Perennial Hibiscus. COURTESY
No doubt you've heard that a well-designed garden should include plants prized for their striking foliage, as well as some that produce fall color or berries, and others that provide good structure in winter. But let’s face it: most of us want flowers. Lots of them. All the time.
That's where the summer flowering plants below come in. They'll churn out blooms for weeks on end this summer. In most cases, you can harvest armloads to fill vases or give away, and still have plenty left to enjoy in your garden beds long past Labor Day.
Perennial Hibiscus (H. moscheutos)
Also known as rose-mallow and swamp hibiscus, this garden standout was bred from wildflowers native to the East and South. Huge red, pink or white flowers can be as much as a foot across on stems that range from 2 to 8 feet high, depending on the variety. Flowers bloom from late spring until frost. Stems die back to the ground each winter. Requires full sun; regular to abundant water. Grows as a perennial in zones 5-10.
Purple Wave Petunia (Petunia F1 'Wave Purple')
Before 1995, when this hybrid was named an All-America Selection winner, gardeners thought of petunias as upright plants. Purple Wave petunias (and later Wave introductions in pinks and lilac) are more like vines—perfect for growing in hanging pots, along retaining walls or even as a ground cover. Requires full sun; regular water. Grows as an annual in all zones.
Profusion Zinnias (Z. hybrida)
Grow zinnias if you want to be able to cut armloads of flowers for bouquets and still have a bright band of color alongside a path or a lawn. All zinnias thrive in hot weather, but Profusion zinnias keep on blooming well into fall, whatever the weather. Profusion White, Orange and Cherry, which have daisy-like flowers, each have won multiple garden awards. If you want fluffy pom-poms, look for double Profusion varieties in cherry, gold, white and “fire,” an orange-red. Requires full sun; regular water. Grows as an annual in all zones.
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