One of our favorite summer blooming perennials for shade is Astilbe. Astilbe have foliage that is glossy and attractive, and bloom from late spring into summer. If you cut them back after blooming, they can bloom again.
In pinks, purples and whites, they are a fluffy spire that can brighten any shady spot. They grow 18 inches wide and inches tall, and are hardy to zone 4. Common name for this shade loving perennial is "Meadowsweet". The "Younique" collection of Astilbe from 'Burpee' are compact growing varieties with beautiful colors. Variegated sage green, gold and lime foliage are found on this compact euphorbia that is perfect for containers or a central spot in the perennial garden.
Evergreen and drought tolerant, chartreuse yellow flowers with red tips appear in late spring and early summer. This euphorbia looks amazing from spring through fall and even in winter when the plant changes color, getting tinges of pink, red and orange on the leaves. This plant is easy to grow and resistant to disease and pests. Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' is one of the most popular perennials of all time. The brilliant gold flowers bloom for months and are beloved by pollinators and beneficial insects.Purple Flame Grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Purpurascens', zones 3 to 9). Maiden grasses add striking form and texture to the perennial border all summer long.
By late summer, many cultivars produce soft, feathery plumes that emerge above the narrow foliage. Purple Flame Grass is a medium-sized maiden grass, growing three to four-feet tall with foliage that turns from bright green to fiery reddish-orange in early autumn. The attractive plumes are silvery-white and persist on the plants throughout winter.
Pruning is only necessary in early spring when the dried foliage and flower stems from the previous season are cut back before the fresh growth emerges. A popular mid-summer bloomer, Moonbeam Coreopsis bears hundreds of small, soft yellow flowers.Astilbe . Astilbe stands out among the longest flowering perennials. Besides being super easy to grow, they thrive in both sunny and shaded gardens, and have feathery flowers that offers months of graceful color. And speaking of color, the blooms can be white, lavender, purple, bubblegum, deep pink, apricot, or red, often with bronze or purple foliage as well. The plants form tidy clumps with the flower plumes emerging in early to mid summer and persisting into winter.
The plants do appreciate ample moisture and regular watering in dry summers can prolong the blooming period. Outstanding cultivars include 'Bridal Veil', 'Pumila', and 'Fanal'. Interestingly flowering in succession from top to bottom over 4 weeks and more, its button-shaped, purple, rosy red or white flowers resemble blazing stars . Attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, this beautiful native American enjoys a long season of interest from mid summer to fall and supplies winter bird food.
The narrow, opposite leaves stay attractive all summer and turn a rich bronze in fall. Easy to grow and low care, Liatris spicata adds a strong vertical accent in sunny borders or prairie gardens. It helps create outstanding combinations with the warm golds of Rudbeckia or the purple blossoms of Echinacea. Pincushion flowers are long-blooming and compact perennials with gray to green leaves. The name was derived from the flower's cushion-like center and pin-looking stamens, which resemble that of a pincushion. The beautiful pincushion flower comes in a wide range of colors, but most varieties come in blue, purple and white shades.
The unique blossoms will take place usually from late spring, summer and fall seasons. This plant grows up to 1 or 2 feet in height and prefers medium, well-drained soil in full sun. A very easy to grow and drought tolerant plant that blooms profusely in the garden from spring to fall. Leaves are hairy, grayish green and flowers are sunflower-like surrounded by tubular red and yellow petals, flaring at the tips like trumpets. Gaillardia 'Fanfare' is compact in habit and is enjoyed by butterflies and bees.
This plant looks great planted in containers or perennial borders. Consider planting them in the perennial garden next to blue flowering plants, which really enhances their warm, earthy tones. Blooming profusely from mid summer through early fall, they are borne atop sturdy stems and literally cover the foliage of lance-shaped, deep green leaves. Their joyous color range is fairly limited - from yellow to orange-yellow - but they differ in height and habit. Extremely easy to grow, they look stunning next to the cool blue colors of Geranium, purplish Asters or the soft tan ornamental grasses. If you love bleeding heart in your spring garden, try "Yellow Fumitory".
This ferny shade loving flower has little yellow blooms from April through frost! Perfect for a woodland or cottage garden, this shade perennial flowers all summer, is hardy to zone 3, and prefers a cool spot on your garden away from afternoon sun. Yarrow plants are flowering perennials that have feathery foliage, fragrant, showy flowers, and a long blooming time. The long stems grow in clumps and can grow up to 3 ft. tall with a spread of 2 ft. (0.6 m). These herbaceous plants blossom with white, pink, red, cream, and yellow-colored flower clusters.
Growing in full sun and partial shade, the summer-blooming flowers start in late spring and last until the end of summer. This lovely tall salvia produces large, deep blue flowers on long green stems from mid-summer to frost. Reaching 6 feet tall, Salvia guaranitica is perfect for garden beds and borders, cutting gardens, containers and for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. Preferring moist and well-drained soil it is also drought tolerant and low maintenance once established. Salvia 'Amistad' is a recently introduced Salvia guaranitica that is receiving acclaim. More compact in stature, it has dark purple flowers that emerge out of a nearly black calyx.
'Walker's Low' is named for a garden in England, not for its height. Lavender blue flowers bloom profusely in early summer, as early as April or May in warmer climates, and then sporadically until frost. Sheering after the first heavy blooming will encourage another bloom, but the plant will not reach 30". The spicy scent is a nice addition to a vase of cut flowers, or in potpourri. In addition to attracting cats, 'Walker's Low' will attract bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. Deer and rabbits are indifferent to the plant, being scented and gray foliage.
'Walker's Low' is hardy enough for zone 4 and will tolerate sandy soil, salt, humidity and drought. Seeds are sterile, so this perennial must be propagated by division. Boltonia, also called false aster, is a perennial wildflower that produces ray-like flowers surrounding a yellow center. Its sturdy stems, narrow leaves, and dozens of white flowers resemble that of asters.
They bloom from late spring until fall and prefers moist soil under full sun. Like many wildflowers, they are easy to grow and needs low maintenance. Hydrangeas are showy shrubs that add pastel colored flowers to your garden all summer—right from late spring until fall.
These low-maintenance perennial flowering shrubs produce huge flower heads made up of colorful flower clusters. You can grow hydrangeas in full sun or partial shade to enjoy their pink, white, red, and blue flowers from May until September. To keep hydrangeas blooming even longer, prune spent flowers to encourage vigorous blooming. Growing flowers that bloom all summer long can fill your garden with glorious colors from late spring until early fall.
Whether you plant summer-blooming perennials or annuals that bloom all summer, your backyard will be a sea of color. When planning your garden landscape, you can choose from a variety of flowers that bloom all summer. There are tall flowering plants, small flowering shrubs, or gorgeous blooming ground cover plants. Vigorous, carefree, good-looking, with a season of interest lasting more than 6 months, who could resist?
Gradually, these densely clustered buds reveal tiny, star-like flowers, in shades of white, pink or red, in late summer or early fall. As the weather cools, their colors grow deeper and richer. Both foliage and dead inflorescences remain attractive through winter, providing some additional interest.
As spring has arrived, it's time once again to whip those gardens into shape. You should also consider the pros and cons of annuals vs. perennials. We vote that you check out the best perennial flowers and plants when drawing up your garden.
By definition, perennial plants last more than two years. That means that, in the long run, they're going to save you money. Attract beneficial bees and beautiful butterflies to your landscape with the bright colours and daisylike features of coreopsis. They make sensational cut flowers that round out summery arrangements nicely. Campanula has many different varieties, and are blue or white belled flowers in sizes from dwarf to several feet tall.
They love partial shade and moderately moist soil, and will bloom June through frost. It has a wonderful deep blue color with a white eye, and is very floriferous. For flowers galore, consider often overlooked hardy geraniums. Available in a range of hues, including blue, purple, pink, and white with purple splashes. Ornamental Onion 'Millenium' (Allium 'Millenium', zones 5 to 9). The flowers bloom for around six weeks each summer, attracting every bee, butterfly, and beneficial insect for miles around.
The one-foot tall and wide clumps are perfect for the front of a perennial border or a rock garden where the ball-shaped blooms can be appreciated. Technically a bulb, this plant is usually sold as a potted perennial and can be planted in spring or fall. Unlike many perennials, pruning doesn't produce more flowers. Planting daisies in your garden is a graceful way to add a little bit of perfection.
Clean, white petals (not all are white – Banana Cream is a soft yellow) radiate from the centre of a sunny yellow centre. Most varieties will bloom from early summer until autumn. They attract butterflies, are drought tolerant once established, and are deer and rabbit resistant. Great for borders, mass plantings, and adding height in containers. Daisies are sun-loving perennials, plant in partial to full sun.
The flamboyant, rich blue flowers of Centaurea montana, known as Mountain Cornflower or Bachelor's Button, are pretty additions to the garden. This attractive perennial plant features showy blue, fringed flowerheads, 2 in. The foliage consists of simple or lobed, silvery green leaves. An old-fashioned, garden favorite that adds brilliant color is the rose campion. This plant grows up to inches tall and spread up to inches. Garden phlox is a flowering perennial that blooms profusely all through summer until early fall.
The large fragrant flowerheads are pink, rose, red, white, and lavender colors. The plant, with its lush green foliage, grows up to 4 ft. (1.2 m) tall with a spread up to 2 ft. (0.6 m). This attractive summer-bloomer thrives in full sun and partial shade. Few plants are named more accurately, as the flowers of red hot poker match the name precisely.
Spent flower heads should be removed immediately, but no division of clumps is necessary. Lavender is a shrubby perennial that is iconic to gardeners. It's gray to green foliage maintains evergreen appearance throughout the year.
This plant is highly regarded for its fragrance, medicinal properties, and gorgeous lavender color flowers that appear during late spring to early summer. Mature lavenders grow up to 2-3 feet tall and 18 inches wide with narrow leaves on square stems. Peonies are very long-lived herbaceous perennials that are easy to grow and works a spectacular show in the garden. They are outrageously beautiful in bloom from spring to summer due to its exquisite, fragrant, huge flowers in white, pink to rose, red, lavender, and yellow.
Even after its blooming period, its foliage is still beautiful. They grow up to 2-3 feet and works well in a sunny location with well-drained soil. Bugloss are perennial forget-me-nots with large, ovate or heart-shaped leaves. They produce a delightful display of sky-blue flowers in spring that adds a vibrant and striking accent to landscapes and gardens. Mature bugloss stands 1-2 feet tall, and each plant can have several flowering stalks. They thrive well in deep, moist soil condition with full sun or partial shade.
The beautiful flowers on butterfly bushes start blooming in mid-summer and continue until the first frost. As its common name suggests, these delightful flowering summer plants attract a multitude of butterflies. The clusters of purple, white, or yellow flowers form a cone shape. These shrubby plants grow as perennials and are evergreen or deciduous, depending on your climate. The beauty of growing butterfly bush cultivars in your garden is that they still flower when many other plants have stopped.
Their stiff stems and flower clusters create attractive cut flowers for fall and winter displays. Coneflowers are some of the hardiest perennial flowers that bloom all summer long. Showy, cone-like pink flowers grace the top of long straight stems.
These summer-flowering plants will grow almost anywhere and are also drought-tolerant perennial plants. Growing in full sun, you can expect beautiful flowers from late spring until the first frost. Red hot poker is one of the most unusual-looking perennial plants you can grow – and it provides color all season long. There are multiple cultivars and hybrids available, with the most popular being those in the "Popsicle" series. These flowers produce blooms up to two feet tall, each of which lasts all throughout the spring and summer.
