Perennial flowers that bloom all summer long are among the most loved plants in any garden, offering an uninterrupted display of color and life from the warm beginnings of June straight through to the cooling days of early fall. Their extended blooming period sets them apart from flowers that peak briefly and then fade, providing a consistent visual anchor that holds a garden together across the entire season. For gardeners who want beauty without constant replanting, these long-blooming perennials are an invaluable asset.
What makes these plants capable of such sustained flowering is often a combination of genetics and responsive growth habits. Many of them bloom in flushes, meaning they produce a wave of flowers, take a brief pause, and then bloom again — especially when spent flowers are regularly removed through deadheading. This cycle of renewal keeps the garden looking fresh and vibrant month after month, rewarding attentive gardeners with an almost continuous parade of blooms throughout the warmest part of the year.
Beyond their visual appeal, all-summer bloomers serve as a steady and reliable resource for pollinators throughout the entire season. Bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects can depend on these plants for a consistent supply of nectar and pollen from early summer through fall. This long-term availability is particularly important for supporting pollinator populations that require continuous foraging opportunities, making these perennials not just beautiful additions to the garden but genuinely meaningful contributions to the local ecosystem.
In terms of care, most summer-long blooming perennials strike an ideal balance between performance and practicality. They generally thrive in well-drained soil with adequate sunlight and become increasingly drought-tolerant as their root systems mature. With routine deadheading, occasional fertilizing, and periodic division to maintain vigor, these plants deliver exceptional value season after season, building in beauty and reliability with each passing year.
Also Read: Perennial Flowers that Bloom In July and August
Best Summer Blooming Perennials
Daylily
Daylilies are among the most beloved and reliable summer perennials, offering trumpet-shaped blooms in an almost limitless range of colors including yellow, orange, red, pink, burgundy, and cream. Despite each individual flower lasting only a single day, a well-established clump carries so many buds that the display stretches across the entire summer. They are drought-tolerant, adaptable to a wide range of soils, and require almost no maintenance once established in a sunny spot.
Coneflower (Echinacea)
Coneflowers are a cornerstone of the summer perennial garden, producing their distinctive raised centers surrounded by swept-back petals in shades of pink, purple, white, orange, and yellow from early summer all the way through to autumn. They are tough, drought-tolerant, and thrive in full sun with average to poor soils, rewarding neglect more generously than excessive attention. Bees, butterflies, and goldfinches all depend on them heavily throughout the season, making them one of the most ecologically valuable perennials a gardener can plant.
Black-Eyed Susan
Black-eyed Susans are cheerful, golden-yellow daisy-like flowers with dark brown centers that bring a warm, sunlit glow to borders and meadow gardens from early summer right into autumn. They are remarkably easy to grow, tolerating heat, drought, and poor soils without complaint, and they self-seed gently to gradually fill in an area over time. Their long, sturdy stems make them excellent cut flowers, and they pair beautifully with purple coneflowers, grasses, and salvias in naturalistic plantings.
Lavender
Lavender is one of the world’s most cherished perennials, valued equally for its fragrant purple flower spikes and its beautiful silver-grey aromatic foliage. It blooms from early summer onward and, with deadheading or a light trim after the first flush, many varieties will produce a second wave of flowers later in the season. It demands full sun and excellent drainage but rewards those conditions with a long, spectacular, and wonderfully scented display that bees and butterflies find irresistible.
Salvia (Perennial Salvia)
Perennial salvias are reliable, sun-loving workhorses that produce dense, upright spikes of flowers in rich shades of blue, purple, pink, red, and white from early summer onward. Many varieties rebloom enthusiastically when cut back after the first flush, providing color and interest throughout the entire growing season. They are drought-tolerant once established, highly attractive to pollinators, and work beautifully in formal borders, cottage gardens, and naturalistic plantings alike.
Catmint
Catmint is a soft, billowing perennial that covers itself in lavender-blue flowers on arching stems throughout the summer months, and when cut back hard after the first main flush it comes roaring back with a generous second display. Its aromatic grey-green foliage releases a pleasant minty fragrance when brushed, and it works beautifully as an edging plant along paths and the fronts of borders. Bees are particularly devoted to it, visiting the flowers from morning until evening throughout the season.
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
Blanket flowers are bold, exuberant perennials that produce a near-constant parade of daisy-like blooms in vivid combinations of red, orange, and yellow throughout the entire summer season. They are exceptionally heat and drought tolerant, thriving in hot, sunny spots where many other perennials would struggle, and they rarely need deadheading to keep blooming. Their vibrant, fire-colored flowers add an energetic warmth to borders and attract butterflies and small birds throughout the season.
Yarrow
Yarrow is a tough, adaptable perennial that produces flat-topped flower heads in shades of yellow, white, pink, red, and terracotta from early summer well into autumn. It thrives in hot, dry conditions and poor soils, making it one of the best choices for low-maintenance and water-wise gardens. Its ferny, aromatic foliage is attractive even between blooming periods, and the flowers dry beautifully on the stem for use in arrangements.
Shasta Daisy
Shasta daisies produce their classic bright white petals and cheerful yellow centers in abundance from early summer right through August, bringing a fresh and timeless look to any border or cutting garden. They are among the most rewarding flowers to grow for bouquets, with long, strong stems and blooms that last well in the vase. Regular deadheading encourages a near-continuous supply of new flowers throughout the heart of summer.
Coreopsis (Tickseed)
Coreopsis is a bright, cheerful perennial that smothers itself in small daisy-like flowers in shades of yellow, gold, orange, pink, and red from early summer through to autumn. It is one of the most reliably long-blooming perennials available, rarely taking a break from flowering throughout the growing season. It thrives in full sun with average, well-drained soil and is wonderfully drought-tolerant, continuing to bloom through heat waves that slow down many other perennials.
Veronica (Speedwell)
Veronica produces upright spikes of tiny, closely packed flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white from early summer through late August, and regular deadheading of spent spikes encourages the plant to branch and produce more blooms. It is easy to grow, thriving in full sun with average soil, and its neat, upright habit makes it an excellent partner for mounding or sprawling perennials in mixed borders. Butterflies and bees visit its flowers consistently throughout the season.
Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)
Scabiosa produces a continuous supply of delicate, dome-shaped flowers in soft shades of blue, lavender, pink, and white on long, wiry stems from early summer through to early autumn. The flowers have a charming, old-world quality with their distinctive pincushion-like centers, and they are wonderfully long-lasting as cut flowers. Butterflies flock to them throughout summer, and the plants bloom most prolifically when regularly deadheaded to prevent seed formation.
Penstemon (Beardtongue)
Penstemons are elegant, tubular-flowered perennials that produce graceful, airy spikes of blooms in shades of red, pink, purple, blue, and white throughout the summer months. They have a relaxed, naturalistic quality that suits cottage and prairie-style gardens beautifully, and they are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. They thrive in full sun with excellent drainage and bloom most freely when spent flower stems are cut back to encourage new branching growth.
Phlox (Garden Phlox)
Garden phlox produces large, fragrant domed flower heads in shades of pink, red, white, lavender, and rich bicolor combinations from midsummer through to early autumn, filling the garden with a sweet, old-fashioned perfume. It thrives in full sun with consistently moist soil and adds a romantic, exuberant quality to any planting scheme. Choosing mildew-resistant varieties ensures the foliage remains healthy and attractive right through the long growing season.
Bee Balm
Bee balm is a vigorous, native perennial that produces its distinctive shaggy, crown-like flowers in vivid shades of red, pink, purple, and white throughout July and August, drawing remarkable numbers of hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Its aromatic leaves carry a pleasant minty fragrance, and it spreads steadily over time to form impressive, colorful colonies that make a bold statement in borders and woodland edges. Deadheading spent flowers extends the blooming period and helps prevent excessive self-seeding.
Russian Sage
Russian sage is a tall, airy perennial that creates an almost cloud-like haze of tiny lavender-blue flowers from midsummer onward, with its deeply cut silvery-white foliage adding beauty and fragrance even before the blooms appear. It thrives in hot, dry, sunny conditions and is exceptionally drought-tolerant once established, making it one of the best choices for difficult, exposed spots in the garden. Its delicate, transparent quality allows it to be used toward the back of borders without overwhelming neighboring plants.
Agastache (Hyssop)
Agastache, often called hummingbird mint, produces tall spikes of tiny tubular flowers in shades of purple, blue, orange, pink, and coral from midsummer through autumn, with the entire plant releasing an intense, anise-like fragrance when touched. It is a magnet for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, and few perennials offer as much wildlife value per square foot of garden space. It thrives in hot, sunny spots with well-drained soil and becomes increasingly drought-tolerant as it matures.
Heliopsis (False Sunflower)
Heliopsis produces masses of bright yellow sunflower-like blooms from early summer right through to early autumn, returning reliably year after year without the need for staking or excessive attention. It tolerates heat, drought, and a wide range of soil conditions better than true sunflowers, making it one of the most dependable long-blooming perennials for sunny borders. Some varieties feature attractive double or semi-double flowers with dark centers that add extra richness to the display.
Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker)
Red hot pokers bring bold, architectural drama to the summer garden with their tall, torch-like flower spikes in fiery combinations of red, orange, and yellow that rise high above the grassy clumps of foliage. Different varieties flower at different times throughout summer, so planting a selection ensures a nearly continuous display of color from June through September. They are particularly attractive to hummingbirds, which hover at the tubular flowers in search of nectar throughout the season.
Delphinium
Delphiniums are among the most regal of summer perennials, producing towering spires of flowers in extraordinary shades of deep blue, violet, purple, pink, and white that add vertical grandeur to any border. They bloom heavily in early summer and, when cut back to the ground after flowering, will often produce a second, somewhat shorter flush of blooms in late summer. Their cool, jewel-toned colors are particularly valuable in the summer border, offering hues that few other perennials can match.
Campanula (Bellflower)
Bellflowers are charming, long-blooming perennials producing clusters or spires of nodding bell-shaped flowers in shades of blue, purple, violet, and white from early summer through August. They come in a wide range of sizes, from low-growing ground-cover types that cascade over walls to tall border varieties that add graceful height to plantings. They thrive in sun or partial shade and self-seed gently over time to naturalize an area with minimal effort from the gardener.
Liatris (Blazing Star)
Liatris is a striking native perennial that produces tall, bottle-brush-like spikes of bright purple or white flowers throughout midsummer, blooming from the top of the spike downward in an unusual and distinctive pattern. It thrives in full sun with well-drained soil and is exceptionally drought-tolerant, growing from corm-like roots that store moisture during dry spells. Monarch butterflies and other pollinators are powerfully attracted to its vivid blooms throughout the height of summer.
Crocosmia
Crocosmia brings a bold, almost tropical energy to the midsummer garden with its arching, branched sprays of vivid tubular flowers in blazing shades of red, orange, and yellow. Its upright, sword-like foliage provides structural interest in the border long before and after the flowers appear, making it a valuable plant even beyond its blooming period. It spreads steadily through underground corms to form impressive, increasingly dramatic clumps over successive years.
Helenium (Sneezeweed)
Helenium begins its long flowering season in midsummer and carries on well into autumn, producing masses of rich daisy-like blooms in warm shades of yellow, orange, bronze, and deep mahogany. It prefers a sunny spot with consistently moist soil and rewards regular deadheading with an almost uninterrupted display of jewel-toned color. Its warm, earthy palette is particularly beautiful when combined with ornamental grasses, and it is an invaluable source of late-season nectar for bees and butterflies.
Astilbe
Astilbe is the undisputed queen of the shade garden, producing feathery, plume-like flower spikes in shades of red, pink, white, lavender, and peach throughout the summer months. It thrives in moist, humus-rich soil in partial to full shade, filling difficult spots that many other perennials refuse to occupy. Even after the flowers fade, the plumes dry to a warm cinnamon brown and continue providing texture and visual interest well into autumn and beyond.
Verbena (Tall Verbena)
Tall verbena is a willowy, see-through perennial that produces clusters of tiny vivid purple flowers at the tips of its tall, branching stems from midsummer right through to the first frosts. Its open, airy form allows it to be woven through mixed plantings without blocking shorter plants behind it, creating a beautiful layering effect in borders of all styles. It self-seeds freely, is exceptionally tolerant of heat and drought, and is one of the most butterfly-friendly plants in the entire summer garden.
Hosta
While grown primarily for their lush, dramatic foliage, many hostas produce attractive spikes of tubular lavender or white flowers in midsummer, rising well above the mounded leaves on tall, elegant scapes. Fragrant varieties produce blooms with a sweet, lily-like perfume that is particularly noticeable in the evening, making them a lovely addition near patios and garden seating areas. Hostas are indispensable for shaded borders, offering some of the boldest and most varied foliage textures of any garden plant.
Geranium (Hardy Geranium)
Hardy geraniums, not to be confused with the tender bedding geraniums, are wonderfully versatile perennials that produce saucer-shaped flowers in shades of pink, purple, blue, magenta, and white from late spring right through the summer months. Many varieties bloom almost continuously, and a light trim after the first flush encourages a fresh wave of both foliage and flowers. They tolerate a wide range of conditions including shade, drought, and poor soil, and they work equally well as ground covers, border edging, or gap fillers.
Rudbeckia (Goldsturm)
The Goldsturm variety of rudbeckia is one of the most widely grown and admired summer perennials in the world, producing a profusion of large, golden-yellow daisy-like flowers with dark brown centers from midsummer right into autumn. It forms tidy, upright clumps that hold their shape beautifully in the border and require very little maintenance to perform well year after year. Its warm, sunny color is enormously versatile in the garden, pairing naturally with almost every other summer perennial.
Loosestrife (Lysimachia)
Yellow loosestrife is a cheerful, vigorous perennial that produces upright spikes of bright, cup-shaped yellow flowers throughout summer, thriving in moist soils and along the edges of ponds and streams. It spreads gradually to form bold, eye-catching drifts that bring a warm golden glow to damp spots where many other summer perennials would struggle. Its glossy, upright foliage remains attractive all season, and it is particularly beautiful when grown alongside blue or purple flowering companions.
Achillea (Moonshine Yarrow)
Moonshine yarrow is a particularly beautiful form of yarrow producing flat-topped flower heads in a clear, luminous shade of soft lemon-yellow throughout the summer months. Its silver-grey, ferny foliage is as ornamental as the blooms and provides a beautiful contrast to the bright flowers. Like all yarrows it is exceptionally drought-tolerant and thrives in hot, sunny spots, making it one of the most dependable and attractive choices for low-water gardens.
Phlomis (Jerusalem Sage)
Jerusalem sage is an unusual and eye-catching perennial that produces whorls of hooded yellow or pink flowers arranged in distinct rings along its tall, upright stems throughout summer. Its large, felted grey-green leaves are as appealing as the flowers, giving it a bold, architectural presence in the border even between blooms. It thrives in hot, dry, sunny conditions and is exceptionally drought-tolerant, making it an excellent choice for Mediterranean-style gardens.
Geum (Avens)
Geums are cheerful, long-flowering perennials that produce bright, open-faced flowers in shades of orange, red, yellow, and coral-pink on slender, branching stems from late spring right through the heart of summer. Their frilly, semi-double blooms have a charming, old-fashioned quality, and regular deadheading keeps them flowering for months at a stretch. They are easy to grow in sun or light shade with reasonable drainage and make excellent companions for hardy geraniums and salvias.
Centaurea (Perennial Cornflower)
Perennial cornflowers produce a long succession of fringed, thistle-like flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white from early summer through August, with a light trim after the first flush encouraging fresh growth and additional blooms. Their silvery, deeply cut foliage is attractive between flowering periods, and the plants form steadily spreading clumps that fill in borders beautifully over time. Bees are particularly devoted to them, and they have a relaxed, wildflower quality that suits informal and cottage-style plantings.
Malva (Mallow)
Perennial mallows produce a continuous succession of hollyhock-like flowers in shades of pink, purple, white, and lavender from early summer right into autumn, bringing a soft, romantic quality to borders and wildflower-style plantings. They are fast-growing, easy to establish, and tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, asking very little of the gardener in return for their long, generous display. Self-seeding freely, they gradually naturalize an area and provide reliable summer color year after year.
Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily)
Alstroemeria produces exotic-looking, lily-like flowers with beautifully marked inner petals in shades of pink, red, orange, yellow, white, and purple from early summer right through to the first frosts. It is one of the longest-blooming of all summer perennials and is among the most popular cut flowers in the world, lasting up to two weeks in the vase. Once established in a warm, sunny spot it spreads steadily and becomes more floriferous with each passing year.
Sidalcea (Prairie Mallow)
Prairie mallow is a graceful, cottage-garden perennial producing tall, elegant spikes of delicate, hollyhock-like flowers in shades of pink and mauve from early summer onward. It has a soft, airy quality that works beautifully in informal borders, and cutting the stems back after the first flush of blooms encourages a fresh wave of flowers later in the season. It thrives in full sun with well-drained soil and has a relaxed, wildflower charm that suits naturalistic garden styles particularly well.
Linaria (Toadflax)
Perennial toadflax produces dainty, snapdragon-like flowers in shades of purple, pink, yellow, and bicolor combinations on slender, upright stems from early summer right through to autumn. It has a light, airy quality that works well woven through mixed borders, and it self-seeds freely to gradually naturalize in gravel, walls, and gaps between paving stones. Bees are particularly fond of it, and it has a charming, wild-garden character that makes it feel at home in the most informal of plantings.
Tradescantia (Spiderwort)
Spiderwort is an easy-going perennial that produces clusters of three-petaled flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white from late spring right through summer, with fresh blooms opening every morning throughout the season. Cutting the plant back by half after the first main flush of blooms encourages fresh, compact foliage and a second wave of flowers. It thrives in partial shade as well as full sun and is one of the most adaptable and trouble-free perennials available for the summer garden.
Delosperma (Ice Plant)
Ice plant is a low-growing, mat-forming perennial that produces a brilliant carpet of daisy-like flowers in vivid shades of magenta, yellow, orange, and white throughout the summer months. It thrives in hot, dry, sunny conditions with rocky or sandy soils where many other plants fail entirely, making it an excellent choice for slopes, gravel gardens, and rock gardens. Its glistening foliage has a jewel-like sparkle, and it is one of the most reliably long-blooming perennials available for sun-baked spots.
Stokesia (Stokes’ Aster)
Stokes’ aster is a charming, underused native perennial that produces cornflower-like blooms in shades of blue, lavender, white, yellow, and pink from early summer right through August. Each flower is beautifully detailed up close, with finely fringed petals arranged around a fluffy center, and the plant blooms most freely in full sun with well-drained soil. It is long-lived, drought-tolerant once established, and beloved by bees and butterflies throughout its extended flowering season.
Erigeron (Fleabane)
Fleabane is a delightful, easy-going perennial producing masses of fine-petaled daisy-like flowers in shades of pink, lilac, and white with bright yellow centers from early summer right through to autumn. It has a soft, meadow-flower quality and works beautifully spilling over walls, at border edges, and in gravel gardens where it self-seeds gently to fill in gaps. Few perennials offer such a long, uninterrupted display with so little effort from the gardener.
Dianthus (Garden Pink)
Garden pinks are fragrant, old-fashioned perennials that produce a profusion of fringed, clove-scented flowers in shades of pink, red, white, and bicolor combinations from early summer through much of the growing season. Their silvery-blue evergreen foliage forms neat, attractive mats that look good year-round, making them as valuable as ground-cover edging plants as they are for their flowers. They thrive in full sun with excellent drainage and add a sweet, spicy fragrance to the garden that intensifies in warm weather.
Oenothera (Evening Primrose)
Perennial evening primrose produces silky, cup-shaped flowers in bright shades of yellow or soft pink from early summer right through to autumn, with the flowers of some varieties opening in the evening and releasing a delicate fragrance. It spreads steadily to fill in sunny spots in the border and is exceptionally tough, tolerating poor soils, heat, and drought with remarkable ease. Its cheerful, tissue-paper-delicate blooms bring a soft, informal quality to borders and naturalistic plantings.
Leucanthemum (Ox-Eye Daisy)
The ox-eye daisy is a bright, cheerful native perennial producing classic white petals around sunny yellow centers in masses from early summer through August, naturalizing beautifully in meadow-style plantings and informal cottage borders. It spreads by both seed and rhizome to form gradually expanding drifts, and its simple, unadorned flowers have a fresh, wildflower quality that pairs well with grasses, salvias, and other naturalistic companions. It is entirely maintenance-free once established and one of the most cheerful sights in the midsummer garden.
Potentilla (Cinquefoil)
Perennial potentillas produce a long, prolific display of small, open-faced flowers in shades of red, orange, yellow, pink, and white from early summer right through August, forming compact, bushy mounds that suit the front of sunny borders. They are exceptionally easy to grow, tolerating poor and dry soils, and require little attention beyond an occasional trim to keep them tidy and blooming freely. Their cheerful, strawberry-like flowers have an unassuming charm that works well in both formal and informal garden styles.
Platycodon (Balloon Flower)
Balloon flowers are named for their distinctive swelling, balloon-like buds that pop open into wide, star-shaped flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white throughout the summer months. They are long-lived, easy to grow perennials that ask only for full sun and well-drained soil, forming gradually expanding clumps that become more floriferous with each passing year. Their unusual buds make them endlessly fascinating to children and adults alike, and they are genuinely beautiful in the border.
Aquilegia (Columbine)
Columbines produce their distinctive spurred flowers in a remarkable range of colors and bicolor combinations from late spring into summer, with some varieties continuing to bloom well into July in cooler climates. They self-seed prolifically, hybridizing freely to produce an ever-changing tapestry of colors and forms that naturalizes beautifully in cottage and woodland garden settings. Their delicate, nodding blooms are beloved by hummingbirds and long-tongued bumblebees, which are among the few insects capable of reaching the nectar-filled spurs.
Leucanthemella (Giant Daisy)
Giant daisies are impressive, tall-growing relatives of the shasta daisy that produce large, pristine white flowers with greenish-yellow centers on strong, upright stems from midsummer right through to autumn. They add bold, architectural presence to the back of borders and are excellent cut flowers that last well in the vase. Their clean, bright white blooms provide a wonderful contrast to the warm yellows, oranges, and bronzes of other late-summer perennials.
Lobelia (Cardinal Flower)
Cardinal flower is a stunning native perennial producing tall spikes of vivid, tubular scarlet flowers from midsummer through late summer, making it one of the most eye-catching plants in the summer garden. It is the premier hummingbird plant in many North American gardens, with its long, red tubes perfectly shaped to accommodate the hovering birds. It thrives in moist to wet soils in sun or partial shade and self-seeds reliably to maintain its presence in the garden over many years.
Solidago (Goldenrod)
Goldenrod is a vigorous, native perennial that produces feathery plumes of bright golden-yellow flowers from midsummer well into autumn, bringing a warm, rich color to the late-season garden. It is an invaluable plant for pollinators, supporting an extraordinary number of bee, butterfly, and beetle species throughout its long blooming season. Modern compact varieties are far better behaved than their wild relatives and make excellent border plants, combining beautifully with asters, coneflowers, and ornamental grasses.
Filipendula (Meadowsweet)
Meadowsweet is a graceful, moisture-loving perennial that produces fluffy, frothy plumes of tiny flowers in shades of white, cream, and deep pink throughout the summer months. Its deeply cut, elegant foliage is as attractive as the blooms, and it thrives in moist soils along pond edges, in rain gardens, and in partially shaded borders where consistent moisture is available. The flowers carry a sweet, almond-like fragrance, and the plant has a romantic, informal quality that suits naturalistic and wild-garden plantings beautifully.
Thalictrum (Meadow Rue)
Meadow rue is an elegant, airy perennial producing clouds of tiny, fluffy flowers in shades of lavender, purple, yellow, and white on tall, wispy stems throughout summer. Its delicate, blue-green foliage resembles that of a columbine and is as beautiful as the flowers, adding soft texture to shaded borders and woodland plantings. The tall varieties can reach impressive heights, adding graceful vertical structure to the back of borders without the heaviness of more solid-stemmed plants.
Physostegia (Obedient Plant)
Obedient plant is an upright, native perennial that produces dense spikes of tubular flowers in shades of pink, lavender, and white from midsummer right into autumn. Its common name comes from the unusual property of its individual flowers, which stay in position when moved to one side or another on the spike. It spreads enthusiastically by underground runners to form bold, colorful drifts, and is particularly attractive to hummingbirds and late-season bumblebees.
Monarda (Lemon Bee Balm)
Lemon bee balm is a slightly more refined relative of the familiar scarlet bee balm, producing whorled clusters of pale lavender, white, or soft pink flowers throughout the summer with a pleasant lemon-mint fragrance rising from the foliage when touched. It is an exceptionally generous nectar plant, supporting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds throughout its long blooming season. It spreads steadily to form attractive drifts and has better mildew resistance than many of its relatives.
Veronicastrum (Culver’s Root)
Culver’s root is a tall, architectural native perennial producing elegant candelabra-like spires of tiny white, pink, or pale lavender flowers from midsummer onward. Its whorled leaves arranged symmetrically around the stems give it a striking structural quality that sets it apart from most other summer perennials. It thrives in moist, fertile soils in full sun or light shade and works beautifully as a vertical accent plant in prairie-style and naturalistic garden designs.
Inula
Inula is a bold, cheerful perennial that produces large, bright yellow daisy-like flowers with very fine, thread-like petals from early summer right through August. Its large, handsome leaves give it a robust, architectural presence in the border, and it thrives in moist soils in full sun or partial shade. It is excellent for naturalizing in damp spots and works beautifully alongside moisture-loving perennials like astilbes, lobelia, and meadowsweet.
Nepeta (Catnip)
Catnip, the perennial cousin of catmint, produces a generous display of small, tubular lavender-blue flowers on upright spikes from early summer right through to the first frosts, with the plant reblooming freely after being cut back at midsummer. Like its relative catmint, it is wonderfully aromatic and proves irresistible to bees and butterflies, which visit the flowers constantly throughout the season. It thrives in full sun with well-drained soil and has a relaxed, cottage-garden character that suits informal plantings perfectly.
Persicaria (Knotweed)
Ornamental knotweeds are vigorous, easy-to-grow perennials that produce upright, bottle-brush-like spikes of tiny flowers in shades of pink, red, and white from midsummer right through autumn. They are highly adaptable, tolerating wet and dry soils, sun and shade, and a wide range of growing conditions that would defeat many other perennials. Their bold foliage often develops attractive autumn color, making them valuable garden plants well beyond the end of their long flowering season.
Rudbeckia (Cherry Brandy)
Cherry Brandy rudbeckia is a particularly striking variety of black-eyed Susan that produces large, velvety flowers in rich shades of deep orange, copper, and burgundy with dark centers, blooming prolifically from midsummer right into autumn. Its unusual, wine-toned color palette sets it apart from the typical golden-yellow rudbeckias and makes it a standout specimen in mixed borders and cutting gardens. It thrives in full sun with average soil, tolerates drought once established, and provides valuable late-season nectar for bees and butterflies as the garden year winds toward its close.