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Delphiniums
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This striking perennial enjoys full or partial sun, along with well-drained soil. With more than 300 varieties of the flower, some of which can grow up to 6 feet tall, you can choose from pretty shades of blue, purple, white and pink.
Dahlias
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Grow the “dinnerplate” kind and the blooms can measure a whopping 12 inches in diameter. On the flipside, miniature “pom-pom” dahlias look just as cute as they sound.
Bacopas
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This bacopa monnieri plant, also known as brahmi, is incredibly versatile — just take a look at its impressive edible properties and medicinal purposes. You’ll find the jewel-like flowers in white, blue and lavender. And if you’re hunting for a good container garden option, bacopas are gorgeous picks.
Asters
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Here’s a fast-growing perennial that prefers full sun or light shade. These blooms are native to North America and come in white, purple, blue or pink shades. Keep your asters happy with loamy, well-drained soil.
Bougainvilleas
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Bougainvilleas are lively tropical vines that add personality to a garden. They love sunny areas and well-drained soil. Grow them in hanging baskets or train them to be bushy additions to your pots.
Angelonias
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These striking lavender and pink flowers, also called snapdragons, are beautiful choices for a sunny garden. Treat them well and watch them grow up to 18 inches tall. Even better, they don’t require deadheading to produce their blooms continuously.
Clematis
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Clematis are popular for filling vertical space in a garden. They thrive with at least six hours of full sun per day, but keep in mind that pruning varies by type.
Salvias
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These sun-loving plants come in a wide range of colors, from red to purple, and don’t require much fertilizer to grow beautifully.
Marigolds
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You may know them as vibrant yellow or orange beauties, but marigolds can also bloom with maroon or even cream flowers. “Best grown in full sun, marigolds are known for outlasting hot summer days and have been long used as garden companion plants,” Henriksen says.
RELATED: How to Grow French Marigolds Like a Champ
Common Zinnias
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“A traditional plant for pollinator gardens, zinnias are easy to grow and require full sun,” Henriksen says. She recommends them for borders and container gardens, and using the cut flowers for indoor decor. They can grow anywhere from 4 inches to 4 feet high and come in almost every color except for blue.
RELATED: How to Grow Bright, Beautiful Zinnias
Sunflowers
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Not all Helianthus are created equal. In summer, try SunBelievable Brown Eyed Girl. “This award-winning, multi-branching, heat tolerant and non-invasive annual produces over 1,000 flowers in a single season, throughout summer until first frost,” Karam says. Try it in both borders and containers.
RELATED: The Best Way to Grow Beautiful Sunflowers
Peonies
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These puffballs signal the beginning of summer each year. Some bushes can thrive for a half-century or more!
Yarrows
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Leave it to these dainty flowers to add a touch of elegance to your garden. While they can thrive under a bit of shade, they do best with loads of sunlight and well-drained soil.
Foxgloves
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If you’re looking for a statement flower to add to your garden, consider foxgloves, which can easily reach up to six feet. They bloom early on in the summer and come in a slew of colors, ranging from pink to white.
Carnations
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A symbol of love and distinction, carnations are known for their bold hues and impressive range of varieties. Certain carnations can grow up to 24 inches, while others range between 9 to 12 inches.
Hibiscus Flowers
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You can find these vibrant, trumpet-shaped blooms in a range of color combinations. Known to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, these flowers need tons of water and fertilizer during their blooming phase.
Gladiolus
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This popular summer flower needs well-drained soil, a moderate amount of moisture and an abundance of sunlight to flourish. Keep in mind that wind can harm certain tall varieties.
Begonias
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When it comes to begonias, you can find more than 1,000 different types in an array of colors, shapes and sizes. They like soil that’s moist (rather than soaking wet), humidity and partial shade.
Lily of the Nile
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Also called blue lily or African lily, Agapanthus praecox is a full sun or partial shade flower that thrives in warmer areas, especially in pots. “When it comes to containers and hanging baskets that are showing signs of stress, the best thing you can do is to move them into the shade and check often for dryness,” advises Kate Karam, editorial director at Monrovia. “They may need a deep drink at least once or even twice a day.”
Garden Cosmos
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This full-sun perennial grows to 2 to 5 feet high with blooms in crimson, pink and white. Like the Cleome hassleriana, Cosmos bipinnatus is easy to grow from seeds and often self-sows. However, it cannot tolerate rich soil and will yield fewer flowers.
RELATED: 10 Easy Soil Tests That Pinpoint Your Garden’s Problems
Senior Editor
Lauren is a senior editor at Hearst. She was previously the senior editor at WomansDay.com and the home editor at GoodHousekeeping.com and HouseBeautiful.com. Her book club, ramen, and jean jackets are a few of her favorite things.
Assistant Editor
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women’s Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master’s degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She’s also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
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Source: goodhousekeeping.com
