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If designing a dreamy garden is at the top of your to-do list this season, it’s helpful to know some of the best summer flowers to grow. A beautiful garden doesn’t just elevate your home’s look—it can boost your overall mood, too. “Nature has a huge impact on health and wellness,” says Gwenn Fried, manager of Horticulture Therapy at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation. “We know that people’s cortisol levels go down in a calm, green environment.”
Whether you’re in search of showy blooms to add color to your garden or low-maintenance picks, this list has you covered. You’ll spot favorites like geraniums, daisies, and azaleas along with unique choices, including celosia, bee balm, and liatris.
But before you grab your gardening gloves, remember to check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone to pick the right flowers for your location. And while you’re at it, explore the best ground cover plants for shady areas to complete your setup.
Lavender
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This low-maintenance pick isn’t just a great option for adding color to your garden—it’s a natural pest repellent and attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies. Its calming scent is a bonus, too!
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Bee Balm (Monarda)
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This perennial, which you’ll often spot in colors like white, red, pink, and purple, have spiky blooms that give them a distinct look. Its sweet nectar makes it enticing for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. If you choose to plant it, keep in mind that it thrives with full sun and moist, well-drained soil.
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Liatris
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Often referred to as blazing star and gayfeather, this striking perennial flourishes with full sun and well-drained soil. They make gorgeous cut flowers and are a good choice for attracting pollinators—think bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
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Black-eyed Susans
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Also known as Rudbeckia, black-eyed Susans are ideal for a summer garden. The sun-loving flower’s yellow petals, featuring a black center, would add a dose of personality to your outdoor space. Aim to give them full sun and sufficient space to grow (one to two feet apart is best).
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Cardinal Flower
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Look no further than this flower if you want to draw hummingbirds and pollinators, like bees and butterflies, to your garden. Cardinal Flowers can grow up to six feet tall. Keep them happy with moist soil and either full or partial shade.
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Petunias
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You can’t go wrong with this classic summer flower, which comes in a wide range of colors from yellow to purple to enhance any garden. They can handle full sun and light, well-drained soil.
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Heliotropes
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If your goal is to design a fragrant summer garden, go for this bold purple pick that emits a sweet scent. The tiny blooms, which prefer full sun, attract pollinators like butterflies and bees. Try them for containers or garden beds.
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Moss Rose
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From sunny yellow to bright pink, this drought-tolerant flower is sure to boost your garden’s visual appeal. The easy-to-care for blooms can withstand high temperatures and they’re a great choice for ground cover, borders, or containers.
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Celosia
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Celosia flowers are truly one of a kind and are known for their wild-looking shapes and colors. While this vibrant bloom may look like it could be in a Dr. Seuss book, it should definitely be on your radar for the upcoming summer season. They thrive in heat and dry climates, have a long vase life and even help support the local ecosystem for our buzzing pollinators.
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Peace Lilly
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As its name suggests, the peace lily is a symbol of tranquility. Their elegant white flowers with glossy leaves shine in the sunlight, adding beauty to any garden. They require low to moderate light and will remain healthy as long as the soil is kept moist.
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Sunflowers
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Sunflowers, as the name implies, grow best in full sun. Although they’re pretty trouble-free, they do require attention once planted. Make sure to protect seeds from birds with mesh bags or cheesecloth.
RELATED: The Best Way to Grow Beautiful Sunflowers
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Anthuriums
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Anthuriums are tropical-looking flowers with heart-shaped leaves. Also known as flamingo flowers, they bloom for a long time in humid climates and add a pop of color to any garden space. They’re also known for aiding in relaxation.
Anastasiia Bid
Azaleas
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Azaleas represent femininity and passion. When they’re in full bloom, it’s hard not to stare. This vibrant flower flourishes from spring to late fall and spreads like wildfire in its peak. They also happen to attract hummingbirds with their bright pink color and funnel-shaped flowers.
RELATED: 18 Plants That Will Attract Hummingbirds to Your Home Garden
Julie Eggers
Sea Holly
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Sea holly can flourish with well-drained soil and full sun (at least six hours of direct sunlight per day). Thanks to their long taproot, this striking perennial is drought-resistant. You can find them in pretty shades of blue, purple, white and silver.
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Miniature Roses
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Regular roses often get all the attention, but miniature varieties shouldn’t be left in the shadows. Perfect for any indoor flower gardener, miniature roses have the same gorgeous bloom, but are meant for small spaces. They can bloom repeatedly with the proper care.
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Daisies
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It’s hard not to love daisies. These easy-to-care for flowers bloom for months on end, adding a burst of bright white and yellow to any summer garden.
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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.
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Coreopsis
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Bring on the cheer with coreopsis, which favor consistent watering and well-drained, fertile soil. Place them in containers or beds and give them full sun or light shade. They tend to attract pollinators, like bees, too.
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Globe Amaranth
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Brighten any garden with this bold annual that you can find in a range of shades, from purple to white. Native to Central America, the globe-shaped flowers add visual appeal to garden beds, borders and even containers. They like full sun and a regular watering schedule.
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Lantana
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This hardy plant prefers full sun and water on a weekly basis once it’s mature. You’ll find them in a variety of colorful hues, including pink, yellow, red and orange.
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Morning Glories
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Part of the Convolvulaceae family, morning glories are climbing vines that like full sun and moist soil that’s well drained. Look no further than their bright, bold flowers to boost your garden’s visual appeal.
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Portulaca
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With full sun and fertile soil that’s well-drained (only water it when the soil is dry), this plant will flourish in your garden. They make beautiful ground covers and they’re also suitable for containers. Pests don’t tend to bother portulacas, but keep in mind that they’re toxic to some pets, including cats and dogs.
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Alliums
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Add a pop of color to your garden with this drought-tolerant flower. You’ll find them in pretty shades of purple and white, making them a perfect addition to fresh bouquets. Aim for well-drained soil and full sun with this pick.
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Calamint
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Also known as Calamintha nepeta, calamint is perfect for those seeking an easy-to-care-for option. The fragrant plant enjoys light watering as well as full sun (if necessary, it can handle light shade as well).
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Geraniums
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Hang them in baskets or arrange them in beds or pots, and take in their beauty. Rely on fertile soil that’s well-drained (don’t overwater them) and full sun. This hardy option is also great at keeping diseases and pests at bay.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. They grow best in full sun and are known to outlast hot summer days.
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Common Zinnias
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Zinnias are perfect for borders and container gardens. Plus, their cut flowers make for beautiful indoor decor. They can grow anywhere from 4 inches to 4 feet high and come in almost every color except for blue.
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Peonies
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These puffballs signal the beginning of summer each year. Some bushes can thrive for a half-century or more!
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Yarrows
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Leave it to these dainty flowers to add a dose 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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California Poppies
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Eschscholzia californica grows from 6 to 15 inches and comes in red, pink, orange, yellow and cream. This full-sun perennial grows best if directly sown as it doesn’t tolerate transplanting well. It also doesn’t thrive in rich or wet soil. Deadhead periodically for continuous blooming all season long.
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Creeping Zinnia
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Sanvitalia procumbens is another short perennial that only grows 4 to 8 inches high. You can find it in orange or bright yellow. It can perform well in partial shade, but does not tolerate poorly drained soil.
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Coneflowers
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This favorite of birds and butterflies has a lot of human fans, too. They’re easy to care for and have great cutting garden potential.
RELATED: How to Grow Gorgeous Echinacea in Your Garden
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Daylilies
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The botanical name Hemerocallis means “beauty for a day,” but many gardeners call daylilies “the perfect perennial.” The multi-flowered stems (called scapes) grow in all soil types, with very little care required.
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Blanket Flowers
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Gaillardias look like miniature sunsets, fading between yellow, orange, red and sometimes burgundy. They love bright rays, so don’t hide them in the shade.
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Hydrangeas
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From late spring to early autumn, hydrangeas can steal the show in your garden. Try the Blue Enchantress variety for striking ruby-black stems and big mophead flowers. The border shrub flowers blue in acidic soils and pink in alkaline soils.
Monrovia
Lavender
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Plant this fragrant herb in full sun and well-drained soil, Henriksen advises. Bonus: Lavender will attract birds and butterflies, and it’s easy to make into potpourri when dried.
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