Summer is the season when gardens come to life with vibrant colors, lush foliage, and the cheerful buzz of pollinators. The best plants for summer not only tolerate the heat but thrive in it, filling your space with gorgeous blooms and fragrance.
Whether you’re looking for summer flowers for your garden beds, containers, or hanging baskets, there’s a perfect plant for every sunny spot. Plus, with the right care, these plants can add beauty to your outer space while also attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. Let’s dive into some of the best summer flowering plants and how to keep them blooming all season long.
Best Plants for Summer
1. Canna Lily
It is a tropical plant that loves summer heat. With its trumpet shaped flowers and lush, fragrant foliage, it’s a show-stopper in any garden. Canna lilies thrive in full sun and prefer well-drained soil, making them ideal for hot, dry weather. Their bright colors, which range from red and orange to yellow and pink, add a tropical flair to your lawn.
Planting Tips: Cannas are drought tolerant but benefit from regular watering during dry periods. They grow best in moist soil, so adding mulch can help retain moisture.
2. Gerbera Daisy
If you’re looking for bold, colorful blooms, Gerbera Daisies are a must-have. Known for their large, daisy-like flowers, they bring vibrant pops of color in shades of pink, red, orange, and white. Gerberas are resilient and can tolerate partial sun, making them ideal for borders, window boxes, or containers. They bloom continuously through the dry season long, keeping your garden lively.
Maintenance Tips: Plant Gerbera Daisies in well-drained soil and give them at least six hours of sunlight each day. Keep an eye on their water needs, especially during the hot weather, as they don’t tolerate drought well. Gerberas also make great cut flowers for brightening up your home.
3. Dahlia
The Dahlia is one of the best dry season flowers, prized for its large, showy blooms and wide variety of colors and shapes. From soft pastels to deep purples, they provide an eye-catching focal point in any summer garden. They grow well in full sun and need regular watering to keep their blooms coming.
Unlike many flowering plants, they grow from tubers. These tubers can be dug up and stored over winter, then replanted the next season, allowing gardeners to enjoy the same plants year after year. They are prized as cut flowers because of their long vase life. Once cut, they can last up to a week or more, making them a popular choice for bouquets and floral arrangements.
Growing Tips: They prefer well-draining soil and humid conditions, so make sure to water them deeply, especially during dry spells. These flowers attract butterflies, making them a beautiful and eco-friendly addition to your garden. Plus, with dwarf varieties, they can thrive in containers as well.
4. Zinnia
Zinnias are easy to grow and love the heat, making them one of the best summer flowering plants for any lawn. Their vibrant flowers come in shades of red, pink, yellow, and purple, and they bloom all warm weather, even in the harshest conditions. Zinnias are known for their ability to tolerate drought and dry weather, making them ideal for gardens in hot, arid climates.
Care Tips: Plant Zinnias in full sun. They thrive with minimal care and will keep blooming until the first frost. Zinnias are also fantastic for pollinator gardens, attracting butterflies and other pollinators throughout the growing season.
5. Alstroemeria
Also known as Peruvian Lily, Alstroemeria offers a long-lasting display of colorful flowers in partial shade or light shade. They produce clusters of trumpet shaped flowers in colors ranging from white to pink, yellow, and orange. It is a fantastic choice for bedding plants or as a border plant in the yard.
It can also be grown in containers. Keep the container in a spot where it will receive full sun to partial shade. In very hot climates, it’s best to provide afternoon shade to protect the plant from scorching heat. It thrives with at least 6 hours of light per day, but it can tolerate partial shade as well.
Maintenance Tips: Alstroemeria prefers regular watering, but it can tolerate periods of drought once established. Its compact habit makes it perfect for smaller garden spaces, and the fragrant flowers attract hummingbirds and bees.
6. Sunflower
No dry weather garden is complete without Sunflowers. These towering plants with their large, cheerful blooms are commonly grown for their ability to tolerate heat and dry periods. Sunflowers thrive in full sun and can grow tall, creating a beautiful focal point in your garden.
While sunflowers prefer full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily, they can still grow in afternoon shade if they receive enough sunlight earlier in the day. However, if they are shaded for most of the afternoon, they may not grow as tall or produce as many blooms as those planted in full sun. Ideally, they grow best when they get morning sun and are exposed to bright, direct light for a significant part of the day.
Growing Tips: Sunflowers prefer well-draining soil and need regular watering during the growing season. They are also a favorite of bees and butterflies, helping support your garden’s ecosystem. With their cheerful appearance, sunflowers are perfect for creating a vibrant, sunny atmosphere in your yard.
7. Black-Eyed Susan
Black-Eyed Susans are the ultimate heat-loving perennials for the gardens. These hardy plants thrive in full sun and produce yellow flowers with dark centers, making them stand out in any garden bed. Black-Eyed Susans are drought tolerant and bloom throughout the warm weather, adding bright pops of color to your yard.
Care Tips: Plant Black-Eyed Susans in a properly draining soil and water them regularly to keep their blooms coming. These plants are also resistant to pests and diseases, making them a low-maintenance choice for any garden. They are perfect for borders and look stunning when paired with herbaceous perennials.
Conclusion
With the right selection of summer flowers, your lawn can thrive through the hottest days of the year. Whether you choose drought-tolerant plants like Zinnias and Black-Eyed Susans or opt for more tropical options like Cannas, these warm weather flowering plants will fill your yard with colorful blooms, attract pollinators, and create a vibrant paradise. Just remember to consider your growing conditions—whether it’s full sun or partial shade—and choose the plants that best suit your garden. With a little care and the right selection, your summer garden will bloom all season long, creating a space that’s both beautiful and buzzing with life.
