What Flower Bushes Bloom All Summer?

Having an arrangement of flower bushes around your garden is one of the best ways to complete your yard space, but which ones bloom all summer?

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Having an arrangement of flower bushes around your garden is one of the best ways to complete your yard space, but which ones bloom all summer?

It can be so frustrating to plant your flower bushes and then find that they begin to bloom too early, too late, or - not at all. Luckily, there are some fantastic options for flower bushes that bloom all summer long.

The flower bushes that bloom all summer are Bluebeard, Crape Myrtle, Oleander, Hydrangea, Potentilla, Rose of Sharon, Butterfly Bush, and Spirea. However, you need to plant them in their appropriate climate region to guarantee that they will bloom properly.

There is no better time of year to spend hours on end enjoying afternoons in your garden than the summer. So many of us work tirelessly to get our garden space prepared for this time of year so that we can sit back, relax, and take pride in our plants. However, an area of my garden that I struggled with for so long was my flower bushes. It seemed like no matter how I nurtured them and where I planted them, their flowers always came at the wrong time, which made me feel like I was doing something wrong. In fact, the main reason that I was experiencing this was simply due to having planted the wrong kinds of flower bushes in my garden. To help you understand this further, I am going to take you through some excellent choices for flower bushes that will bloom all summer.

After years of working in a nursery and as a landscaper, I have had a lot of experience dealing with flower bushes. My experience has taught me that planting the right flower bushes for the right climate is the best way to ensure that you have the best flowering results.

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Summer Flowering Bushes

Having a variety of different plants in your garden that flower is an excellent way to add color and vibrancy to your outdoor space. They elevate the aesthetic of your garden during the best time of the year and make it so much more inviting to go out and enjoy your yard. However, some flowering plants can often be quite a bit of work and require a substantial amount of upkeep.

What I love about summer flowering bushes is that they are usually very low maintenance and they can give off just as much beauty as any other flowering plant. However, much like with all of the plants that you have in your garden, you are going to want to ensure that you are planting your summer flowering bushes in their appropriate climate zone.

Of of the main reasons that I see so many gardeners have lackluster results from their summer shrubs is that they simply planted the wrong ones in their yards. This generally results in poor flowering from their bushes or even a lack of flowering altogether, which is why it is essential that you understand exactly what you want to plant while keeping your region in mind.

If you do so properly, you will be overjoyed by the results that you see from your summer flowering bushes, as they will add so much life into your garden. Their flowers will bring in plenty of bees, butterflies, and birds to give your garden the summer setting that you desire. Keep reading to learn more about what flower bushes bloom all summer.

Bluebeard

A fan favorite among so many gardeners that want to have colorful summer shrubs is the Bluebeard. Just as the name suggests, Bluebeards will add lovely blue color to your garden space. Their perky blue flowers are contrasted and complimented by soft green foliage.

These summer shrubs will tend to come into full bloom towards the middle of summer but they will keep their flowers well into the fall. What is great about the Bluebeard shrub is that it is quite resilient to colder climates, which means that you can plant them in a variety of different areas.

This is great for regions that experience cooler summers, as well as for gardeners that want to hold onto their summer colors into autumn. With that being said, despite the Bluebeard’s versatility, you will find that this summer flowering shrub will still grow and bloom the best when planted in climate zones 5 through 9.

The Bluebeard can grow at different heights, so you should be specific with what you pick out when shopping. A lot of these summer shrubs will grow to be as tall as 6 to 8 ft. Whereas others will only get to be about 3 to 4 ft.

Crape Myrtle

Crape Myrtles are summer shrubs that are known for their gorgeous reddish/pink flowers that emerge through dark green foliage. This flowering bush does best in warm climates and particularly hot ones, so plant them accordingly.

In addition, this is a bush that should be planted in full sun - with minimal to zero shade. To get the best possible results from your Crape Myrtle and to ensure that it survives in your region, be sure to only plant them in climate zones that are 7 and up, as they can struggle with anything cooler than this. As far as winter temperatures are concerned, the Crape Myrtle can withstand just a little below freezing, but anything getting below 25 to 20 degrees is asking for trouble.

Crape Myrtles will have flowers all summer long but will be at their peak in July, which is when they will be their most vibrant. However, Crape Myrtles gradually lose their pedals, which is a process that will continue through the fall. During this stage, the flowers will begin to transition into a darker and bolder red.

If you love hummingbirds and live in a region where they exist, then Crape Myrtles are a fantastic summer shrub to attract them to your garden - all without a bird feeder. However, you may want to be selective with what size you get when buying Crape Myrtles as they are known for getting quite large.

You can expect your average Crape Myrtle to reach heights of up to 8 or 9 feet, which can be quite a bit taller than what many gardeners want from their summer shrubs. Luckily, there are some fantastic dwarf options out there that will only grow to about half of that size.

Oleander

If you live in a region with colder climates and are struggling to find a summer-flowering shrub that handles your region well, then the Oleander may just be the perfect pick for you. This shrub is commonly referred to as ‘Hardy Pink’ - and rightfully so, as it is tough as nails for how pretty it is. One of the reasons that this flowering shrub is called Hardy Pink is due to the fact that it is poisonous, which can be problematic for some gardeners, so plant with caution.

Although you can get away with planting Oleander shrubs in a lot of colder areas, you will find that they grow best in climate zones 8 to 10. Most winter temperatures are not an issue for Oleander shrubs, but if it drops to below 15 degrees, then they may have a hard time coping with the adverse weather.

Just as the nickname implies, the Oleander will give off elegant pink flowers, which will be around for the entire summer. These resilient flowers are originally from the Mediterranean but they have become widely popularized in the United States.

While Oleanders do very well in colder climates, they can also thrive in warmer ones as well - perhaps even a little too well. Gardeners that planted their Oleanders in balanced climates found that their Oleanders would grow as tall as 14 ft, which can be quite high for a shrub and it can take up a considerable amount of space in your garden.

However, if you are living in a colder region, then they do not grow nearly as high and will likely get up to about 6 or 7 ft tall.

Hydrangea

This flowering bush will bloom all summer so long as you live in a region with a mild climate. The flowers that the Hydrangea gives off are absolutely wonderful - with dazzling pinks that are clustered together in a spectacular array.

You should be mindful of where you plant your Hydrangea shrubs, as they can have a hard time with colder weather. To get the best results, you should plant them in climate regions 3 to 7. If

The foliage of this summer shrub is filled with large green leaves that complement the flower of the Hydrangea in a very modest way. You should plant these shrubs primarily in the sun but you will find that they handle some shade very well.

The Hydrangea is perfect for gardeners that want a flower that is going to stay balanced throughout the entire season, as they hold onto their flowers quite well and are very easy to care for. In fact, many gardeners that plant their Hydrangea bushes in their appropriate climate regions find that their flowers will start in the spring and stay in bloom all the way into the fall, which means that you can have more than 6 months of flowers in your garden. In addition, Hydrangeas are excellent pollinators, so you can expect them to attract plenty of hummingbirds.

Potentilla

If you want a beautiful shrub in your garden that is going to give you flowers for the bulk of the year, then you really can’t go wrong with a Potentilla bush. These gorgeous shrubs tend to start blooming in the middle to late parts of the spring and will keep their flowers all the way into the fall.

Depending on the types of Potentilla shrubs that you plant you can expect to have either soft yellow or vibrant red flowers. However, you want to make sure that you plant them in their appropriate climate in order to get the best flowering results out of them. Potentilla shrubs will do best when planted in zones 2 through 7.

This can be a great flowering bush for gardeners that live in colder parts of the country, as it can be particularly hard to find the right shrub for these regions. Potentillas prefer to be planted in soil that is well-drained and ideally in a part of your garden that has full sun. If you live in a warmer region, then they should be just fine in partial shade.

Rose Of Sharon

So many of us want to have roses in our gardens but they can be a bit tricky to grow in certain regions. Luckily, there is a fantastic flower shrub that is a perfect alternative for traditional roses - the elegant Rose of Sharon.

This is a stunning flower bush that is great for gardeners that want their shrubs to bloom in the summer. Their color will come in soft shades of pink, blue and, white - with lovely dark green foliage to add a contrast to the vibrancy of the flowers.

The Rose of Sharon is known for beginning to blossom around the middle of summer and will hold its flowers for roughly 3 months or so. However, you want to be sure that you plant them in their appropriate climate to get these results, as they have been known to have poor flowering when grown in adverse conditions. The Rose of Sharon will flower best when planted in climate zones 5 through 9.

In addition to catching the eye of all of your guests that come to your garden, you can expect to have plenty of regular visits from hummingbirds, as the Rose of Sharon’s flower is irresistible.

Butterfly Bush

You can easily recognize a Butterfly Bush by its long branches which are completely covered by vibrant purple flowers. These flowers really love the sun, so you should try to plant them in a part of your yard that gets a minimal amount of shade. In addition, the Butterfly Bush can do quite well in areas that are known for being dry, which can make them a versatile plant for gardeners that live in adversely hot climates.

To get the best results, you should plant your Butterfly Bush in climate regions 5 through 9. These shrubs can survive some cold temperatures but they have the healthiest lifecycle and flowering habits when planted in warmer areas.

If you plant them where they have a tendency to grow best, you can expect your Butterfly Bush to have flowers that start to bloom in the summer and will stick around well into the fall, which is great for gardeners that want to have flower bushes for as long as possible.

Spirea

The Spirea is an excellent shrub to grow if you want your flowers to start early on, as this bush is known for having its bloom process begin in the middle of spring and carry on into the summer.

What I love about planting Spirea shrubs is that they are so easy to take care of, as they are low maintenance and quite resilient. However, that is not to say that they are not beautiful, as the pink flowers that Spirea shrubs produce will make any garden space feel alive.

You will commonly find Spirea shrubs growing in so many different types of settings due to their resilience. They can cope well with drought conditions, humidity, and even city areas, which makes this a very versatile bush to add to your yard.

With that being said, this flower bush will still prefer ceratin climates over others. To get the best results, try planting your Spirea shrub in climate regions 4 through 8. These are also great shrubs for gardeners that do not want their bushes to get too tall, as Spireas rarely get to be above 5 to 7 feet.

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