Top Plant Picks for Summer Color: Flowers (Part 1)

Colorful flowers and enticing plants fill every table and rack at garden centers right now.  Even the most experienced gardener may feel a little overwhelmed with so many beautiful choices.

Annual or perennial?  How big will this get? Will deer and bunnies eat it?  How long will it bloom?  Sun or shade?  Will it grow in a pot?  Will it stand the heat?  How much care will it require? And most importantly, will it go the distance and survive all season?

I wandered around a local garden center on Friday morning with a friend who is new to the area, talking plants.  What works in one community may or may not grow well in another part of the country.  Our Williamsburg area can be tough for gardeners for several reasons.

Climate and Other Garden Challenges

Technically, we live in Zone 7B, which means that we may have wintertime lows as low as 0F.  Our last frost day falls around the middle of April.  But it may be late May before it is warm enough at night to set out certain tropical plants and heat loving vegetables, like tomatoes and peppers.  Nights may fall into the 40s until nearly June.

Summers get hot, over 100F, and extremely humid, which encourages mildews and some plant diseases.  We may have torrential rain from storms any time of year, and then fall into several weeks of dry weather during the hottest parts of summer.  Some plants can adapt to the heat and damp, but others give up by late July.

Summer weather lingers late into the year.  We can have 80 degrees days in December.  We technically may have frost at any time after mid-October, but it is rare before mid-November.  Many of us try to keep our gardens and containers colorful and deep into winter.  What to grow?

Beyond climate challenges, gardeners also struggle against, or welcome, hungry animals that wander into our yards.  Deer, rabbits and Japanese beetles may eat choice flowers and leaves.   Some of us want to encourage butterflies to lay their eggs in our garden, and so offer host plants to feed their larvae.  And we provide habitat for birds and other small animals.  This adds a whole new dimension to the plant choices we make.

Finding Solutions

I have tried growing many different annuals, perennials, herbs, ferns, shrubs and veggies in my thirteen summers in Williamsburg.  I’ve collaborated with other gardeners, observed what others grow successfully, and chatted at length with Joel Patton, owner of The Ulster American Homestead Garden Center in James City County, Virginia.  He and his family offer good advice about which plants will go the distance for a long summer of beauty.

Gardeners may seek out bright flowers for summer arrangements, first.  Several of the plants on this list will keep pumping out flowers from May until frost.  These nectar rich flowers will keep the butterflies and hummingbirds happy for months.  But variegated foliage is far more reliable for long-lasting color.  Try including a few stunning foliage plants along with the bloomers for greater impact.

These picks for summer flowers thrive in our climate, provide months of color, and won’t require any specialized care.  Plant them with confidence in your containers or ornamental borders this year.  Watch for a follow-up post that focuses on colorful foliage plants.

Long Flowering Plants for Pollinators

Agastache

Agastache: 22 species and cultivars  Common name: Anise Hyssop, Hummingbird Mint

Season of bloom: May to frost  Size:  12” – 24” depending on cultivar

Sun:  Full to partial sun   Water: Well drained soil, drought tolerant

Colors:  blues, purples, pink, apricot, white, gold, red

Notes: This very tough perennial is easy to grow and doesn’t require deadheading.  It is a member of the mint family, but clumps and won’t spread like culinary mints. Grow in the ground or in large containers. Leave it standing in the fall, and don’t cut it back too early in the spring.

Deer resistant, wildlife friendly, attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees

North American Natives Hardy in Zone 7

 

 

Salvia:  1000’s of species, hybrids and cultivars  Common name: Sage

Season of bloom:  May – October Size: most 12”-48″, depending on cultivar

Sun: Full sun to part sun  Water: Moderate, well drained soil, drought tolerant

Colors: White, Pink, Blue, Purple, Red

Notes: This is a very tough, easy to grow perennial, or tender perennial, member of the mint family.  It clumps and doesn’t spread.  There are many species, hybrids and cultivars available locally.  Some are hardy in Zone 7, and others aren’t.  Check the label, and stretch the zone slightly for some cultivars with winter protection. Dead head regularly, or cut back the plant by a third in late summer to encourage more flowers.

Recommended:  Salvia ‘Mystic Spires, Salvia farinacea, Salvia ‘Rockin’ selections Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue,’ Salvia coccinea

Deer resistant, wildlife friendly, attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees

North American native

 

 

Lantana camara  Common name: Lantana, Shrub Verbena

Season of bloom: Mid-Spring to Fall; tender perennial (Zones 7b-11b)

Size: Shrubby evergreen grows 1’-6’+, depending on variety.  Spreads 3’-5’

Sun: Full sun   Water: Well drained moist soil, drought tolerant

Colors:  White, purple, pink, red, yellow, orange

Notes:  Lantana, a member of the Verbena family, is one of the toughest, easy to grow summer color plants and doesn’t require deadheading.  Pinch back young plants to encourage bushiness and more flowers.  Cut back in mid to late summer to control size. Lantana is highly toxic if eaten. Deer and rabbits leave it alone.  Grow in hanging baskets, large containers, raised beds or in beds and borders.  Hardy varieties grow woody and will sucker and spread over time, and some may seed themselves.  Overwinter tender varieties as a houseplant.

Recommended: ‘Miss Huff’ and ‘Ham and Eggs’ are hardy to Zone 7b, Chapel Hill series, Bandana series

Lantana montevidensis is a closely related trailing species that performs well in hanging baskets and as ground cover.

Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and bees.  Birds eat the seeds, especially after frost.

Native in North, Central and South America

 

 

Verbena:  150+ Species, hybrids and cultivars  Common name: Verbena, Vervain

Season of bloom: May to frost Size: 1′-6′ tall, depending on selection

Sun: Full sun to part sun  Water: Moderate, well drained moist soil, drought tolerant

Colors: Purple, lavender, pink, peach, white, red,

Notes:  Verbenas are easy to grow tender perennials, with most types hardy in Zones 7-10. Three main types are available in local garden centers each May.  Verbena x hybrida, often sold as an annual, is the lowest growing and offers the most color choice.  Its soft stems cascade over the side of its container.  Its clump expands and it roots easily from each node.  Grow it in baskets, containers, or as a ground cover.  Verbena canadensis ‘Homestead Purple,’ another trailing Verbena, is hardy to Zone 6 and often returns year to year in planting beds.  Verbena bonariensis, native to South America and hardy to Zone 6, is an upright, semi-woody plant that grows to 6′ tall and 3′ wide.  It is called tall Verbena or Brazillian Verbena. A shorter cultivar, called ‘Lollipop,’ is popular.

Verbena doesn’t require deadheading, but pinch it back to make it bushier, encourage more flowers and to control size.  Fertilize regularly to encourage more flowers.  All root easily from stem cuttings. Finches and other birds eat the seeds.

Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and bees. Deer and rabbits won’t eat it.

Native in North, Central and South America

 

 

Name: Begonia: 2000+ species, hybrids and cultivars from tropical Asia, Central and South America  Common name: Begonia

Season of bloom:  Spring to frost  Size: 6″- 4′ tall with a 12″- 3′ spread, depending on selection

Sun: Full shade  to partial sun  Water: Moderate, moist, well-drained soil.  Some varieties want the top inch of soil to dry out before watering

Colors: Red, pink, white flowers.  Some species have colorful, variegated leaves.

Notes:  Most easy to find Begonia selections are tender perennials, hardy in Zones 10-12, and overwinter indoors as houseplants.  Begonia grandis is hardy to Zone 7, at least, and may return in Zone 6 with winter protection.  Begonias are easy to grow. Pinch back to encourage bushiness, produce more flowers and the control size.  Deadheading isn’t required.  Fertilize regularly for abundant flowers.   Use in pots, hanging baskets, or for bedding.

Several types of Begonias are popular in our area:  Bedding Begonias grow to less than a foot and may have green, bronze or variegated leaves.  Dragon Wing hybrids grow to 18″ tall and have larger leaves.  Rex Begonias have colorful, ornamental leaves and insignificant flowers.  Tuberous Begonias have large, fully double rose like flowers in a wider variety of colors.  They also have very ornamental leaves, but are sensitive to too much water and may rot where the stem meets the ground in hot, humid weather.  Angel wing Begonias have large, colorful leaves and grow on long stems, to 4′ tall.  They develop large panicles of small pink, red or white flowers. Herbivores will graze Begonia foliage; protect them if deer visit your garden.

Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and bees.  

 

 

Impatiens hawkeri  Common name: New Guinea Impatiens, Sunpatiens

Season of bloom: Spring until frost  Size: Various, depending on cultivar: 16”-30” tall and spreading 14”-36” (compact, vigorous, spreading)

Sun: Full sun to partial shade  Water: Moderate, well drained moist to medium soil.  Provide more water to plants in full sun.

Soil:  Well drained, enrich with compost and fertilize every few weeks for good bloom

Colors:  Over 20 colors available, some with variegated leaves

Notes: Easy to grow in baskets, containers, raised and other bedding areas. Pinch back to encourage bushiness and more flowering.  Not necessary to deadhead, and many will self-seed. Hardy in Zone 10-12.

Native in the Solomon Islands

 

 

Pentas lanceolata:   Common name:  Pentas, Egyptian star cluster, Egyptian starts

Season of bloom: June to frost Size: Shrubby plant that grows 2′-3’ in a season

Sun: Full to partial sun  Water: Moderate, well drained dry to medium soil,  drought tolerant

Colors:  Red, pink, white, purple

Notes:  Easy to grow in beds, borders or containers.  Upright growth. Deadhead for more blooms and pinch back to encourage bushiness.   Feed  every few weeks to encourage flowering. Hardy in Zone 10-12

Deer and rabbit resistant, attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.

Native to Africa

 

 

Celosia argentea plumosa  Common name: Celosia, Cockscomb

Season of bloom: May to frost  Size:  herbaceous plant to 2’ tall and 16” wide

Sun: Full sun to partial sun  Water:  Moderate, well drained moist soil,  heavy feeder, drought tolerant once established

Soil:  Rich loam or potting soil, heavy feeder

Colors: Deep red, pink, yellow, orange, white, purple/lavender

Notes:  Easy to grow in containers or beds.  Grown for its colorful flowers, though C. ‘Dragon’s Breath’ also has colorful leaves. Pinch back to encourage bushiness. A good cut flower that can be used fresh or dried.  Hardy in Zones 9-11  May be grazed by rabbits and deer.  Flowers may rot during periods of heavy rain and high humidity.  Remove them to save the plant and encourage more flowers.

Recommended: Celosia argentea plumosa ‘Dragon’s Breath’

Native to Africa

 

 

Pelargonium x hybridum, Pelargonium peltatum   Common name: Zonal Geranium, Ivy Geranium

Season of bloom: Spring to frost  Size: 12″ – 18″ tall and wide

Sun: Full sun to partial sun  Water: Moderate, well-drained moist soil, drought tolerant

Colors: Red, white, burgundy, several shades of pink and lavender.  Some leaves are variegated

Notes: Zonal geraniums have been hybridized and collected for more than 300 years.  The parent species originated in South Africa. They are popular as ‘bedding plants,’ and may also be grown in containers and hanging baskets.  Plants can succumb to disease in wet, poorly drained soil or when humidity is excessive.  Removed spent flowers regularly and cut away any damaged stems.  These tender perennials may overwinter in Zone 7 with some protection, and can overwinter indoors in bright sunlight.  Pinch back to encourage branching.  Feed regularly with a balanced fertilizer as they are heavy feeders. Leaves are poisonous to eat.

Ivy geraniums are trailing plants with distinctive, shiny leaves that show best in hanging baskets and tall containers.  They can trail to several feet long.  Care is the same, they are hardy to Zone 10,  and they are also poisonous to eat.

Deer and rabbit resistant, attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.

 

Read Part II of this Post: Top Plant Picks for Summer Color:  Foliage

Part III: Top Picks for Living Ground Cover

 

All photos by Elizabeth McCoy, with appreciation to the Williamsburg Botanical Garden, Brent and Becky’s Bulbs display gardens, and The Homestead Garden Center, where several of these photos were taken.

Elizabeth McCoy is a JCCW Master Gardener Tree Steward and a former Williamsburg Botanical Garden volunteer.