Perennial Blossoms Persisting Through Summer's Span

Summer-Blooming Annual Flowers for Bedding, Borders, and Containers

Garden enthusiasts will find a variety of annual flowers that bloom all summer and are suitable for bedding, filling gaps in borders, and container gardens. These flowers offer long bloom times, heat tolerance, and versatility for use in multiple garden settings.

Annual Vinca (Catharanthus roseus) is a compact, sun-loving, heat-tolerant plant with phlox-like flowers in colors like pale pink, red, hot pink, and white. It blooms all summer without the need for deadheading and thrives in full sun to part shade, making it ideal for bedding and containers.

Wax Begonias (Begonia semperflorens-cultorum) are easy to grow with loose clusters of white, red, or pink flowers. They do not require deadheading or cutting back and can be grown in sun or shade with well-draining soil. Their compactness makes them great for containers and borders.

Sweet Alyssum is fast-growing and fragrant, popular for borders and containers. It blooms quickly after sowing and can rebloom if cut back in heat, although it prefers cooler temperatures.

Salvias (annual varieties such as Salvia splendens and Salvia farinacea) have colorful, nectar-rich flowers loved by pollinators and bloom from summer through fall with some deadheading. They are good for bedding and container gardens and provide vertical interest in borders.

Nasturtiums are prolific warm-weather bloomers with edible flowers, good for beds, fences, and containers due to their sprawling habit. They tolerate full sun and well-drained soil.

Globe Amaranth produces long-lasting, round-shaped blooms in bold colors that stand up well to late-summer heat, suitable for garden beds and dried flower arrangements.

These choices offer continuous summer color, easy care, and adaptability to multiple garden uses.

| Annual Flower | Bloom Time | Usage | Growing Conditions | Maintenance Notes | |-----------------------|-------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| | Annual Vinca | All summer | Bedding, containers | Sun to part shade, moist well-drained soil | No deadheading needed | | Wax Begonias | All summer | Bedding, containers, borders | Sun or shade, well-drained soil | No deadheading needed | | Sweet Alyssum | Summer | Borders, containers | Cooler temps preferred, sun | Can rebloom after cutting back | | Salvia (annual types) | Summer to fall | Bedding, borders, containers | Full sun, well-drained soil | Deadhead to prolong bloom | | Nasturtiums | Warm weather | Bedding, containers, fences | Full sun, moderately fertile soil | Sprawling habit, easy to grow | | Globe Amaranth | Late summer | Borders, bedding, dried flowers| Full sun, rich soil | Deadhead to maintain neat appearance |

Other Notable Annual Flowers

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are annual flowers with a flower face resembling a snarling dragon, available in various colors.
Zinnias are annual flowers with saturated jewel tones that bloom from spring through fall. "Benary's Giant" zinnias are excellent for cutting gardens.
Calibrachoa is a favorite of hummingbirds and produces blooms from spring through fall in full sun. They are compact, mounded plants that produce little seed and are vegetatively propagated.
Lantana is prized for its continuous blooms in shades of pink, orange, white, and yellow and combinations thereof, and can grow into a small woody shrub in USDA zones 7-11, and even survive a frost. However, beware that the flowers give way to clusters of black berries which are toxic.
Begonias, particularly tuberous begonias, are popular and thrive in shade, requiring a bit of dappled light in the morning or late afternoon, and won't survive the midday sun.
Impatiens are popular annuals for shade, producing five-petal blooms perched atop succulent-like stems with scalloped foliage. They require moist, rich soil in part to full shade and bloom from spring until fall.
Nasturtiums are resilient plants that love full sun.
Calibrachoa do not suffer during hot, humid months as petunias do.