10 flowers that come back every year and bloom through summer
The closer we get to warmer weather and peak gardening season, the more you’ll want your outdoors to begin to burst with life and colour. Long-flowering perennials may be exactly what you’re looking for.
What better way to complement the incoming sunshine than beautiful flowers which bloom through summer? And even when the weather isn’t there, your garden can still feel like a bright and cheery place to spend time in with these flowering perennials that, once in full bloom, will stick around all season. Even better, after the summer is over you can let these plants die back naturally and, in a year’s time, watch them bloom all over again.
As there are so many different shapes, colours and styles of perennials to choose from, we’ve made your job that little bit easier by compiling this list of our top 10 perennial plants that will flower through summer.
What is a perennial?
Unlike annuals which only last one season, a perennial is a plant which flowers year after year; the Latin translation of ‘perennial’ literally means ‘through the years’! Many perennial plants have attractive foliage too, so even when they’re not flowering, they’ll keep on providing colour in your garden for months and months.
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Top 10 plants that flower all summer
There are hundreds of different varieties of perennial plants, some common and some obscure. Each one can offer something unique to your garden, be it scent, long-lasting colour, or evergreen interest. Here are 10 of our favourite perennial plants that will continue to flower through summer:
1. Lavender (Lavandula)
Lavender is a perennial herb, popular for its rich fragrant purple flowers. However, the BeeZee lavender collection has a wonderful range of different colours, including blue, pink, and white. It’s relatively easy to grow either in your borders or in large containers and comes in different varieties. If you’re looking to attract bees and other pollinators to your garden, English lavender is the most efficient. Just make sure to prune your lavender after its flowering period and it will continue to bloom for years.
Planting advice: Plant in a sunny spot in free-draining soil.
2. Hydrangea
With delicate flowers in shades of pink, white and blue, hydrangeas are perfect for brightening up everything from borders to walls - hydrangeas come as both shrub and climbing varieties, so every area of your outdoors can be brought to life. Even when their flowers die down in the autumn, their attractive leaves will still add much-needed colour in your garden, until they’re ready to flower again in the summer.
Planting advice: Plant shrubby hydrangeas in a lightly shaded spot in moist, well-draining soil. Climbing hydrangeas grow well in either shaded or sunny spots in any soil type.
3. Lupin (Lupinus)
One of our favourite perennials that flowers every summer, Lupins have bold, bright flower spikes in a vast range of colours. They have tall, impressive stems, offering height to your beds and borders, but also look gorgeous growing in containers. To top it off, bumblebees love them. There’s really nothing a Lupin can’t offer - it's no wonder they're one of our favourites!
Planting advice: Plant in full sun in free-draining soil
4. Geums
Geums can grow up to 50cm tall and look great in the middle of the border of a natural, wildlife friendly garden. There are many varieties to choose from, each with its own warm, vibrant colour. Geums are also known for their bright semi-evergreen foliage, which provides additional interest throughout the summer months. Depending on the type, geums will thrive in either shade or sunshine.
Planting advice: Plant in full sun to partial shade in well-drained soil.
5. Herbaceous Salvia
Easy to grow in beds, borders and containers, salvias are must-haves in a summer garden. Their nectar-rich flowers don’t only attract bees and other pollinating insects, but will bloom for months and months, sometimes even up to the first frosts. If you choose a hardy variety, they’ll keep coming back year after year. With flowers available in almost every colour imaginable, from pastel pinks to deep scarlets, they’ll look good in almost every planting scheme, especially paired with roses, dahlias and cannas.
Planting advice: Plant in a sunny spot in free-draining soil.
6. Hardy Geraniums
This plant might be the most popular perennial in the UK, and it’s easy to understand why – they're tough, easy-to-grow, and provide flowers for months and months. They don’t need a lot of care – all you need to do is cut back the stems to ground after they’ve died down. Slugs and snails will eat other plants before they touch hardy geraniums, and they’ll even grow up from tiny cracks in paving. We told you they were tough!
Planting advice: Plant in light shade in any soil type.
7. Pinks (Dianthus)
Dianthus, most commonly referred to as ‘garden pinks’, are popular amongst garden fans for lots of reasons. Mostly, it’s due to their bright pink blooms, but they’re also low maintenance and smell amazing! They’re also loved for their versatility. Compact varieties of pinks are available for planting in pots, window boxes and hanging baskets too.
Planting advice: Plant in full sun in well-draining soil.
8. Penstemons
A valuable, easy-to-grow addition to your garden borders, penstemons are long-flowering and popular resting spots for busy bees. They’re similar in shape to foxgloves, with tubular flowers, providing instant beauty in a range of colours, from rich blues to powdery pinks. Plant penstemons in groups of three or five for the biggest impact.
Planting advice: Plant in full sun to partial shade in moist but well-draining soil.
9. Scabious (Scabiosa)
This gorgeous flower and its various hues will give you colour in your garden year after year, from summer into autumn. Pollinators love the dainty petals of Scabious – butterflies in particular – and birds will feed on their seeds, so keep an eye on this plant if you’re a nature enthusiast!
Planting advice: Plant in full sun in free-draining soil.
10. Delphiniums
Delphiniums are best known for their dramatic, towering flower spikes that normally appear in a vivid sapphire blue hue, but they’re also available in wonderful shades of purple, pink, red and white. These pollinator-friendly flowers bring height, brightness and diversity to displays, making them perfect plants for cottage gardens in particular. Plant delphiniums next to roses and peonies, or other tall vertical flowers like lupins, for a stunning showcase.
Planting advice: Plant in full sun in well-
draining soil.
How to plant perennials
One of the best things about perennials is they’re normally tolerant to difficult areas, therefore you’ll find a suitable plant for any garden situation, from shady to sunny spots. Planting perennials in your beds, borders and containers isn’t tricky either. All you have to do is prepare your soil properly, dig a hole, plant in the roots, and water well.
Prepare your soil first by weeding the area. Then cultivate (dig) your soil to the depth of your spade or fork.
Before you plant anything in the ground, it’s a good idea to arrange your flowers on the surface of the soil so you can see how they’ll look before planting. While it might seem like a good idea to plant everything close together to get a fuller look. However, as your perennials will be smaller when you first buy them, you’ll need to give them room to grow. The plant label should tell you how much room to leave around the plant, as well as the depth to plant it.
After your perennials are firmly in the ground, you can spread a thick mulch (2– 3 inches) of garden compost, like Westland Jack’s Magic All Purpose Compost, to help retain moisture and prevent weeds.
How to care for perennials
The key to long-lasting, thriving displays of perennial plants is to keep them well watered, especially in the first year after planting. Keep the soil most, but never soaking, watering under the foliage.
For taller plants, you can use a plant support stick or cane to stop them bending over.
If your soil was properly prepared, you shouldn’t need to feed your plants for a long time. However, if the leaves of the perennial look yellow or they’re growing slowly, a plant fertiliser like Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food will do the job.