Gardening and summer vacations can feel like an impossible combination. After all, plants and flowers need to be watered, pruned, and cared for, especially during the hottest months, when high temperatures can cause flowers to wilt.
The good news is that you can still enjoy a beautiful garden all summer long, even if you’re traveling. You just need to know what to plant. Here, we asked experts to share the flowers that will keep blooming while you’re away.
Meet Our Expert
April Gast, plant expert and account manager at Bell Nursery
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Begonias
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According to April Gast, plant expert and account manager at Bell Nursery, begonias are a great choice if you’re planning a summer vacation. Just keep in mind that if you’re going away more than once, you might want to plant them in the ground because containers will dry out faster.
If possible, it’s also a smart move to plant them in partial shade because they’ll need less water than they would in full sun. That said, if you have an automatic watering system, you should be good to go with these beautiful blooms.
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Echinacea
Echinacea, also known as coneflowers, is one of Gast’s top picks for a low-maintenance summer garden. She says it’s a fantastic choice for the warmer months. These flowers don’t need regular watering—just deep watering during dry spells. They also need at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day, making them perfect for even the hottest months.
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Best of all, they’re relatively low-maintenance once established, making them an excellent choice for gardeners who travel.
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Roses
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Roses are another one of Gast’s favorite flowers. Whether they’re growing in your garden or you’re cutting them for a bouquet to enjoy indoors, it’s hard to go wrong with roses.
Ideal for the summer, they need six to eight hours of direct sunlight a day. Like echinacea, roses need deep watering but not frequent watering, so go ahead and book that extra day or two at your favorite hotel. Your roses will still be blooming when you get back.
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Lavender
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There are so many advantages to growing lavender. The purple color is gorgeous, and it has a beautiful scent. Courtney Sixx, co-founder of Bouquet Box, shares that these are some of her favorite flowers to grow.
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“Whether you’re on vacation, tired, or busy, these flowers require little more than sun and thinning every two to three years,” Sixx says.
Best of all, the scent has a calming effect. When you return from your vacation, pick a few stems and put them in a vase next to your bed. Their soothing fragrance may even help lull you to sleep.
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Daylilies
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Daylilies are so pretty and come in a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, red, and pink. Sixx suggests growing these—or really any perennial—if you’re often away or short on time, especially during the warmer months
“Gardening becomes a ‘sport’ when summer is upon us,” she says. “With so many events happening, you spend less time with perennials because they’re already there. Instant beauty. You’ll no longer need to finish or figure out what to plant there.”
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Because they come back year after year, daylilies are a simple way to enjoy reliable color without spending every weekend working in your garden.
Read the original article on Real Simple
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