Design a Summer-Long Flower Garden: Plant List by Bloom Season

Snapdragons showcase summer's ebullience.

Photo by Maryeoriginals via Wikimedia Commons

When planning a garden design, think about keeping flowers blooming all summer. Here's a plant list and advice from The Old Farmer's Almanac.

The ideal summer flower garden develops in waves, reaches crescendos, and depends on chronological succession.

What combinations keep your garden colorful all summer? Suggestions:

Early Summer

• Bleeding hearts
• Delphinium
• Early roses (Rosa hugonis; damask, eglantine, gallica)
• Iris magnifica
• Oriental poppy
• Peony

Midsummer

• Astilbes
• Bee balm
• Daylilies (try 'Stella de Oro')
• Early-blooming white phlox
• Hollyhock
• Hollyhock mallow
• Regal lily and Asian hybrids ('Enchantment')
• Snakeroot

Late Summer

• Asters
• Fall-blooming anemones
• Globe thistle
• Harrington's pink aster
• Japanese iris
• Late lilies and daylilies
• Monkshood
• Pink and white phlox
• Tiger lily
• White boltonia

• Choose for color, beauty, fragrance—AND bloom season.
• Avoid clustering midsummer bloomers; distribute groups throughout garden. Draws eyes through whole area, creating greater color expanse.

Source: The Old Farmer's Almanac Book of Garden Wisdom. Originally 2009, updated.