Summer Flowers to Brighten Up Your Home and Garden (Part 1)

Summer flowers are an excellent way to dress up your home and garden. Although spring is known for being the peak bloom time for many flowers like tulips and daffodils, summer has its own colorful flowers to show off as well! From bright flowers like sunflowers, hibiscus, and marigolds, to unique flowers such as purple coneflowers, yarrow, and gladiolus, there are many floral options to choose from when designing your summer garden. Not only are many of summer’s flowers bright and colorful, some are incredibly fragrant as well, making them perfect for decorating your home. Use gladiolus, plumeria, and lavender for your next floral bouquet to freshen up your home with nature’s potpourri.

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To give you a better idea of how to pair summer’s endless variety of colors together, we came up with these six floral color palettes to help you design your next home and garden project. We’ve also provided a list of the summer flowers included in each palette along with helpful decorating and gardening tips, so that you can learn more about each flower and choose the right flower for your home.

 32 Summer Flowers and Their Color Palettes

1. Canna – These tropical flowers are known for their bright red-orange blooms, as well as their their large purple-tinged leaves which are popularly used in floral decor. They can grow up to 10 feet tall, but smaller varieties are available that grow up to 2 feet tall. These perennial flowers bloom from midsummer to fall and thrive under full sun with moist soil. Plant canna in your garden for an exotic pop of color.
   

2. Zinnia – These daisy-like flowers are popular in floral arrangements due to their bright colors. They thrive in hot weather, making them the perfect choice for summer, and some varieties can bloom well into fall. Cut a handful of zinnias for a striking floral centerpiece, or pair their striking colors with your favorite complementary flower.
   

3. Bellflower – Bellflowers are known for their bright blue and violet colors. They are also commonly referred to as campanula. Bellflowers are named for their bell-shaped flowers and are hardy plants. They are drought-resistant and grow in zones 4-8. Their peak bloom time occurs during midsummer and can bloom again in the fall. They are available as both upright growers for cut flowers, or low-growers for gardens. Mix up your summer floral arrangement with their unique shape, or plant them in your garden for a pop of color that won’t wilt under the hot sun.
   

4. Yarrow – Known for its bright yellow flowers, this medicinal herb is drought-resistant and easy to care for. Its peak bloom time occurs during mid-summer and the plants can grow up to 3 feet tall. Their flowers give off a fragrance similar to chamomile, especially when dried. Add them to a vase of complementary flowers to give your home a natural air freshener.
   

5. Morning Glory – Morning glories are named for their blooming behavior throughout the day. The flowers bloom during the day, and then die that same night. Despite their short life cycle, the morning glory is highly adaptable to many environments including poor soil. Because of this, they can easily become a weed in areas with warmer climates. This vine produces beautiful brightly colored flowers ranging from blues and purples to whites and pinks. Plant this vine on your trellis or patio to dress up your outdoor living area for the summer.

6. Brown-Eyed Susan– These flowers have a dark brown center surrounded by yellow petals. Although not technically belonging to the daisy family, these flowers are commonly referred to as Gloriosa daisies. This annual requires full sun with well-drained soil, and their bloom time begins in late summer and ends in mid-fall.
   

7. Sunflower – Called Helianthus annuus, this classic flower is named after the Greek word “helios” meaning sun. For this reason, they are the classic summer flower. The large flower heads can reach the size of a plate, with some stalks reaching heights of 10-15 feet. Plant them in a fully sunlit area, as the flowers like to face the sun. They’re one of the easiest flowers to plant, making them a kid-friendly gardening activity. After you enjoy their incredible blooms, you can harvest the sunflower seeds and roast them as a snack. Place a single sunflower in a thin vase to make a cheerful (and easy) statement in either your living room or bedroom.
   

8. Delphinium – Delphiniums are popular for their striking true blue colors. Their tall colorful stalks are great for adding height to any summer garden. Although they are summer flowers, they don’t adapt well to dry and hot summers — they’ll do best in moist and cool environments. They also do not fare well in sudden wind or rain, which make them a challenge for many gardeners. However, their unique flowers make it worth all the work. When using cut flowers for an arrangement, put a little sugar into the water to make the delphinium last longer.
   

9. Cockscomb – Named for their bright red color that’s similar to a cock’s comb on a rooster, this unique flower is a great way to add texture to your garden. The furry flower heads can be dried as well for floral arrangements. They thrive in hotter climates, are relatively drought tolerant, and can easily be grown from seed in warmer climates. Colder climates can deter the cockscomb from flowering.
   

10. Lavender – Lavender is a fragrant herb that attracts bees and butterflies. Their light purple flowers paired with their light gray-green foliage make them a nice muted contrast against the bright colors of a summer flower garden. Harvest the flower stalks and dry them to create a natural potpourri for your home. Lavender requires full sun to thrive, and will not tolerate even partial shade.

11. Sea Holly – Resembling thistle, these silvery blue green flowers are great for adding contrast to a brightly colored flower bed in your garden or add variety to a floral arrangement. They are often dried to preserve their unique and long lasting prickly flowers. They require full sun, and grow in perennial zones 3 through 8 and need regular watering.
    

12. Globe Thistle – If you want to draw attention to your summer garden then Globe Thistles are the way to go. Part of the Echinacea family, these tall flowers are composed of tiny blue flowers that form a large spherical head. They enjoy full sun, can tolerate drier climates and grow in hardiness zones 3 to 9. Globe Thistles bloom from mid summer all the way up to early fall, and can grow up to 2 to 4 feet in height.
    

13. Globe Amaranth – Also known as Globe Flowers, these annuals bloom from midsummer to mid-fall with the blooms lasting year round in some cases. They thrive under sunny and dry climates, and their ability to attract butterflies make them an ideal choice for a drought-resistant garden. Whether they’re freshly cut or dried, the fuzzy bright purple globes will complement any summer floral arrangement.
    

14. Shrub Rose – Shrub roses refer to any rose that doesn’t fit into the main rose categories. They are known for being hardy and repeat bloomers. They are one of the easiest types of roses to care for, so if you’re a gardening beginner, plant shrub roses for blooms that will last all summer long. They are available in a wide variety of colors and their bloom styles can vary from cabbage-like to single.

15. Aster – The name is derived from the Latin word for “star,” which describes the shape of the flower head. Asters may look a lot like wildflowers, but are actually ideal for home gardens where they are highly effective at attracting bees and butterflies. They thrive during moist and cool summers, which makes it fitting that their optimal bloom time is during late summer when temperatures tend to cool down.