I am so fortunate that I have the opportunity to meet with so many gardeners and visit their gardens throughout the seasons.
No matter the season, there are always plants that are ready to show off the beauty that lies inside of them and summer is no exception.
Some of the showiest blooms open in the summer months, keeping the garden looking great.
Here are a few of the summer-blooming plants that will make you stop in your tracks.
One of the most popular families of plants known for its summer blooms is the hydrangea. There are several species with no end of cultivars to choose from.
One of the lesser-known species is Hydrangea quericifolia, otherwise known as oakleaf hydrangea. As the name suggests, this species has large lobed leaves similar to those of an oak tree.
The coarse texture of the leaves alone makes this shrub stand out from the others, but the large flower panicles take it to the next level. The white flowers start to open in mid-July and gradually age to a dusty-rose pink colour and dry on the plant. This gives you an extended bloom period.
In the oakleaf hydrangea family, there are both regular height cultivars that can grow six to eight feet high (such as ‘Snow Queen’) and wide, as well as dwarf varieties that will grow only three to four feet high and wide. Some dwarf varieties are ‘Munchkin’ and ‘Sykes Dwarf.’
Oakleaf hydrangeas do best in part shade — three to four hours of sun.
Like I stated earlier, there are so many varieties of hydrangeas on the market — many of them new and improved.
In the Annabelle hydrangea family (with the large white snowball-like clusters of flowers) one of the improved varieties is ‘Incrediball,’ which boasts larger blooms and stronger stems.
Then there are the panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) with the large cones of flower clusters. There are also many new varieties of the big leaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) that are repeat blooming, providing you with showy pink, white or blue flower balls over a longer period of time (mid-June to September).
Another summer showstopper is the butterfly bush (Buddleia). The butterfly bush is known for its long cone-like clusters of flowers on arching stems that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
The flowers range in colour from white and yellow to all different shades of pink and purple. My favourite cultivar of butterfly bush is ‘Grand Cascade,’ which grows to be six to seven feet high and wide.
Its light lavender-purple fragrant flower panicles are enormous at 12 to 14 inches long — almost twice as long as most butterfly bushes. All butterfly bushes prefer a full-sun location and can tolerate dry soil once established.
There are now many dwarf cultivars of Buddleia that only grow to be two to four feet tall, such as the ‘Lo & Behold’ series and the ‘Pugster’ series.
One of the showiest summer-blooming perennials is the perennial hibiscus, also known as dinner plate hibiscus, as its large, colourful flowers can reach eight to 12 inches wide — the size of a plate.
Even though each flower only lasts for one day, the plant blooms over several weeks. I have seen plants produce over 60 flower buds.
Many cultivars grow to be three to four feet in height and width, though there are some dwarf varieties available. Perennial hibiscus prefer a full-sun location and can tolerate moist soil.
One of my favourite cultivars is ‘Midnight Marvel,’ which sports burgundy leaves and bright red flowers. A showstopper for sure.
So, if your garden is lacking that something special, check out these plants at your local garden centres.
Joanne Young is a Niagara-on-the-Lake garden expert and coach. See her website at joanneyoung.ca.