These five plants are guaranteed to keep coming back year after year and filling your garden with vibrant colour. It’s that time of year where every gardener, wether well-esteem or amateur, is scrambling to give their outdoor space a refresh.
While adding new plants to your beds can seem daunting, one avid gardener has revealed not only the best additions for colour but that will continue to grow back for the summer season. A gardening enthusiast @themediterraneangardener took to TikTok to share his favourite plants, sure to flower throughout the entire summer. He revealed the five best additions to any garden for a longer-lasting colour this sunny season.
Hardy Geraniums
Starting off with hardy geraniums, also referred to as cranesbills, they are a pollinator-friendly plant that “blooms throughout the summer”, well into autumn.
These plants will thrive happily in partial shade or sun and are not to be mixed up with annual geraniums, which are known to die after flowering and don’t return for another year.
Erigeron or campanula
Anyone on the lookout for low-growing plants should be opting in for planting Erigeron or Campanula. These are the ideal flowers to grow in the cracks and crevices of walls, paving stones and steps, adding a touch of colour to the dullest of areas in your garden.
One user commented on his video, sharing their advice: “My campanula blooms beautifully in May but needs a good trim back to flower later in the summer. They love border edges and creeping on walls.”
Sweet peas
A popular annual grower and great addition to any garden this summer are sweet peas, which can begin to flower “as early as May”. They add a sense of vibrancy along with strong fragrances, making them a great summer plant but also useful for attracting pollinators.
Penstemon
If you can’t quite wait and just want to add a hint of instant colour to your outdoor space, this is the plant for the job. Penstemons are best planted in groups of three to five for the biggest impact, and full flamboyancy.
Verbena bonariensis
Last but not least, the plant perfect for bringing some height to your flower bed borders is Verbena bonariensis. They act as a great plant for attracting butterflies and rival buddleja, a popular source of nectar for the pollinators.
Other plants that the TikTok gardener didn’t mention but are perfect for year-on-year regrowth include lavender, salvia and daylilies.
Not only are they great for adding a range of colours to your garden, but they can also help welcome in more wildlife, especially lavender, with its refreshing fragrances attracting bees.