragons into your flower beds to provide some height contrast or in mixed borders. A sunny spot in well-drained soil will give your Snapdragons the best chance of thriving for those bright and colourful blooms.

  • - Lifespan: Perennial.
  • - Bloom time: June-October.
  • - Colour(s): Yellow, orange, peach, purple, red, and white.
  • - Sun & Watering: Full sun and weekly watering. Seedlings require moist soil.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

Gladioli

Gladiolus (or gladioli) is another excellent choice. Available in various colours, you can get creative in designing attractive flower displays. Tall, with spiky orchid-like blooms, you can grow Gladioli in flower beds or containers.

For the best bloom, make sure to plant in direct sun. Once the flower has finished, you can cut back the dead growth and save the bulbs for next year. Replanting them in the Spring after the last frost will ensure you continue to benefit from these colourful gems.

  • - Lifespan: Perennial.
  • - Bloom time: July-October.
  • - Colour(s): Pink, purple, white, yellow, and burgundy.
  • - Sun & Watering: Full sun & moderate watering per week.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

 

Check out our tips and tricks for planting from bulbs.

Blanket Flowers

Blanket flowers, or Gaillardia, are another popular flower choice for a blooming summer display. These bright and exotic-looking plants can grow up to 1m tall. Gaillardia is another low-maintenance pick ideally suited for smaller gardens.

Make sure to plant somewhere in the sun, with regular watering, to enjoy these flowers at their best. Well-drained soil to prevent waterlogging is also recommended. Deadheading and removing dead plants ensures these stunning plants continue to thrive.

  • - Lifespan: Perennial.
  • - Bloom time: July-October.
  • - Colour(s): Red and yellow.
  • - Sun & Watering: Full sun and once weekly watering.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

Hydrangea

Another popular flower to consider is the Hydrangea. An attractive ornamental flower, hydrangeas bloom in large flower heads in stunning blue or purple colours. A shrub plant, hydrangeas can grow up to 20 feet tall at their peak.

Plant in full sun or partially shaded, well-drained soil to enjoy the most of what hydrangeas offer. The colour of the plant is affected by soil acidity. Acidic soil results in blue flowers, while alkaline soil produces pink blooms. The plant can be toxic to animals, though.

  • - Lifespan: Perennial.
  • - Bloom time: June-September.
  • - Colour(s): Blue, pink, and purple.
  • - Sun & Watering: Partly shaded & 3 times per watering per week.
  • - Good for Pollinators: No.

Million Bells

Million Bells, or Calibrachoa, is another plant to consider for your garden for a bright summer display. Often grown in hanging baskets or containers, Million Bells can continue to bloom throughout the summer without deadheading.

Unlike other trailing plants, Million Bells provide dense trailing foliage as opposed to the gangly trailing foliage of other plants. Also, Million Bells can bloom as early as April, lasting until it starts frosting.

  • - Lifespan: Perennials/Annuals.
  • - Bloom time: June-September.
  • - Colour(s): Red, pink, magenta, yellow, orange, blue, pink, and white.
  • - Sun & Watering: Partly shaded & once daily in hot weather.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

Dahlia

Dahlia is another choice of plant to consider for a blooming summer display. These easy-to-grow plants come in various colours, styles, and shapes to suit your garden’s design. What is so appealing about these flowers, though, is a pompon-like flower head.

The different sizes are suited to different planting conditions. For example, shorter Dahlias are more suited for bedding, while taller Dahlias are better for planting containers. Over the winter, you should find ways to protect the plant, as cold weather can kill it off.

  • - Lifespan: Perennials.
  • - Bloom time: July-October.
  • - Colour(s): White, orange, yellow, red, purple, yellow, orange, and white.
  • - Sun & Watering: Full sun & watering 2 or 3 times per week.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes (providing they are single-flowered).

Peruvian Lily

Peruvian Lily (or Lily of the Incas) is another great choice for your garden display. Coming in bright pastel colours, Peruvian Lily loves the sun, but the soil must be kept moist to ensure an attractive bloom.

As with Foxgloves, though, Peruvian Lilies can be toxic to humans. Skin contact can cause rashes and irritation, while accidentally digesting can lead to vomiting and diarrhoea. Again, wear gloves when handling to prevent any harm so you and the bees can still enjoy these attractive flowers.

  • - Lifespan: Perennial.
  • - Bloom time: July-October.
  • - Colour(s): orange, red, pink, purple, yellow, and white.
  • - Sun & Watering: Full sun & weekly watering.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

Fuchsia

Fuchsia is our last pick of plants to consider for a blooming summer display. These bell-like plants provide beautiful multi-colour blossoms that droop wonderfully from hanging baskets or on their own. While not low maintenance, the little effort required can be well worth it!

For the best bloom, ensure the plant is partly shaded and regularly watered, ensuring the soil is moist. Once a branch has finished blooming, cut it back to encourage new growth. You may also need to prune the plant to keep a particular shape or size.

  • - Lifespan: Annual/perennials.
  • - Bloom time: May-October.
  • - Colour(s): Pink/purple.
  • - Sun & Watering: Partly shaded & regular watering.
  • - Good for Pollinators: Yes.

 

With so many bright and colourful options above, which will you add to your garden for a blooming summer display? Most of these plants are also loved by pollinators, meaning you’ll get a beautiful garden that benefits nature too. If you want a blooming summer display, browse our range of plants available in-store today!

Reading this in the Winter? Check out our checklist for preparing your garden ready for Spring.