Best Mid-Summer Plants & Pretty Combinations

by Three Dogs in a Garden

If gardening were a race, think of it as more of a marathon than a sprint to the fall finish line. I have come up with a list of key plants that carry color into mid-summer (with perhaps a post to follow on carrying that color through to late summer).
I am also going to include some nice July plant combinations both from my own garden and other local gardens I have visited.

core mid summer plants pretty flowers combinations, flowers, gardening

By the end of June, peonies have finished flowering. Roses do a great job of picking up where the peonies leave off.

June Peonies

Here is a pretty combination that I saw last weekend in a private garden in Niagara-on-the-Lake : a white rose and Geranium 'Rozanne'.

Rosa 'Brillant Vigorosa' is a groundcover rose. This is a repeat bloomer with a light scent. Fingers crossed Japanese Beetles don't like the taste of it! Height: 2-3', Spread: 3'.

Geranium 'Rozanne' is hands down one of the best Cranesbill Geraniums. It blooms for an extended period of time beginning in July. Height: 30-50 cm, Spread: 45-60 cm. Full sun to part shade. Normal, sandy or clay soil are fine. Average to moist soil. USDA Zones: 4-9.

Another key plant to have in your July arsenal are lilies, and daylilies in particular.

Count on Daylily 'Stella D'Oro to flowers for an extended period of time. It is a small sized daylily with yellow flowers starting mid-summer. Stella D'Oro is also excellent for massing or using as a hedge. It is happy with most garden soils and tolerates both moist and dry conditions. Full sun or light shade. Height: 25-30 cm (10-12 inches), Spread: 30-60 (12-23 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9.

Hosta fortunei 'Hyacinthina' has tough, grey-green leaves that are very slug resistant. Lavender flowers appear mid-summer. Height: 50-55 cm (20-21 inches), Spread: 80-100 (31-39 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9.

Martagon lilies in a nursery display garden

As well as daylilies, I would also have to include Asiatic, Oriental, Trumpet, Tiger and Martagon lilies in my must-have list of mid-summer flowers.

If you don't have any lilies, your garden is really missing out on a great opportunity.

If there was an award for best flowering mid-summer vine, it would have to go to a Clematis.

I have several in flower at the moment. This Clematis is next to the front door where it is pared with Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata 'Ice Ballet' and a pink Spirea.

Best shrub at this time of year?

For me it is, hands down, a hydrangea. And there are so many attractive cultivars to choose from!

Here is another pretty combination:

Penstemon 'Dark Towers' has deep maroon stems with pale mauve flowers. Full sun. Normal, sandy or clay soil are fine. Average to dry conditions. Height: 60-90 cm, Spread: 45-60 cm. Zones: USDA 3-9

Veronica 'Eveline' will tolerate part shade, but blooms much better in full sun. Normal, sandy or clay soil are fine. Moist soil is preferred, but it will tolerate average conditions. Deadhead to encourage repeat flowering. Height: 45-50 cm, Spread: 30-40 cm. Zones: USDA 4-9.

Let's not forget about part-shade and shade.

Though some people think they are messy looking when in flower, but I'm not one of them. I think they add something to the part-shade and shade areas of my garden in July.

The flowers are a little past their prime in this photo, but how cute are these miniature hostas?

Miniature Hosta 'Pandora's Box's foliage has creamy centre and green margins. As you can see slugs can be an issue for this hosta. Height: 8-10 cm (3-4 inches), Spread: 13 cm (5 inches). USDA Zones" 3-9.

Miniature Hosta 'Frosted Mouse Ears' has rounded blue-green leaves and mauve flowers in July. It likes moist, well-drained soil. Height: 10-15 cm (4-6 inches), Spread: 25-30 cm ( 10-12 inches).

These are some of the plants that look great in mid-summer for this gardening zone (zone 6). What would you say are the core plants in July for your area?

Please share!