This month is great for July gardens. The first flush of high summer flowers has receded to be replaced by the summer stalwarts. These start to flower now until late summer. Here are ten you might want to consider adding to your garden now!
1. Echinops ‘Taplow Blue’ (Globe Thistle)
The beautiful, rounded, pale blue flowers, on tall silvery stems, on this easy-to-grow cultivar, are the perfect attractants for pollinators. Drought tolerant once established, it grows in a wide range of soils. The spherical seed heads can be left on the plant to provide seed for birds later in the season.
- Flowers from July to September
- Hardy
- Grows to 120cm tall and 90cm wide
- Well-drained soil
- Sun to part shade
- Exposed
2. Geranium ‘Patricia’ (Hardy geranium)
Hardy geraniums are a group of reliable, easy-to-grow plants, making them a great choice for the summer border. There are many different sizes of plants and flower colour types to choose from. The pretty, cerise-pink flowers on ‘Patricia’ are produced in huge numbers, rising above a spreading mound of mid-green leaves. Perfect for your July gardens.
- Flowers from June to September
- Hardy
- Grows to 75cm tall and 90cm wide
- Well-drained soil
- Full sun to very light shade
- Exposed
3. Echinacea ‘Orange Passion’ (Coneflower)
Coneflowers originated from the North American prairies where their original flower colours were mainly pinks and yellows. But recent breeding has produced some handsome, different colour flowers, as in the case of ‘Orange Passion’. The petals on this cultivar first appear coloured coral pink. However, these change to bright orange as they unfurl, with the added bonus of being scented. Cut off seed heads as soon as possible to help new flower spikes reliably appear the following year.
- Flowers from July to September
- Hardy
- Grows to 75cm tall and 50cm wide
- Well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Sheltered
4. Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldstrum’ (Black-eyed Susan)
An easy to grow, no need to stake perennial with cheerful, large, yellow flowers with attractive, raised, black centres. Ideal for the middle of the border where each plant should provide weeks of cheerful colour as well as attracting beneficial insects.
- Flowers from July to October
- Hardy
- Grows to 90cm tall and 80cm wide
- Well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Exposed
5. Lavandula x intermedia ‘Phenomenal’ (Lavender)
Lavender is a beautifully iconic, evergreen shrub, worthy of a place in anyone’s garden. Try this cultivar if you’re looking for a compact growing plant. It will reward you with a display of larger-than-average, scented, violet-blue colour flowers, held on strong stems. Cut stems back after the first flush to produce a second flush of flowers later in the summer. They’re also perfect for growing in containers or lining the edge of a path.
- Flowers from July to August
- Hardy
- Grows to 80cm tall and 50cm wide
- Well-drained, moderately fertile soil
- Sun
- Exposed
6. Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Fascination’ (Culver’s root)
If you’d like a graceful, slim, upright structure in your July gardens, then Veronicastrum is a great choice. Their tall, tapering, flower spikes are made up of tiny, bell-shaped flowers, branching out in layers like a candelabra. ‘Fascination’ produces wands of rich, lilac colour flowers which change to a paler colour as the blooms fade.
- Flowers from July to September
- Hardy
- Grows to 70cm tall and 70cm wide
- Well-drained soil that remains moist
- Sun to part shade
- Exposed
7. Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ (Hydrangea)
This cultivar has stunning, unusual, lime-green pointy top flowers which will carry on flowering right up until October. At this time, the flowers can turn deep shades of pink! Unlike most other hydrangeas, they will also grow well in full sun.
- Flowers from July to October
- Hardy
- Grows to 250cm tall and 250cm wide
- Well-drained, moisture-retentive, fertile soil
- Sun to part shade
- Exposed
8. Alstromeria ‘Indian Summer’ (Peruvian Lily)
An amazingly long flowering plant that also produces great, long-lasting cut flowers. The dark leaves accentuate the flowers and its long-flowering performance makes it a must-have choice for the July garden border. Mulch the plant base with bark chips once the plant has died down to protect it over winter.
- Flowers from July to August
- Hardy
- Grows to 75cm tall and 60cm wide
- Moderately fertile well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Sheltered
9. Hypericum ‘Magical Impression’ (St Johns Wort)
‘Magical Impression’ is a lovely, easy-to-grow shrub, covered in numerous, small, yellow flowers. These soon turn into clusters of pretty, red berries, extending the season of interest.
- Flowers from June to July
- Hardy
- Grows to 60cm tall and 75cm wide
- Will grow in most soil types
- Sun to part shade
- Exposed
10. Helenium ‘Mardi Gras’ (Sneezeweed)
These are the perfect, warmly-coloured flowers to provide swathes of mid to late-summer colour! The large, yellow, daisy flowers turn orange as they age and have the added advantage of rarely needing staking.
- Flowers from July to September
- Hardy
- Grows to 80cm tall and 50cm wide
- Well-drained soil that remains reliably moist
- Full sun
- Exposed
Make sure your June garden is looking has some welcome colour with the warming summer weather.
Find out the best veg to grow this month:
Or check out my Pinterest board for more ideas:
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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