We cannot do without summer flowering plants that can be installed in pot, planter and suspension to green terrace, balcony and window sill. Their multiple colors brighten up our living spaces and, in this category, many plants are exuberant until the first frosts. Here is a selection of 10 summer flowers to offer for generous stews even if you are a beginner gardener.
1 – Cape Marguerite (Osteospermum)
This non-hardy perennial is grown as an annual in cold climate areas. Its flowers of different colors evoke those of the Daisy, and some hybrids are even covered with flowers with very original spatulate petals. Osteospermum likes sunny, warm situations as well as moderately fertile, cool, even ordinary soils.
Easy to grow in a planter, the Cape Marguerite simply needs moderate watering during periods of drought. It blooms for a long time, May to October. To stimulate flowering, simply remove faded flowers as you go.
2 – The Pelargonium (Geranium)
It is the essential of balcony boxes, well appreciated for its very abundant flowering. from June until frost. There are many species and varieties that are classified into three large groups: Large flowered pelargonium or Florist’s geranium with fluffy leaves and large flowers, Pélargonium zonal (Zonal Geranium or Straight Geranium) with rounded leaves and semi-double, double or single flowers, and Pelargonium peltatum or Ivy geranium with small glossy leaves, spectacular flowering and drooping habit. The branches of the geranium ivy can be guided using different trellises to obtain very original shapes.
Pelargonium is a plant with long-lasting flowering in various colours, perfect for pots, planters and pots. It likes a sunny and warm situation and in any type of soil provided it is well drained. It is particularly floriferous if it receives frequent watering and receives a fertilizer for geraniums once a week throughout the flowering period.
3 – Perennial Geranium (Geranium)
He is often confused with Pelargonium also called geraniums. Perennial Geranium is easy to grow and blooms profusely from May until the end of summer, in various colors. It likes bright, sunny to semi-shaded situations depending on the variety chosen and thrives in cool, well-drained, humus-rich soil. However, to grow it in a pot, it is better to prepare a suitable substrate composed of 70% siliceous loam and 30% well-decomposed compost.
To enjoy a multitude of flowers throughout the beautiful season, it is necessary to remove the deflowered stems as you go. It needs regular watering because its substrate must always remain fresh.
4 – Dipladenia (Mandevilla sanderi)
It is also called Mandevilla. This non-hardy perennial native to South America that blooms from June to September can be grown indoors but happily spends the whole summer season outdoors as long as it can benefit from a warm and sunny location. Beware, however, of direct afternoon sun in the hottest regions. The Dipladenia is a climbing plant that likes cool, well-drained and rich soils. It is capable of reaching 180 to 200 cm in height.
You can install stakes in the tray to allow its stems to wrap around it or let it climb along the railing. But it is also quite possible to leave it free of any support if you want its stems to fall down to form a breathtaking cascade of flowers.
In pots, the Dipladénia needs one watering per week, or even a little more frequently in times of drought and/or high heat. Adding liquid fertilizer for flowering plants every fortnight stimulates flowering. Not hardy, it must be placed in a cold greenhouse before the first frosts until the following spring.
5 – Cockscomb Amaranth (Celosia argentea lim. crystal)
This annual plant is adorned with splendid wavy inflorescences, in the shape of a crest (hence its name), with a velvety appearance, and which come in different colors, from deep purple to yellow, passing through violet or even pink… It likes hot and sunny situations as well as soils rich in organic matter and well drained. It blooms profusely from June to October.
Copious watering is essential in the middle of summer when it is hot. Grown in a pot, the Cockscomb Amaranth needs, approximately every three weeks, a supply of liquid fertilizer for flowering plants to be diluted in the irrigation water.
6 – The California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
We do not always think of cultivating the California poppy in pots, even though this method of cultivation suits it just as well as the open ground. This annual plant, about forty centimeters high, forms a large tuft of very jagged leaves from which emerge from June to September a multitude of pleated flowers, single or double, pinkish white, yellow, fiery red, a pretty pastel mauve or even orange-yellow and purple lilac with a white heart.
The Eschscholzia tolerates the maritime climate without flinching. This poppy likes to be installed in any exposure and appreciates sandy soils because they are light. However, it tolerates poor soils, even limestone. Easy to cultivate, it does not need great care and can even be sown spontaneously in a stony path. After flowering, do not hesitate to use it as a green manure.
7 – Lobelia (Lobelia)
Depending on the species, Lobelia can be grown as a perennial or annual and, as is the case with Lobelia erinusprovide long-lasting flowering namely from June until the end of October provided that you avoid exposing it to the scorching sun. The Lobelia likes any type of exposure except full sun. It likes a fairly cool, well-drained soil and is satisfied with ordinary soil.
It has few requirements except moderate watering to keep the soil cool. More or less hardy, it needs its stump to be protected in winter with mulch. It is also possible to overwinter the potted Lobelia in a bright, frost-free room until April.
8 – The Petunia (Petunia x hybrida)
This perennial plant grown as an annual is one of the queens of garden culture because it blooms spectacularly from month to month. from May until the end of October. The Petunia is covered with flowers available in an amazing palette of colors, unicolored or variegated with the most beautiful effect, and in the shape of a funnel. The hanging varieties are the stars of the suspensions.
Petunias like sunny to lightly shaded, wind-protected situations. They should be planted in a cool to moderately dry, well-drained and rich substrate. These summer flowering plants need regular watering during the flowering period and weekly fertilizing with liquid fertilizer.
9 – Impatience (Impatiens)
Another must-have for window boxes, Impatience is a non-hardy perennial grown as an annual that covers itself with flowers. July until frost. It likes semi-shaded to shady situations only because it does not tolerate direct sun, except for some fairly new varieties on the market. Its soil must be rich, well-drained, moderately moist (therefore fresh).
We do not abuse fertilizers which only develop the foliage to the detriment of flowering.
10 – Marigold
Perfect for keeping pests away, the marigold is to be installed on window sills or can also be placed in window boxes along the railing of a terrace or balcony. From July until October, this hardy plant is adorned with multiple flowers, coming in a rich palette of mahogany, brown, orange red. It likes to be installed in a warm and sunny position, but undemanding, it tolerates partial shade perfectly. The marigold appreciates any soil provided that the soil is well drained.
We enjoy continuous flowering throughout the summer and even more so when we take care to remove faded flowers as we go. As for the waterings, they must make it possible to keep the substrate fresh, nothing more.
Potted flowers and planters: do not plant too early
This is THE advice to follow to successfully grow summer flowers in pots every time. It is better that they do not have to suffer the spring frosts, which are sometimes severe. Every gardener should plan your plantations according to the local climate. In the mildest regions you can start planting in a planter from April 15whereas north of the Loire or in mountainous areas, it is wiser to wait until May 15. Urban gardens, when they are very sheltered, are a little less exposed to late frosts than those located in the countryside. You also have to take this into account…
All the summer flowers presented above form between them belles compositions and combine nicely with manyother summer-flowering species such as Heliotrope, Sage, Marigold or even Mexican Ageratum and Gaura… The gardener therefore has no limits for green balcony and terrace throughout the summer season.