What Flowers to Plant for Summer Color
Now’s the time to plant summer’s flowers. But what to plant?
For ideas, I asked two experienced nursery people who also happen to be avid gardeners at home--Frank Burkard Jr. of Burkard’s Nursery in Pasadena, and Christin Fusano, the color specialist at Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar.
Their answers were similar, but not the same, since these two nurseries are in distinctly different climates, one coastal, the other inland, with summers in Pasadena being quite different from summers at the beach.
The questions are typical of those overheard at nurseries.
QUESTION: What bedding plants will last a long time?
ANSWER: While impatiens may be the champ, all of these will last into the fall (and maybe beyond) if planted now: Ageratum, blue salvia, cosmos, dusty miller, French marigolds (if old flowers are picked off), golden fleece, gloriosa daisies, lobelia, nasturtiums, nicotiana, petunias, red salvia, Telstar dianthus, vinca, white nierembergia and zinnias.
Our experts singled out cosmos Sonata as new, very pretty and very long lasting, especially the white, which was a Fleuroselect winner in Europe, for its big blooms and short (two-foot) stature.
Q: I like pink and lavender flowers. What can I grow in summer?
A: Although summer is best known for its flashy flower colors--especially yellow and gold, which look so good in the summer sun--there are bedding plants to plant now that are more subdued, including alyssum, asters, cosmos, impatiens, phlox, Telstar dianthus and petunias. There are also blue flowers that blend with these pastels, including lobelia and blue salvia.
For the softest schemes, don’t plant mixes, but shop for separate colors so you can pick the subtle shades. Better nurseries sell many common annuals this way.
“I suggest planting three different shades of impatiens, instead of a mix,” said Fusano. “Try two shades of pink and a white, avoiding the oranges and reds. People are surprised at how much more pleasant this scheme is.”
“Bedding dahlias can be added to the list if you buy them in 4-inch pots,” she added, “so you only get the light pinks, peachy pinks and corals. I know some people already do this because on Monday morning we often find only red and yellow dahlias left on the bench!”
Q: It gets really hot here. What can take it?
A: Amaranthus, blue salvia, celosia, cosmos Sensation and Sonata, gloriosa daisies, golden fleece, portulaca, red salvia, sanvitalia (creeping zinnia), vinca and zinnias. In the shade, Begonia ‘Richmondensis’ and bronze-leaf begonias.
Burkard even thinks the Telstar strain of dianthus can take the heat. Fusano would add marigolds and petunias to the list.
Not too many people plant the celosias they mentioned, but take a look at one called New Look. It grows to about 2 1/2 feet and has red plume-like flowers and stunning reddish leaves. It will even grow in Palm Springs in summer.
Try it with the old-fashioned amaranthus, grown for it stunning red and maroon leaves, a scheme popular in the Victorian era.
Q: My garden is real shady. Can I grow anything other than impatiens?
A: Apparently a lot of gardens are, because impatiens outsell any other bedding plant (they command an incredible 58% of the market). The experts also suggest coleus, bedding begonias, Begonia ‘Richmondensis’ and forget-me-nots (best near the coast).
They also suggest using several perennials to liven up shady schemes. Upright fuchsias are one, and there are several that do well even inland, such as ‘Gartenmeister Bonstedt,’ ‘Jingle Bells,’ ‘Marinka,’ ‘Swingtime’ and ‘Voodoo.’ They say the fuchsia mite is not the pest in was a few years ago.
Other perennials to try include coral bells, wood violets and a new small hydrangea called ‘Pink Elf,’ which only grows to bedding plant proportions at about 18 inches around, but is covered with bright pink flowers in summer.
Q: What can I grow that won’t need a lot of water, or care?
A: The toughest bedding plants are alyssum, blue salvia, golden fleece, gloriosa daisies, marigolds, petunias and the semi-succulent portulaca.
Before sprinklers, in the 1891 catalogue of Germain’s, the Los Angeles seed company, there were more than 18 different kinds or colors of portulaca--testimony to their toughness--and they are again available as separate colors if you can’t handle the common wild mix.
All of these will need watering almost every day the first week after planting, then about twice a week for the first few weeks after which they should be able to survive on once-a-week soakings.
Q: I’m tired of the same old summer flowers. Isn’t there something else I can try?
A: Here are several suggestions for the jaded: browallia or amethyst flower (beautiful blue flowers on plants 18-inches tall in part shade), cleome (fluffy pink or rose flowers on plants to four feet tall), monarda (a perennial with feathery pink through crimson flowers to three-feet tall and attractive to butterflies), Nicotiana sylvestris (sticky tobacco-like leaves and long slender white flowers; five-feet tall), or nigella (intricate blue, pink or white flowers; 18-inches tall).
Burkard also suggests looking for the new pale apricot alyssum, for a different look in a very common flower.
And, if you still want to plant impatiens, try the New Guinea hybrids in shady spots. Spectra is the hot new series. Their colors are more vibrant, the flowers large, and the foliage sometimes colored, often a deep burgundy.
Here’s one more piece of advice:
Plant any of these flowers before June or July, so they have time to make the roots necessary for flowers all summer long.
