6 Patio Plants Designers Always Add in July For Instant Luxury

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Pergola on patio with gravel landscaping and fountains.

Credit: Rabbitti / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

There’s a high chance that just as we’re reaching peak outdoor entertaining season in July, our once beautifully blooming patio plants are starting to fade.

If we’re not careful, the combination of intense heat and lack of water (not to mention busy schedules) can conspire to reduce a lush container garden to a sun scorched memory.

Even if your potted plants have survived the heat, some may require deadheading or filling out with some fresh foliage or flowers for a more finished look. We spoke to designers to find out some of the best high-impact patio plants to add in July for instant luxury.

1. Cornus Kousa close up of Cornus Kousa plant on a patio

Credit: Alamy / Müller McPhoto

A Japanese relative to the American Dogwood, this pretty, ornamental tree makes a statement situated by an outdoor seating area. Its bushy foliage and eye-catching bracts instantly make a space feel lush throughout the summer months and beyond. For this reason it’s a favorite July addition for New York-based landscape designer, Jon Fargion.

‘Cornus Kousa is a lovely medium small tree, with long lasting summer blooms,’ says Jon. ‘This tree blooms from mid June until the end of August, and then creates a series of beautiful, bright red berries. For extra impact in the summer, I like to set it in a container with some geraniums at the base.’

This Kousa Dogwood from Plant Addicts is cold hardy and will grow well in zones 5-8. It likes 6 hours of sunlight per day, well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil. If you’re growing it in the ground be aware that it can grow 20-25′ tall, so choose its location wisely. However, its growth would be contained in a large planter.

2. Acer (Japanese maple) A purple Japanese maple tree growing alongside annual flowers in a dark red container on a patio

Credit: Future/Jacky Hobbs

Who doesn’t love a Japanese Maple? With their spectacular foliage and striking shapes, Acers are not only one of the best trees for a Japanese garden, they are a beautiful mid-summer “go-to” for landscapers when they want to instantly elevate an outdoor space.

‘Japanese maple is another beautiful medium-sized tree,’ says Jon. ‘It has the most elegant structure and eye-catching foliage. Although, it’s more suitable for a shaded area.

‘These trees perform well in July because they are in their apex during summer either for bloom or for leaf development. I would plant a Japanese Maple with hakone grass or gallium odoratum at the base for an abundant container combo.’

This Waterfall Japanese Maple from Plant Addicts grows slowly and would make a beautiful patio plant in a decorative pot. It’s suitable for zones 5-8 and can reach a mature height of 6-8′ with a spread of 8-10′.

3. Gaura lindheimeri A garden urn filled with Gaura lindheimeri

Credit: Alamy / Botany Vision

Ornamental trees in pots add natural architectural elegance and vertical interest to an outdoor space. However, to create a feeling of abundance, flowering plants are a summer staple, especially when you replenish pots and planters with one as floriferous and exuberant as Gaura.

‘Gaura lindheimeri is a gorgeous perennial, with long lasting summer blooms,’ says Jon. ‘It can be light pink or white, but whichever color, its elegant long stalks charged with flowers, look like a cloud of butterflies.

‘It’s great for patio containers and flower beds – and needs plenty of direct sunlight.’

This Rosy Jane Gaura from Burpee is a bi-color beauty with both pink and white flowers. It would look spectacular as a container plant in this charming garden urn from Ace Hardware or bordering a patio and will bloom until fall.

4. Annual Geraniums (Pelargonium) Potted pelargonium on outdoor dining table

Credit: Pelargonium for Europe

A reliable plant for vibrant summer color, Pelargoniums (also known as tender or annual Geraniums), are available in an array of hues to suit any number of garden design schemes. Often seen overflowing from pots, planters and hanging baskets, they’re an impactful floral to display around outdoor seating and dining spaces.

‘These tough annuals are readily available at garden centers and thrive in the intense July heat,’ says Marci Bonner, Associate Landscape Architect ar Richardson & Associates.

‘Pelargoniums bloom from spring to fall and can be added to a container garden in summer. Popular in the Mediterranean, these plants will survive with watering just once a week in summer.

‘To keep them looking good, deadhead the spent blooms every one to two weeks.’

This Solera Red Geranium from Plant Addicts will provide an intense pop of color on your patio. It could even be styled as a living table decoration whilst it’s relatively small.

5. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) A container wil Creeping Jenny spilling out around the edge

Credit: Getty Images / Grace Cary

Creeping Jenny is another tough yet beautiful plant that Marci likes to use to refresh summer containers. This mat-forming perennial looks particularly impactful when layered as a “spiller” with its verdant foliage cascading over planters, hanging baskets or tall garden urns.

‘Creeping Jenny does not bloom but the color of its foliage is beautiful and varies depending on how much sun or shade it receives,’ says Marci. ‘It becomes more yellow in the sun and more chartreuse in shade.

‘Although, it can survive the summer heat, this plant likes evenly moist soil and should not dry out. Keep in mind also, that Creeping Jenny is a vigorous perennial that can become invasive in open ground so confine it to containers.’

This aptly named Goldilocks Creeping Jenny from Burpee is easy to grow and will add beautiful cascading color to your containers. Plant it with colorful florals in a light-colored container like this pale gray terracotta pot from Ace Harware for eye-catching contrast.

6. Million Bells (Calibrachoa) hanging basket filled with bright pink Million Bells

Credit: Alamy / Elena Noeva

For a burst of spectacular summer color, Million Bells, aka Calibrachoa, is hard to beat. These tough trailing annuals thrive in full sun (although not too much if you live somewhere scorching) and come in a wide range of colors from intense pinks, reds, purples and yellows to softer corals, lavender and white. Some cultivars even have pretty striped patterns on their petals.

‘Million Bells is a pretty plant that will bloom from spring to fall but unlike geraniums, they do not require deadheading,’ says Marci. ‘They prefer a little afternoon shade during the intense heat of midsummer.

‘In July, I particularly like using a mix of bold red Geraniums with white Million Bells and chartreuse Creeping Jenny to provide a patriotic look for Independence Day.

‘This combination of plants beautifully uses the classic “thriller, filler, spiller” gardening method to create lush, cascading, and colorful displays.’

This Cherry Blossom Calibrachoa from Burpee has a profusion of striking white flowers with a cherry pink centre.

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These are the plants designers reach for in July when they want to create a luxuriously, layered look with instant impact.

Whether you’re refreshing your pots, introducing some structural shade or refining your summer garden design, take inspiration from their selection, and you can do the same.

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