By Jennifer Parris
There’s something about summertime that puts you in the mood to plant. And with so many different types of plants to choose from, you really can’t go wrong with your choice. You can find flowers in every color, shade, shape and style to make your neighbors green with envy when they see your garden. So get your gardening gloves on and start sifting through your soil with the best summer flowers to plant.
Foxgloves
Foxgloves have become a really popular plant as of late, and it’s not hard to see why. With their signature shape and bright blooms, they’re a beautiful flower that comes in pink, white, and many shades in between. They can grow up to six feet, too.
Carnations
Beautiful in a bud vase, carnations are pretty—and pretty easy to plant, too. They can grow up to 24 inches, and often come in reds, pinks, and whites. They prefer sunlight versus shade, so plant them in a sunny spot.
Daisies
Daisies are just a happy flower, with their sweet stems and perky petals. While it might be often thought of as a spring flower, the daisy will bloom well into late summer.
Begonias
Begonias are beguiling, with their huge variety (there are over 1,000 types of begonias to choose from). As for planting, begonias do well in wet soil—just be sure not to soak them, and they like some shade, too.
Garden Cosmos
If you want a tall flower that’s easy to grow, the Garden Cosmos just might become your favorite flower. It’s a full-sun flower, and can grow anywhere from two to five feet tall. Unlike other flowers, this flower is pretty easy to grow from the seed stage, so it’s a good plant if you don’t have a green thumb.
Sunflowers
Is there any other flower more synonymous with summer than a sunflower? The sunflower can handle those dog days of summer with ease, and bloom numerous times as well. Grow them together for a glorious garden that will make your summer even more beautiful.
Petunias
Petunias are also a pretty flower that grow in every shade of the rainbow. But petunias need a little pruning, so be sure to deadhead them so that they’ll keep blooming all summer long. They also don’t like a lot of rain, (and they’re not a humidity-seeking plant), so be sure to pick a spot where they’ll do best.
Daylilies
If you sometimes forget to water your plants, you won’t have to worry about the daylily. It doesn’t require a whole lot of care, so it should survive if you skip a watering. Plus, it can grow in all types of soils, making it an easy plant to care for.
Marigolds
With their bright yellow and orange blooms, marigolds are a great plant for the summer. This plant loves full sun and can handle the hottest of summer days. While they might not always repel deer, it seems that they can be a deterrent if planted with other flowers that you want to keep blooming.
Hydrangeas
The hydrangea is one of those plants that are always beautiful. You’ll find them in shades of pink, purple, and blue, and are infamous for their mophead flowers. Best part: they can last well into early autumn.
Planting flowers in the summer is a great activity to do, either by yourself as a way to relax or with your children. And when your garden begins to bloom, you’ll get to appreciate the fruits of your labor with fantastic flowers that will make your home even more beautiful.
