Colorful Summer Gardens
By mid-summer, the perennial border hits its peak. Sun-loving varieties dominate, some early spring bloomers are still hanging on, and the first signs of the late-season perennials are just beginning to show.
The Mid-Season Cast
Daisies are the classic summer bloomer, producing flowers in abundance — deadhead spent stems to encourage another flush. Hollyhock and delphinium bring old-fashioned height and color to a full-sun cottage garden, while daylily offers an abundance of short-lived blooms right through the season. Lady's mantle and geranium work well at the front of the border, low-growing and easy.
Hydrangeas Deserve a Spot
Few shrubs work as hard for summer color as hydrangea. Most prefer part shade, rich organic soil, and morning sun with afternoon shade — flipped around, the sudden afternoon heat can leave them looking stressed. They're thirsty, especially when young, so mulch well after planting and fertilize in spring and again in late summer. Lacecap varieties show a ring of flowers around a center of florets; 'Nikko Blue' produces large pom-pom blooms; oak leaf hydrangea has oak-shaped leaves and blooms that fade from white to pink in fall; and climbing hydrangea clings to walls and fences with aerial roots.
With so many summer bloomers to pick from, make a planting list before heading to the nursery — you'll likely still find something new once you're there, but a plan keeps the trip focused.
