July has arrived with a mix of both intense heat and rain. The first flush of summer flowers is fading but the good news is there are plenty more waiting their turn to delight. Here are ten of the best:
1. Phlox paniculata ‘Sweet Summer Surprise’ (Phlox)
These reliable perennials can be found in various heights and bright-coloured flowers, as well as pastel shades, including white. The flowers are held on stiff stems that rarely need staking and are a great addition to the summer border. This cultivar is short, neat and mound forming producing clusters of rose-purple colour flowers at the height of summer. And it is an ideal choice for smaller gardens, front of border and containers.
- Flowers from July to August
- Hardy
- Grows to 80cm tall and 50cm wide
- Well-drained soil
- Sun to part shade
- Exposed
Top Tip
To encourage bushiness in your Sweet Summer Surprise, pinch back the growing tips.
2. Rosa ‘Born Free’ (Rose)
This floribunda Harkness rose supports and celebrates the fantastic work done by the Born Free Foundation. It repeat-flowers the entire summer with beautifully scented flowers of an attractive and warm apricot and orange colour. Its disease resistance is an additional bonus. It is very popular, as it is thought to resemble a lion, hence its other name, ‘The Lion’ Rose.
- Flowers from May to November
- Hardy
- Grows to 105cm tall and 60cm wide
- Moist, fertile, well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Exposed
Fun Fact
If you choose this lovely rose for your garden, £2.50 from the sale is donated to the Born Free Foundation.
3. Astrantia ‘Roma’ (Masterwort)
This beautiful perennial is smothered with pin cushion shape, and deep pink flowers above mid-green colour leaves. It will keep on flowering until the early autumn if spent flowers are removed after flowering. This cultivar will also grow well in shade.
- Flowers from May to September
- Hardy
- Grows to 75cm tall and 50cm wide
- Well-drained soil that stays moist
- Sun to part shade
- Exposed
Fun Fact
Astrantias used to have some very interesting names, including ‘melancholy gentleman’, and ‘Hattie’s pincushion’. It is better known as ‘masterwort’ now, and has been cultivated in Britain since the 16th century.
4. Escallonia laevis ‘Pink Elle’ (Escallonia)
If you’re looking for a dual purpose, compact, evergreen flowering shrub then this award winning plant could be a great choice. Its naturally branching habit means it can be used for hedges as well as containers and the flower border. During the summer months it produces lots of large, pink colour flower heads above glossy green leaves.
- Flowers June to August
- Borderline hardy
- Grows to 100cm tall and 100cm wide
- Moderately fertile, well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Sheltered
Fun Fact
Escallonia flowers are native to Chile and the Andes Mountain range, and are greatly popular with bees.
5. Valeriana officianalis (Valerian)
If you’re looking for tall, wispy perennials, with scented flowers, for a naturalistic planting scheme, then Valerian is perfect. At this time of year, it produces tall, upright stems, topped with scented, tiny white flowers. Also, they have attractive, deeply divided, leaves below. Great choices for growing within grasses or at the middle or back of a border.
- Flowers from July to August
- Hardy
- Grows to 150cm tall and 60cm wide
- Well-drained soil that stays moist
- Sun to part shade
- Exposed
Top Tip
The flowers of the common Valerian are very attractive to beneficial wildlife. These include pollinators, flies, and beetles.
This is a low-growing, mound-forming, lace-cap flowering shrub with red flowers. ‘Lacecap’ is the word used to describe the shape of the flowers which are flat-topped with large outer petals and tiny flowers in the centre. The flowers can change colour to blue tints if the soil is acidic! This is a great shrub for growing in the middle of a mixed border.
- Flowers from July to September
- Hardy
- Grows to 120cm tall and 120cm wide
- Well-drained soil
- Prefers dappled shade but will grow in full sun if the soil remains moist
- Exposed
Top Tip
You can also grow this lovely flower in containers! This may be beneficial if you have pets, as it is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses if ingested.
7. Trachelospermum jasminoides (Star Jasmine)
This white-flowered, scented, evergreen climber is a great choice for screening or growing over a pergola or archway. They give year-round interest and pretty, white flowers at this time of year. It doesn’t romp and is low maintenance. And it is a particularly good choice for a smaller garden and for growing in containers.
- Flowers from July to August
- Hardy but may need protection during a harsh winter
- Grows to 600cm tall and 600cm wide
- Well-drained soil
- Full sun to part shade
- Sheltered
Top Tip
The foliage is evergreen, but changes to a lovely bronze-red in the winter. This will add some colour to your garden.
8. Pennisetum ‘Fairy Tails’ (Fountain grass)
At this time of year, many grasses start to produce flowers on tall stems. And this beautiful upright grass is no exception. Said to be hardier than most other Fountain grass cultivars, it produces masses of soft, pinkish-white flowers until autumn. The flowers are extremely tactile and look particularly good if several are planted together in a clump. They are particularly good in raised beds or containers where you can run your fingers through their gentle stems as you walk past. And they look good too mixed with summer flowering perennials such as Achillea and dahlias.
- Flowers from July to September
- Borderline hardy and may need winter protection in colder parts of the country
- Grows to 120cm tall and 90cm wide
- Well-drained, humus-rich, moist, slightly acidic soil
- Full sun
- Sheltered
Top Tip
If you’re looking to create a sensory garden at home, this plant is perfect. Its lovely flowers are extremely soft to the touch.
9. Chelone obliqua (Turtlehead)
Aptly named, this unusual perennial produces short pinky-purple flower spikes that resemble the head of a turtle! It will flower right until early autumn and is great for attracting bees. It may take a while to establish but otherwise is trouble-free.
- Flowers from July to September
- Hardy
- Grows to 90cm tall and 75cm wide
- Well-drained soil
- Sun to part shade
- Exposed
Fun Fact
The name Chelone derives from the Greek for ‘turtle-like’, which is appropriate for this variety.
10. Gillenia trifoliata (Bowman’s root)
A delicate looking perennial that deserves to be more widely grown. It bears masses of star-shaped, white flowers on thin, wiry stems above pretty leaves which turn fabulous shades of red during the autumn. Perfect for the edge of a shady, woodland border.
- Flowers in July
- Hardy
- Grows to 100cm tall and 60cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained slightly acidic soil that stays moist
- Part shade
- Exposed
Fun Fact
After flowering, in Autumn in addition to their lovely red foliage, the seedheads make an attractive display also.
These ten fantastic plants will make your garden showstopping this July.
Find out some fun facts about roses that might surprise you:
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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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