Plants to Enjoy All Summer

'Little Lime' hydrangea

I’m a big fan of spring. After all, spring means longer days, better weather and blooming shrubs and trees! As we get into summer, though, some of the newness of life around your yard starts to fade. At no time is that more evident than in June-- rhododendrons are finished blooming, many flowering trees are long-since done, and the excited anticipation of the season begins to wane. But wait! There’s plenty of gardening to do both this month and in the months to come, so make room in your yard for plants to enjoy all summer long.

In the last ten years, the world of hydrangeas has seen a complete renaissance. New varieties have brought renewed interest to a once-stale plant species. One of the early hydrangeas introduced during the explosion of plant breeding was ‘Limelight.’ A paniculata variety, this hydrangea is best recognized by its cone-shaped flowers and appreciated for the ease of pruning it offers—prune in fall or spring and still enjoy flowers in summer. Unique to ‘Limelight,’ though, was the flower color—lime green. Today, ‘Limelight’ is still a much-sought after variety, but due to its mature size (it can grow up to eight feet tall), it’s not the best candidate for smaller gardens. 

To solve that problem, breeders introduced ‘Little Lime.’ A dwarf version of its popular lime-green big brother, ‘Little Lime’ boasts the same large green flowers held on sturdy stems, and it tops out at only three to five feet. Buds that emerge this month will produces flowers in July and August, eventually aging to a dusky rose color. If your yard could use some summer color, ‘Little Lime’ might be just the plant to do the job without overwhelming your other plants.

Another great plant for summer color is the rose. Now, say what you want about roses—I hear it all—but you can’t beat the classic beauty and all-summer color they provide. Like hydrangeas, the world of roses has changed considerably over the last ten years, and many newer introductions have better disease resistance, bloom more vigorously and, thankfully, once again smell great! 

'Pink Drift' rose

Additionally, beyond the world of traditional roses, groundcover and shrub roses like ‘Drift’ and ‘Knockout’ offer season-long blooming with minimal maintenance. And as far as maintenance goes, rose care is hardly the chore it used to be. If you can remember to water your plants with a simple treatment three or four times during the summer—some of my customers make it easy and treat their roses on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day—a product like Bayer All-in-One Rose & Flower Care can make growing healthy, vibrant roses a snap for any gardener. 

Finally, it’s June—and if you have kids or grandkids of school age, it’s time for summer vacation! Gardening is often considered a hobby for adults, but children are fascinated with watching things grow, so make the most of this summer vacation and help them plant a garden of miniature plants. Visit Vander Giessen Nursery to browse the selection of tiny evergreens just inches tall and wide. Dwarf and miniature evergreens come in all shapes, colors and textures, and they’ll give your kids a chance to plant something they can enjoy for years to come. 

Summer days may mean the end of spring’s new life, but stop by Vander Giessen Nursery and you’ll discover it doesn’t have to mean the end of fresh color and excitement in the garden. With a little planning and creativity, you can enjoy a beautiful, colorful, and fun yard for the whole summer.