There is no better way to highlight your yard and bring comfort to your home than to plant a vibrant flower garden in the summer. Colorful summer flowers are sure to brighten up your day even on sweltering hot afternoons or during summer thunderstorms. With thousands of different varieties of flowers, how do you know which are the best to plant for a fragrant and colorful garden?

The first step is to know the difference between annual and perennial flowers. Annuals are planted and bloom in the spring and sometimes last through fall. These flowers need to be planted annually, and unless you dig up the bulbs or roots and plant them in indoor pots, you will have to purchase new flowers for your garden and plant them every year. Annuals tend to have bright, bold colors, are especially fragrant, and allow for you to change the look of your garden summer after summer. Perennials return year after year due to seed droppings or bulbs that go dormant in the winter and produce in the spring. Perennials are adept at handling cold weather, frozen grounds, and frosts while annuals will be killed in extremely cold weather conditions. Perennials are also known for spreading throughout your garden space on their own, which enables transplanting to other areas of your property or allows you to give cuttings away to friends and family so they can start their own gardens. Need more specific recommendations on the various flower seeds you can plant to make a beautiful summer garden? 

Here are the five best summer flowers to plant in Charlotte:

Black-Eyed Susan

These flowers, also known as Gloriosa daisies, are usually bright yellow with brown, fuzzy centers. They can be grown in almost any climate and can be annual or perennial depending on your location and climate. These flowers often grow wild in many parts of the United States and can be seen frequently in open meadows and prairies.

They are especially fragrant and attract butterflies and birds, including hummingbirds. Growing up to 3.5 feet tall and being drought-tolerant, these are the perfect summer flower to plant in any garden.

Marigolds

Once planted, marigolds grow and spread quickly, adaptable to most soil conditions and producing more blooms in the low-quality soil. If you are a gardener who wants a no-fuss flower in your yard, marigolds are perfect for you. They also do well in hot climates where they can get full sun. It is not recommended for these flowers to be shaded more than 20% of the time. They also need regular moisture, but the gardeners should pay attention not to let the soil get soggy.

Lilies

There are many different varieties of lilies. They are perennial flowers that can be transplanted very easily once grown. These flowers are resilient and don’t need the original bulb to be able to come back year after year if transplanted. If you are starting your plants from bulbs, though, the bulbs should be placed in the ground in late summer or early fall. Lilies have large, colorful blooms, are fragrant, and reach up to 3 feet in height. Many varieties of lilies are poisonous if consumed, so make sure to keep children and pets away.

Gaillardia

Also called blanket flowers, these bright-red, yellow, and orange flowers bloom with bicolored petals and are ideal for intense heat. They spread quickly and can easily blanket an entire meadow. Blanket flowers are a perennial sunflower variety and will attract butterflies to your garden.

Peonies

These plants have very large flowers and an intoxicating scent that is strong and lasting. They can live over 100 years if cared for properly and are adept to survive in climates that are not temperate. They are perennials and prefer to be left undisturbed, requiring little maintenance.

While there are many other summer flowers and varieties that you may think are beautiful, asking our local gardening centers in Charlotte about the soil and climate needs of your favorite flowers will be a good place to start before planting your summer garden.