Best Summer Flowering Plants for Long-Lasting Color

Summer is the time when your garden should shine. Long days, full sun, and warm temperatures set the stage for explosive color, and choosing the right flowering plants makes all the difference. Whether you're designing a new landscape, refreshing garden beds, or filling containers on your porch, selecting long-blooming, sun-loving plants ensures your yard stays vibrant throughout the season.

At Maple Leaf Farms, we grow and supply thousands of cultivars suited for summer performance, including annuals, perennials, flowering shrubs, and ornamental trees. Our goal with this guide is to help you pick the best summer flowering plants and maintain them for strong, healthy blooms all the way through fall.

Let’s break down the top choices by plant type, care requirements, and performance, so your landscape thrives from June through September and beyond.

Stay tuned for the next section: Top Summer Perennials for Color and Performance.

Top Summer Perennials for Color and Performance

When it comes to low-maintenance, long-blooming color, perennials are the backbone of any great summer garden. These plants come back year after year, and many varieties are specifically bred to thrive in the summer heat with extended bloom cycles. If you're gardening in New Jersey or the surrounding Northeast, these tried-and-true perennials are perfect for both residential and commercial landscapes.

🌸 Echinacea (Coneflower)

Coneflowers are one of the most reliable summer perennials you can grow. Available in shades of purple, pink, white, and orange, they’re drought-tolerant, attract pollinators, and bloom from early summer through early fall.

• Bloom period: June to September

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Soil: Well-drained

• Pro tip: Deadheading promotes reblooming and keeps the plant tidy.
  

🌼 Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)

A classic in sunny gardens, Black-eyed Susans add bold golden-yellow color from mid-summer into fall. These sturdy plants perform in poor soils, resist deer, and spread naturally.

• Bloom period: July to October

• Sun needs: Full sun to part shade

• Soil: Average, dry to medium

• Pro tip: Plant in mass for a dramatic late-season display.
  

🔵 Salvia (Meadow Sage)

Salvia is a favorite for its spikes of violet, blue, or pink blooms, compact growth, and ability to attract bees and butterflies. Repeat blooming is easy with light trimming.

• Bloom period: Late spring to fall with deadheading

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Soil: Well-drained

• Pro tip: Use a slow-release bloom fertilizer after the first flush fades.
  

🌿 Coreopsis (Tickseed)

Coreopsis thrives in tough conditions and offers an explosion of yellow, gold, or pink flowers. These perennials are excellent for borders and bloom nearly all summer.

• Bloom period: June through September

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Soil: Sandy, well-drained

• Pro tip: Shear back mid-season to encourage a strong second bloom.
  

🍑 Daylilies (Hemerocallis)

With hundreds of cultivars, Daylilies are famous for their reliability and variety. Though each bloom lasts just one day, each plant produces dozens to hundreds over the season.

• Bloom period: Late spring through mid to late summer

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Soil: Tolerant, thrives in well-drained soil

• Pro tip: Go for reblooming varieties like 'Stella de Oro' for season-long color.
  

These perennials aren’t just beautiful—they’re also workhorses in the landscape, offering months of color with minimal effort when paired with good soil and a little maintenance.

Best Flowering Shrubs for Continuous Summer Color

While perennials fill the lower layers of your landscape, flowering shrubs bring height, structure, and season-long impact. These are your big hitters—many are long-blooming, low-maintenance, and easy to shape—perfect for foundation plantings, borders, and mixed beds.

Below are some of the most dependable summer-flowering shrubs for New Jersey gardens and beyond.

💧 Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are summer royalty. Depending on the type, they bloom from early summer into fall, with massive globe-shaped or cone-like clusters in blue, white, pink, and lime.

• Varieties to try: Endless Summer®, Limelight, Little Lime, Annabelle

• Sun needs: Part sun to full sun (depends on variety)

• Bloom period: June through September

• Pro tip: Use aluminum sulfate to enhance blue blooms or lime for pink.
  

🌺 Knock Out Roses

A landscape staple, Knock Out® Roses bloom continuously all summer with minimal care. They’re self-cleaning, disease-resistant, and great for mass plantings.

• Colors: Red, pink, yellow, white

• Bloom period: Late spring to first frost

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Pro tip: Fertilize with a slow-release rose food in early summer to maximize blooms.
  

🦋 Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

Known as the “pollinator magnet,” Butterfly Bush sends up large, fragrant spikes of purple, pink, or white flowers from midsummer through fall.

• Height: 4–6 feet, with dwarf options available

• Bloom period: July to October

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Pro tip: Cut back by ⅓ after the first flush to encourage strong reblooming.
  

🌸 Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

A tall, upright shrub that blooms heavily in late summer, Rose of Sharon features large, tropical-looking flowers in white, purple, blue, and pink.

• Great for: Privacy borders and vertical interest

• Bloom period: July through September

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Pro tip: Choose sterile varieties like ‘Sugar Tip’ or ‘Azurri Blue Satin’ to avoid reseeding.
  

🔥 Crape Myrtle (Shrub Form)

Shrub-form Crape Myrtles are gaining popularity in the Northeast for their heat tolerance and long-lasting flower clusters.

• Colors: White, pink, red, lavender

• Bloom period: Mid-summer through fall

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Pro tip: Needs hot summers to perform best, plant in south-facing areas.
  

These shrubs aren’t just pretty — they’re powerful color anchors in any summer landscape. With the right care, they’ll reward you with bold blooms and minimal fuss year after year.

Annuals That Deliver Big Color – Some of the Best Flowering Plants for Summer Gardens

Annuals might only last a single season, but their flower power is unmatched. These plants bloom hard and fast, giving you months of vibrant color with the right care. They're ideal for containers, hanging baskets, borders, or anywhere you want instant visual impact.

If you're looking for some of the best flowering plants for summer, these annuals should be at the top of your list.

🌈 Petunias

Petunias are classic summer performers, known for their non-stop color and versatility. Available in trailing, mound-forming, or upright forms.

• Colors: Virtually every shade imaginable

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Bloom period: May through frost

• Pro tip: Deadhead regularly or use self-cleaning varieties like Wave® Petunias for less maintenance.
  

💫 Calibrachoa (Million Bells)

Often confused with mini petunias, Calibrachoa trails beautifully and offers hundreds of tiny blooms all summer.

• Great for: Hanging baskets and container spillers

• Sun needs: Full to part sun

• Bloom period: Late spring to frost

• Pro tip: Use liquid fertilizer every 1–2 weeks to keep it blooming strong.
  

🔥 Lantana

A heat-loving, drought-tolerant annual with small, multicolor flower clusters. Lantana attracts butterflies and thrives in hot, dry areas.

• Colors: Yellow, orange, pink, red combos

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Bloom period: June to frost

• Pro tip: Avoid overwatering — these love it dry and hot.
  

🌼 Zinnias

Zinnias are bold, tall-blooming annuals that work great in cutting gardens and butterfly habitats.

• Bloom period: June through fall

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Pro tip: Space them well to prevent mildew, and cut often to encourage more flowers.
  

🌻 Marigolds

Great for garden borders and pest control, Marigolds are easy to grow, tough, and reliable.

• Colors: Bright yellow, gold, and orange

• Sun needs: Full sun

• Bloom period: Late spring to frost

• Pro tip: Tagetes varieties have stronger blooms, while French marigolds are more compact.
  

Annuals are the workhorses of seasonal color, and when paired with perennials and shrubs, they can fill in gaps and bring instant life to your landscape.

Summer Flowering Trees That Add Height and Drama to the Landscape

While shrubs and perennials create a strong foundation, flowering trees provide vertical interest, shade, and big seasonal impact. If you want to bring structure, color, and long-term value to your landscape, adding a summer-blooming tree is a smart move.

Here are some of the top summer flowering trees that thrive in Northeast climates like New Jersey and bring bold beauty to your property:

🌸 Crape Myrtle (Tree Form)

This southern favorite is now available in cold-hardy cultivars that work well in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Crape Myrtle trees explode with blooms from mid-summer into fall, offering long-lasting color.

• Height: Varies by variety, 10–20+ ft

• Colors: Pink, white, red, lavender

• Bloom period: July to September

• Pro tip: Plant in full sun and well-drained soil; prune in late winter to shape.
  

🌿 Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)

Known for its giant white flowers and glossy evergreen leaves, the Southern Magnolia adds elegance and fragrance. Blooms appear in late spring and continue sporadically through summer.

• Height: 20–40 ft

• Bloom period: May to July, with some reblooming

• Pro tip: Choose cold-hardy cultivars like 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' for NJ climates.
  

🌳 Japanese Tree Lilac (Syringa reticulata)

A small ornamental tree that blooms in early summer, just after spring-flowering trees fade. It has large, creamy-white flower panicles and a mild fragrance.

• Height: 20–30 ft

• Bloom period: June

• Pro tip: Low-maintenance and urban-tolerant — great near patios or walkways.
  

🌾 Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

With lemon-scented flowers and attractive foliage, this native tree adds light, airy texture to moist or shady landscapes.

• Height: 10–20 ft

• Bloom period: Late May through July

• Pro tip: Performs well in wet areas where other flowering trees may struggle.
  

Summer flowering trees are a great way to elevate your landscape design, provide focal points, and support pollinators. They also blend beautifully with shrubs and perennials for a layered, professional look.

Fertilizers & Bloom Boosters – How to Maximize Flowering in Summer Gardens

Even the best flowering plants can underperform without the right nutrition. Whether you're working with perennials, annuals, shrubs, or trees, proper fertilization plays a critical role in boosting blooms, improving plant health, and extending flowering time.

In the heat of summer, plants are in full production mode—feeding them well ensures you get the vibrancy, color, and longevity you're expecting.

🌼 The Basics of Feeding for Flowers

Look for fertilizers higher in phosphorus (the middle number) to support flower production. Avoid overloading on nitrogen, which boosts foliage at the expense of blooms.

Common blends like 10-30-20, 10-10-10, or 5-10-5 are excellent for flowering plants, especially during peak growing months.

🔍 Top Products We Recommend In-Store

For Annuals (Petunias, Calibrachoa, Lantana, etc.):

Annuals are heavy feeders and benefit from regular, balanced nutrition.

• Liquid Options:

  • Miracle-Gro Bloom Booster

• Granular Options:

  • Osmocote Smart-Release Flower & Vegetable

  • Espoma Flower-Tone (organic, long-lasting)

🛒 All available at Maple Leaf Farms

For Perennials & Flowering Shrubs (Hydrangeas, Coneflowers, Roses):

These need consistent feeding without overdoing it.

• Espoma Flower-Tone – Ideal for most summer perennials

• Espoma Rose-Tone – Perfect for Knock Out Roses and shrub roses

• Osmocote Smart-Release – Excellent for mixed beds and borders

• Espoma Bone Meal – Organic source of phosphorus for root and flower support

🛒 These organic and slow-release fertilizers keep plants steady through the season.

For Flowering Trees (Crape Myrtle, Magnolia, Tree Lilac):

Flowering trees don’t need heavy feeding—just steady, balanced nutrients.

• General Recommendation: 10-10-10 or 5-10-5 applied once in spring and again in early summer

• Espoma Tree-Tone – Organic option to encourage balanced growth and flowering

• Osmocote – Easy, set-it-and-forget-it solution for containers or small landscape trees
  

💡 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Fertilizer

• Always water before and after applying granular fertilizer to avoid root burn

• Feed in the morning or evening to reduce heat stress

• For container plants, feed more frequently — nutrients wash out faster

• Don’t forget to deadhead spent flowers — this redirects energy to new blooms

• Mulch around root zones to conserve moisture and regulate soil temps
  

When paired with proper watering and sunlight, the right fertilizers help plants not only survive summer—but thrive in it. At Maple Leaf Farms, we stock everything you need to keep your garden full of color and life.

Tips for Maximum Bloom & Plant Health in Summer

Even with the best flowering plants and quality fertilizers, getting the most out of your landscape comes down to daily care habits and seasonal awareness. Summer can be intense — high heat, heavy storms, dry spells — and your plants rely on you to help them thrive through it all.

Here are practical, proven tips to keep your garden blooming strong and looking its best all season long:

💧 Water Deep, Not Often

Too many gardeners water too often, but not deep enough. This leads to shallow roots and stressed plants.

• Water deeply 2–3 times per week, especially in full sun

• Use drip hoses or slow soak methods for trees and shrubs

• Morning is the best time — evening watering can promote disease
  

✂️ Deadhead and Prune Lightly

Removing spent blooms encourages plants to keep producing more.

• Annuals: Pinch off old flowers weekly (especially petunias, calibrachoa, and marigolds)

• Perennials: Deadhead Coneflower, Salvia, and Coreopsis mid-season to trigger rebloom

• Shrubs: Light pruning of Knock Out Roses and Butterfly Bush can stimulate new growth
  

🌿 Mulch the Right Way

Mulching not only looks clean — it also keeps soil moist and cool.

• Apply 2–3 inches of mulch around the base of shrubs, trees, and perennials

• Keep mulch 2–3 inches away from the trunk or stem to avoid rot

• Use natural hardwood mulch, cedar, or pine bark — avoid dyed mulch touching roots
  

🌤️ Watch the Sun & Wind

High heat and dry wind can wreak havoc on blooms.

• If plants look scorched, provide temporary afternoon shade with umbrellas or shade cloth

• Wind-sensitive flowers like hydrangeas or lilies may need extra protection or staking
  

🌱 Support Root and Soil Health

Healthy roots = healthy blooms.

• Add Espoma Bone Meal or compost when planting to boost root strength

• Avoid compacting soil by walking too close to planted beds

• Refresh beds in mid-summer with composted topdressings if plants look tired
  

🦟 Watch for Pests and Fungal Pressure

Mid-summer is prime time for powdery mildew, aphids, and beetles.

• Treat early with natural or low-impact methods — such as neem oil or insecticidal soap. For those committed to strict organic or no-spray practices, a strong stream of water to flush pests like aphids can be just as effective when done regularly. No chemicals, no residue — just smart, proactive care.

• Remove diseased foliage before it spreads

• Space plants properly for airflow — crowded beds trap humidity
  

Consistency in these small habits will dramatically extend your bloom time, reduce stress on plants, and keep your garden looking fresh even in the hottest months. Think of it as a tune-up for your landscape.

Conclusion – Make This Your Most Colorful Summer Yet

Creating a vibrant, long-lasting summer garden doesn’t have to be complicated — it just takes the right plants, proper care, and a little guidance. Whether you're building a full landscape from scratch or just refreshing your favorite beds and borders, choosing summer flowering plants that are proven to thrive will give you reliable beauty all season.

From bold perennials and blooming shrubs to show-stopping trees and colorful annuals, the combinations are endless. Add in the right fertilizer, regular maintenance, and smart watering, and you’ll be rewarded with a landscape that performs through heat, drought, and everything summer throws your way.

At Maple Leaf Farms, we’re here to help you every step of the way:✅ One of the largest garden centers in the USA✅ Over 300 acres of nursery stock grown on-site✅ Expert staff and in-house landscape design services✅ HUGE selection of plants, fertilizers, garden decor, and more

Whether you're just getting started or putting on the finishing touches — stop by and let us help you make the right choices for your yard.

📍 Visit us at:

Maple Leaf Farms - 525 US. 9 South Manalapan, NJ 📞 732-851-4400

Let’s grow something beautiful — together.