Summer greets us with colorful blooms

Summer brings the widest variety of flowers of any season. Blooming begins with the daffodils and tulips in the spring; in June the roses open up; and from the tiny ground-hugging variety of violets to the towering lilies and hollyhocks, color continues to appear amongst the shades of green background throughout the summer season. Plus during the summer, you get the added pleasure of gracing your table with freshly cut flowers—every time putting smiles on the company who visit.

Like most blooming plants, the flowers of summer are the result of years of cross-pollination of wildflowers. The common white or red alba rose that still grows wild along highways and in fields all over the Northern Hemisphere, with breeding, has become the aristocratic hybrid tea rose. Because of this cross-pollination and breeding, flowers in our garden today have much larger blooms and bloom for longer periods than their predecessors. Some tropical annuals growing in temperate climates have shown up in northern areas as perennials.

In areas that normally freeze during winter, blooming flowers are such a welcoming contrast shining like stars in the summer garden. Because there are more of them in a greater variety than flowers for spring or fall, it's easier to assemble a collection that is right for your specific growing zone and your particular garden design. Shallow-rooted summer annuals can be planted in the spaces left after the spring bulbs die back. The summer perennials act as the dependable, low-maintenance anchors in your garden. Some summer flowers work well right beside your growing vegetables. For example, cosmos, marigolds, and sunflowers make terrific vegetable garden companions.

The flowers that complete their growth cycle in one season are called annuals. Annuals like salvia, ageratum and zinnias spring from seeds in the first warm days of late winter, develop dense root systems during the spring and then flower all summer long. If the plant is deadheaded as the blooms die, it will continue blooming until it produces seed or is killed by the first freeze. Several annuals will self-seed and are classified as tender perennials. For example, the drought-resistant black-eyed Susan will often be seen growing in the same spot for years.

Perennials are the plants that bloom again and again, year after year. The trick is planning the planting of them in places where their period of bloom will be replaced with another blooming in another place. So there will be a subtle succession of bloom in your garden making a perennial plant blooming always. Summer-flowering bulbs like alliums, true lilies, gladiolus, dahlias and cannas will continually bloom all summer long and appear again every summer. Some bulbs are tender and must be lifted each fall, stored in a cool place, and replanted in the spring. Some perennials like hostas, purple coneflowers and daylilies will grow spreading out and can be easily divided almost anytime during the gardening year to form dozens of new plants, sometimes within only a few years.

When planning a garden, start with summer blooming plants. Choose perennials as accents and annuals for the continuity of bloom. Spend careful time choosing your perennials that will bloom in profusion and succession. The hosta or daylily varieties will provide a succession of bloom, but they will need accent plants to add interest to the garden. Annuals, because they are annuals, can be changed each season with a different variety or color to spice things up. Change is considered good here.

Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking attractive and healthy.