There’s nothing quite like a beautiful garden filled with colorful and long-lasting flowers – especially during the summer months. If you want to create a garden that will bloom all summer, planting sun-loving perennials and annuals can help achieve this goal!
These plants not only add vibrant colors and textures to your garden but are also low maintenance and easy to care for. In this article, we will explore the best plants that bloom all summer long, allowing you to turn your garden into a colorful paradise.
Best Sun-Loving Annuals
Annuals are plants that complete their life cycle within one growing season. Because these plants only live for one season, annuals tend to have a more rapid growth and bloom rate than perennials. This makes them a popular choice for gardeners who want to add a quick burst of color to their outdoor space!
Let’s take a look are some of the best sun-loving annuals which will bloom all summer:
Marigolds
These bright and beautiful flowers are the perfect way to liven up your flower beds! Marigolds feature dense bloom clusters, which can feature yellow red, and orange flowers. These flowers are easy to grow and maintain, making them a popular choice for both novice and experienced gardeners.
Marigolds thrive in full sun and well-drained soil and can withstand hot and dry conditions – making them an excellent choice for summer gardens!
Sweet Peas
Sweet Peas are easy to grow and come in various colors – meaning you can mix and match them to create a multi-colored garden bed! They produce fragrant flowers throughout summer, adding an exquisite scent to your garden.
Sweet Peas like full sun to partial shade and rich soil, so be sure to give them a nutrient-dense soil mix or add compost throughout the season. And depending on what region you live in, you may be able to enjoy these romantic blooms until late fall!
Zinnia
Zinnias are a burst of sunshine in plant form! These bright and cheerful annuals are a favorite of gardeners worldwide, and it’s easy to see why.
With their bold, vibrant blooms in shades of red, orange, yellow, pink, and white – Zinnias will surely bring a smile to your face. They often have large and showy flowers, with a classic daisy-like shape and a long bloom time lasting from early summer until the first frost. They prefer full sun and soil with good drainage but can tolerate a wide range of conditions.
Purple Wave Petunia
These stunning annual flowers feature beautiful, cascading blooms in shades of purple and pink. Purple Wave Petunias are low-maintenance and thrive in full sun, making them an excellent choice for summer gardens.
These flowers also have a long blooming period, and their bright colors can provide a stunning contrast to other plants in your garden. However, unlike other different varieties of Petunia – Purple Wave Petunias are vine-like and look great spilling out of hanging baskets or planters!
Sunflowers
No sunny garden would be complete without Sunflowers! These iconic flowers are a great way to add both height and color to your garden.
Sunflowers come in many variations, with most growing as annuals. You can choose between tall, stately varieties that reach heights of 8-12 feet or opt for smaller types like ‘Elf’ Sunflowers, which grow to a more manageable height. Sunflowers prefer full sun and will grow facing the sun – so choose the best spot in your garden for maximum effect.
Cosmos Flower
Cosmos Flowers are stunning, daisy-like flowers that comes in many colors, including pink, purple, and white. These cheerful annuals thrive in full sun and can tolerate heat, making them a great addition in summer gardens.
Cosmos Flowers have an easy-care habit, and they bloom heavily all season long – providing a bright and beautiful show of color! These delightful blooms also plant well alongside other flowers, so you can add other sun-loving annuals for an even more vibrant effect.
Globe Amaranth
If you’re looking for a unique annual to add to your garden, Globe Amaranth is a brilliant option. These cheerful flowers feature pom-pom-like blooms in pink, purple, and white shades.
Globe Amaranth is also very easy to care for – just give them full sun and well-draining soil, and they will reward you with a beautiful display of color all season long. Their tight, round flower heads make them great for adding a whimsical touch to any garden!
More Annuals That Bloom All Summer
- Begonias
- Poppies
- Spider Flower
- Supertunias
- Dahlias
Best Sun-Loving Perennials
Perennials are plants that come back year after year, so you can enjoy their blooms for many seasons to come. These plant types provide long-lasting beauty and are a great choice for sunny gardens! If you decide to plant some of these lovely sun-loving perennials, keep in mind they will require some maintenance, such as pruning and dividing.
Let’s take a look are some of my favorite perennial plants, which bloom all summer long:
Black-Eyes Susan
Black-Eyed Susan is a beloved type of full sun perennials. They produce bright daisy-like blooms with yellow petals and dark brown centers.
The flowers will bloom from late spring to early fall and make a wonderful addition to sunny beds or borders! Black-Eyed Susans are cheerful plants that are super easy to care for and love well-drained, moist soil conditions. And once they are established, they can withstand drought-like conditions!
Coneflower
Coneflowers (also known as Echinacea) are an eye-catching perennial that comes in shades of pink, purple, and white – with purple coneflower being the most common. These gorgeous blooms stand tall and can withstand sunny, hot environments. Coneflowers are a breeze to care for and can grow up to 3 feet tall – which adds both height and intrigue to your landscape. Plus, they are pretty hardy, meaning they can tolerate a range of conditions.
Coneflowers do self-seed, so if left to their own devices, they will continue to spread – adding more color and beauty to your garden!
Creeping Phlox
If you have a rock garden or a wide space that needs some pretty ground cover, then creeping Phlox is a perfect choice!
These wonderful perennials have a low-growing habit and can grow pink, purple, and white flowers. Creeping Phlox likes well-drained soil and full sun – so it’s best to plant them in sunny spots. Once established, they are very low maintenance and require minimal watering. Creeping Phlox will bloom mid to late spring and last all summer long, making them wonderful sun-loving perennial flowers.
Peruvian Lily
The Peruvian Lily, or Alstroemeria, is an exotic flower that loves the sun and provides incredible beauty to any outdoor space. These stunning blooms can have pink, purple, white, and yellow flowers – and make great cut flowers when added to flower arrangements.
Peruvian Lilies like well-drained soil and full sun, making them a stunning addition to any sunny garden. Regular deadheading of the flowers as they die off will encourage more blooms throughout the season!
Ice Plant
Don’t let the name fool you; these red and purple flowers bloom from early summer and can last all the way until frost! Ice plants have a unique texture and look like they are covered in tiny ice crystals as the sunlight reflects off the petals. They are also super fast-growing and look great as edging plants and in desert or rock gardens – but they also look lovely in containers!
Ice Plants love fast-draining soil and full sun, making them wonderful sun plants that bloom all summer.
Shasta Daisy
To add an element of nostalgia to your garden, Shasta Daisies are a perfect choice! These cute blooms are the classic daisy shape and color, with delicate white petals and vivid yellow centers.
Shasta Daisies are perennial flowers that love full sun and thrive in hot, dry conditions but are not invasive like other daisy varieties. The best thing about Shasta Daisies is how they attract beneficial pollinators and make an excellent cut flower that can be used in floral arrangements!
Yarrow
These stunning flowers grow in clusters and can vary in color, such as shades of yellow, red, and white, and make a wonderful addition to sunny flower beds. Yarrow is an incredibly hardy plant and can handle drought-like conditions without a problem.
The flowers bloom in late spring and last well into the late summer, attracting butterflies and bees to your garden – making them a great choice for attracting beneficial pollinators! Yarrow is easy to care for and low maintenance but does need regular deadheading to keep the blooms coming.
More Perennials That Bloom All Summer
- Blanket Flowers (Gaillardia)
- Catmint
- Daffodils
- Autumn Joy
- Daylily
Sun plants that bloom all summer are a fantastic addition to any garden or landscape. Whether you choose bright and cheerful Zinnias, stunning Purple Wave Petunias, or fascinating and versatile Coneflowers, these plants will bring joy and color to your outdoor space!
With so many options to choose from, it’s easy to find the perfect sun plants to suit your style, climate, and gardening preferences. No matter what you choose, your garden will be bright and beautiful all summer long with these amazing sun plants!
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