- Marigolds<\/a><\/li>
- Zinnias\u00a0<\/a><\/li>
- Sunflowers\u00a0<\/a><\/li>
- Petunias<\/a><\/li>
- Impatiens<\/a><\/li>
- Salvia<\/a><\/li>
- Celosia<\/a><\/li>
- Lantana<\/a><\/li>
- Periwinkle<\/a><\/li>
- Spider Flower<\/a><\/li>
- Cosmos<\/a><\/li>
- Moss Rose<\/a><\/li>
- Black-Eyed Susan<\/a><\/li>
- Egyptian Starflower<\/a><\/li>
- Coleus<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
Marigolds<\/h2>
![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Marigold.jpg?wsr\")
Photo Credit: Sarbast.T.Hameed<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>2 to 11
Sun: <\/strong>Full sun
Soil: <\/strong>Almost any kind of moist, well-drained soil
Duration: <\/strong>Annual or perennial
Bloom time: <\/strong>Summer to fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Moderate
Mature size: <\/strong>1 to 4 feet tall and 6 inches to 1 foot wide
Maintenance: <\/strong>Low<\/p>Marigolds (Tagetes<\/em>) are known for their vibrant colors and long blooming season, adding interest to your garden up until the fall. A member of the aster family, marigolds also repel some garden pests such as aphids and flea beetles.<\/p>
David Trinklein, Extension specialist at the University of Missouri, recommends both marigolds and zinnias for the beginning gardener: \u201cZinnias and marigolds both are very heat tolerant and come in a wide array of sizes and flower colors. Both have large seeds that are easy for novice gardeners to plant.\u201d
If you need help designing your summer flower garden, contact one of our landscaping experts<\/a> to plan your landscape or a lawn care pro<\/a> to mow your yard while you\u2019re busy planting flowers.<\/p>Zinnias <\/h2>
![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Zinnias.jpg?wsr\")
Photo Credit: Andres Alvarado<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>2 to 11
Sun: <\/strong>Full sun
Soil: <\/strong>Various soil types, as long as they are well-drained
Duration: <\/strong>Annual
Bloom time: <\/strong>Summer to fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Moderate
Mature size: <\/strong>12 to 48 inches tall and 6 to 18 inches wide
Maintenance: <\/strong>Moderate. They need regular watering during dry periods. They also need regular inspection because they are susceptible to fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew, and pests (like spider mites and cutworms).<\/p>With daisy-like, vibrant flowers, zinnias (Zinnia elegans<\/em>) are disease-resistant and easy to care for \u2014 a beginner-friendly annual for your home garden. Zinnias are also attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds<\/a> that rejoice in their nectar.<\/p>
Trinklein recommends \u201czinnias in the Profusion and Zahara series\u201d for beginners, as they \u201ctend to be tolerant of powdery mildew.\u201d<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong><\/p>
- Butterfly Garden: How to Design One<\/a><\/li>
- 12 Native Plants Perfect for Your Butterfly Garden<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
Sunflowers <\/h2>
![\"Sunflower](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/rsz_sunflower-1.jpg?wsr\")
Photo Credit: Loadmaster<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>2 to 11
Sun: <\/strong>Full sun
Soil: <\/strong>Neutral to alkaline, fertile, moist, well-drained soils
Duration: <\/strong>Annual
Bloom time: <\/strong>Summer to fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Low to moderate
Mature size: <\/strong>3 to 10 feet tall and 18 to 36 inches wide
Maintenance: <\/strong>Low<\/p>Standing tall, nothing says summer like sunflowers (Helianthus annuus<\/em>) with their yellow petals that resemble sunrays. Attractive to birds<\/a> and pollinators, they can work wonderfully in a native pollinator garden<\/a>. Plant your sunflowers in the back of your border to add a vertical element to your landscape.<\/p>
Petunias<\/h2>
![\"Cluster](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Petunias.jpg?wsr\")
Photo Credit: The Roaming Picture Taker<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>2 to 11
Sun: <\/strong>Full sun
Soil: <\/strong>Moist, well-drained soil
Duration: <\/strong>Grown as annuals in most regions
Bloom time: <\/strong>Late spring to fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Moderate
Mature size:<\/strong> 6 inches to 2 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide
Maintenance: <\/strong>Low<\/p>Native to South America, petunias (Grandiflora petunia<\/em>) thrive in hot summer temperatures. If you want to have fun with colors, petunias are your best choice. Blooming in purple, blue, white, and a variety of other showy colors, they will certainly add charm to your garden.<\/p>
For Trinklein, choosing heat-tolerant species is key when choosing your summer flowers, and for this, petunias are an ideal fit. He also shares advice on choosing colors: \u201cFollow a triadic color scheme. These are the colors the tips of an equilateral triangle would point to when placed on a color wheel. For example, yellow, red, and blue are triadic colors.\u201d<\/p>
Impatiens<\/h2>
![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Impatiens.jpg?wsr\")
Photo Credit: Forest and Kim Starr<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>7 to 11
Sun: <\/strong>Partial shade to full shade
Soil: <\/strong>Moist, well-drained soils
Duration: <\/strong>Grown as perennials in zones 10 and 11 and as annuals in colder zones
Bloom time: <\/strong>Late spring to early fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Moderate
Mature size: <\/strong>From 6 to 36 inches tall
Maintenance: <\/strong>Low<\/p>Got shade? That\u2019s not a problem for the common impatiens (Impatiens walleriana<\/em>). Thriving in shady areas, impatiens are low-maintenance and can add color to your garden, even if it doesn\u2019t get much sun.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong> 10 Best Shade Garden Plants<\/a><\/p>
Salvia<\/h2>
![\"beautiful](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Salvia_greggii_1c.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Consultaplantus<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>3 to 12
Sun: <\/strong>Full sun to partial shade
Soil: <\/strong>Well-drained soils
Duration: <\/strong>Annual or perennial
Bloom time: <\/strong>Late spring to fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Moderate
Mature size: <\/strong>1 to 6 feet tall and 1 to 6 feet wide
Maintenance:<\/strong> Low<\/p>If you\u2019re looking for a plant that\u2019s easy to grow and aromatic, sage (Salvia spp.<\/em>) is here for you. Perfect for your garden bed or to plant as an ornamental border, salvia blooms come in purple, white, pink, and other colors. Common sage (Salvia officinalis<\/em>) is also edible and can be used in your recipes.<\/p>
Celosia<\/h2>
![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/celosias.jpg?wsr\")
Photo Credit: Peter Stenzel<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY-ND 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>2 to 11
Sun: <\/strong>Full sun
Soil: <\/strong>Well-drained soil with various textures (except heavy clay)
Duration: <\/strong>Annual, but can be grown as a tender perennial in hardiness zones 10 and 11
Bloom time: <\/strong>Late spring to fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Moderate
Mature size: <\/strong>6 inches to 4 feet tall and 6 inches to 2 feet wide
Maintenance: <\/strong>Low<\/p>Part of the amaranth family, celosias (Celosia spp.<\/em>) come in a variety of striking patterns. The plumosa varieties have soft, plume-like blossoms, while the cristatas\u2019 flowers resemble a cockscomb (hence celosia\u2019s other popular name). The spicata varieties, as the name suggests, have interesting spikey flowers.<\/p>
Lantana<\/h2>
![\"Colorful](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Lantana.jpg?wsr\")
Photo Credit: m. m. v.<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY <\/a>2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>8 to 11
Sun: <\/strong>Full sun
Soil: <\/strong>Moist, well-drained soils; tolerates dry, poor soils
Duration: <\/strong>Annual or perennial
Bloom time: <\/strong>Late spring to fall (in warmer regions, it can bloom all year round)
Water needs: <\/strong>Moderate
Mature size: <\/strong>1 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide
Maintenance:<\/strong> Low<\/p>Common lantana (Lantana camara<\/em>) is a great option if you\u2019re looking for a drought-tolerant ground cover or shrub option. With robust flowering clusters, lantana attracts a variety of pollinators, being another great option for pollinator gardens<\/a>. Just keep in mind that it is considered invasive in some places and has an aggressive growth habit.<\/p>
Periwinkle<\/h2>
![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Vinca-major.jpg?wsr\")
Photo Credit: Peter Stenzel<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY-ND 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>7 to 9
Sun: <\/strong>Tolerates partial to full shade, but prefers full sun
Soil: <\/strong>Dry to moderately moist, well-drained soils
Duration: <\/strong>Perennial
Bloom time: <\/strong>Spring to fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Low to moderate
Mature size: <\/strong>6 inches to 2 feet and 12 inches to 18 inches wide
Maintenance: <\/strong>Low <\/p>Periwinkle (Vinca major<\/em>) is a dream for low-maintenance gardeners. Resistant to drought, diseases, and pests, periwinkles are easy to care for and make great groundcovers. You can also plant them under your shrubs or other shady spots in your yard that are missing some color.<\/p>
Spider Flower<\/h2>
![\"Pink](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/spider-flower.jpg?wsr\")
Photo Credit: James St. John<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>9 to 11
Sun: <\/strong>Full sun
Soil: <\/strong>Moist, well-drained soil
Duration: <\/strong>Annual or perennial
Bloom time: <\/strong>Summer to fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Low to moderate
Mature size: <\/strong>2 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide
Maintenance:<\/strong> Low<\/p>Spider flowers (Cleome spp.<\/em>), also known as bee plants, are a deer-resistant option for garden beds. With a variety of cultivars with bright-colored, showy flowers, spider flowers can be planted with other perennials or en masse. <\/p>
See Related:<\/strong> 15 Deer-Resistant Shrubs for Landscaping Your Yard<\/a><\/p>
Cosmos<\/h2>
![\"Bright](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Cosmos.jpg?wsr\")
Photo Credit: Tim Sheerman-Chase<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>2 to 11
Sun: <\/strong>Full sun
Soil: <\/strong>They tolerate various soil types but prefer slightly neutral to slightly alkaline, not too rich, well-drained soil.
Duration: <\/strong>Annual
Bloom time: <\/strong>Summer to fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Low to moderate
Mature size: <\/strong>1 to 5 feet tall and 1 to 3 feet wide
Maintenance:<\/strong> Low<\/p>Cosmos flowers (Cosmos spp<\/em>.) make great cut flowers to add to your vase or bouquet. Easy to grow and with a long blooming season, these beauties show their striking blooms up until fall, attracting pollinators, birds, and butterflies to your yard. <\/p>
Most of the cosmos grown in the U.S. belong to 3 species: Cosmos atrosanguineus<\/em> (chocolate cosmos), Cosmos bipinnatus<\/em> (Mexican aster), and Cosmos sulphureus<\/em> (orange cosmos).<\/p>
Moss Rose<\/h2>
![\"Pair](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Moss-Rose.jpg?wsr\")
Photo Credit: GT#4 – OFF permanently<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC0 1.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>2 to 12
Sun: <\/strong>Full sun
Soil: <\/strong>Poor to average soils; dry to slightly moist, well-drained soil
Duration: <\/strong>Annual
Bloom time: <\/strong>Late spring to fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Low
Mature size:<\/strong> 3 to 6 inches
Maintenance: <\/strong>Low<\/p>Also known as purslane, moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora<\/em>) has delicate succulent leaves if you like to add interesting textures to your garden. Their petals resemble crepe paper and have a curious behavior: They typically open up on sunny days and close when it is cloudy and during the night. <\/p>
Black-Eyed Susan<\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Black-eyed-Susan-Rudbeckia-hirta.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pixnio<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>3 to 9
Sun: <\/strong>Full sun to partial shade
Soil: <\/strong>Moist, well-drained soil
Duration: <\/strong>Annuals; short-lived perennials in zones 3 to 9
Bloom time: <\/strong>Summer to fall
Water needs: <\/strong>Moderate
Mature size: <\/strong>1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide
Maintenance: <\/strong>Low<\/p>Black-eyed Susan (
- 12 Native Plants Perfect for Your Butterfly Garden<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
- Zinnias\u00a0<\/a><\/li>