For me, it's late July and August - the hottest part of the summer - that are always sort of disappointing. June and the first part of July is when everything's in bloom in my garden.

Here's what was in bloom that I can remember off the top of my head. I can't possibly choose a favorite! :)

Astilbe - I have Peach Blossom
Dwarf Goatsbeard (Aruncus)
Perennial Geraniums - I have dozens
Campanula
Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
Heucheras of all sorts
Salvia - I especially love Eveline and Plumosa
Penstemon - I have Huskers Red, Rondo, and Sweet Grapes as well as some unidentified ones
Catmint Walker's Low
Monkshood (Aconitum)
Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium caeruleum)

IMHO, the most beautiful flowers are often the shortest lasting, but perhaps that is part of what makes them so special. My July favorite is the Oriental lily, which is bold in fragrance as well as appearance. However, and this is if you plant several of them, you will only get to enjoy them for a couple of weeks. To me, they are way worth it.

Hmmm... my garden is on a different schedule than yours, LOL. There are only a couple of things blooming here in May, since our last frost is towards the end of May, so my garden doesn't really get going until June.

I have no shade, so all of my favorites are things that will grow in full sun, such as Gaillardia, Achillea, Echinacea, Coreopsis. This is my first year for Gaillardia 'Burgandy', and I absolutely love the color on this one. Like all of the Gaillardias, they will bloom all the way until the first frost. The Penstemons were blooming for June and July as well, and the hummingbirds can't seem to get enough of them. This is also my first year for daylilies, and even though their bloom time is short, they add such a welcome burst of color that I am very pleased with the ones I have.Â

Bonnie

The first two plants that popped into my mind were my dwarf balloon flowers (platycodon Astra Blue) and my Veronica Blue Carpet.

The dwarf balloon flowers are actually still going pretty strong now. I can't remember exactly when they started blooming, (sorry, I should keep records of this stuff!) but they've been in bloom for a few weeks now. The color is gorgeous, and seems more so this year.

This isn't really a good photo of the plant, and it was from last year, but I love this picture, so here it is, lol!
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A friend of mine, who I had given some of these to last year or even the year before, just commmented to me last night how wonderful hers are doing.

The second plant that popped into mind was Veronica Blue Carpet. I started these from seed last year, and this year they bloomed and were really quite nice. I plan on starting more. I used them as edging around one of my beds, and they were really long-blooming. By happy accident, they were next to some purple coneflowers, and I thought the combination of colors was nice.

Of course, my daylilies were great. Daylilies are one of those plants where, every spring, I wonder why on earth I ever collected so many of them. I don't find their foliage particularly nice. And then they bloom, and I'm reminded why I have ten different pink ones, a dozen different peach, five different yellow, etc.

And last but not least, I have one stand of lilies that never fails to please. I've got to dig up the tags (hopefully still buried in the garden!) because I can't remember the name, but these are beautiful. I really should get more lilies because these are such a wonderful addition to the garden. I'd say they lasted at least three weeks.

Again, last year's photo (and only showing half of them!):
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Great idea for a thread, pm2! I'm looking forward to some good ideas (and maybe some pics!)

:)
Dee

I really have been enjoying my Coreopsis (Moonbeam and Limerock Ruby especially, but Limerock is probably an annual in your zone) and my hardy Hibiscus. They both really got going in June (closer to late June for the Hibiscus) and July and are going well into August with no deadheading or maintenance other than watering when really dry.

Gallardia, lilies, daylilies!!, anise hyssop, clematis triternata rubromarginata, monarda (especially the red)....just off the top of my head.

~Chills

Of course as mentioned by diggerdee, daylilies. There are early, mid season and late bloomers to choose from to give a long bloom time. I was impressed by Stachys grandiflora superba, commonly known as "Big Betony'. Rather 'coarse' foliage with bold spikes of bright lavender flowers. Agastache comes in many colors and would bloom in June/July and longer in my experience, but it won't reliably overwinter for me. Campanulas and shasta daisies will give a lot of choices in heights. The Phlox group that are in the mildew resistant catagory are nice additions, and by pinching back you can spread the bloom time from early July into September. A few of the geraniums really will bloom all summer. I have G. Jolly Bee and it blooms from early June till frost. Asclepias (Butterfly Weed) would fill your wants...and attract Monarchs. Heliopsis 'Lorraine sunshine' has been in bloom since mid June and is still looking great. Also Oenothera Missouri a nice low trailer with big yellow poppy like flowers blooms the whole summer if kept relatively well deadheaded.

Two plants that are new for me this year and quickly became favorites of mine are Sidalcea purpetta - Prairie Mallow and Malva sylvestris - Zebrina. Both are about 3' high, bushy and have been loaded with blooms since the end of June and show no sign of slowing down. I do not know why these aren't planted more often!

Lilies!

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Diggerdee, you lily looks like Orienpet 'Orania' to me. Here is picture of my 'Orania':

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I have loads of things blooming right now in Zone 5. The daylilies and bulb lilies are the biggest and have the most impact. I consider those to be totally trouble free and there is a big range of colors and bloom times available. Liatris is just starting. Catmint WalkerÂs Low is still going strong now and has been for quite a while. Veronica Sunny Border Blue is always reliable. Also for this season is Bee Balm and Echinacea.

When fall arrives and most perennials are dying down the dahlias I add every year will take up the slack.

My garden is at its best in July.

My "tried and trues" are:

Echinacea
Globe thistle
Gaillardia (needs supports)
Catmint
Sidalcea
Butterfly weed
Bugbane (needs support)
and I love my "Catherine Woodbury" daylily!

Next month the grand finale will occur...hardy hibiscus...

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I have to agree with Deeje - late July through August and tend to be disappointing, especially if it's been really dry.

One plant that really keeps things going, though, is Annabelle hydrangea - mine are mature and really lush and gorgeous in peak bloom, but what's nice too is the blooms fade slowly through various stages and the show keeps going on.

Other good July bloomers for me are "Sentimental Blue" dwarf balloon flower, conflowers ("White Swan" and "Magnus"). Love the Oriental lilies - but bloom time is short.

When the hibiscus (H. moschetos) finally get going, they steal the show. They're really late this year, just budding up now. Definitely worth waiting for, though!!

I rely heavily on interesting foliage combinations, and that keeps things interesting (to my eye, anyway) when the blooming is at a lull.

For June in full sun: Geum 'Mrs. Bradshaw'

July sun or part sun: My hollyhock jungle. The bees are going just crazy over them.

Kate

Alina, you may just be right about my lilies! I do believe I bought some Orania bulbs a few years ago, and since I have no other peach-colored lilies elsewhere, these must be them. Thank you! I wonder if yours, like mine, look richer and deeper in person (in lily? lol!) than in photos? Hope you enjoyed yours as much as I did mine (Only one bloom left, thanks to heavy rains over the weekend, but they lasted a long time despite that.)

:)
Dee

I'm in zone 7, so not sure how these work for you.

Salvia 'Black & Blue'
Salvia gregii heavy bloom in spring and again now
Agastache 'Salmon & Pink' been blooming all summer
Agastache 'Blue Fortune'
Agastache 'Coronado' is in the 1st year, but looking great
Echinacea 'Ruby Star' has been blooming since June 13th
Ageratum (perennial)
Geranium 'Rozanne'
Perennial heliotrope all summer
Echinops 'Ritro' just deadheaded the first blooms
Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' 1st bloom
Knockout Roses are starting up again in full bloom
Stick verbena hasn't stopped
Homestead Purple verbena is in 2nd bloom
Monarda is starting 2nd bloom

Cameron

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Kate, thanks for reminding me about Geum! Since they are done blooming now, I'd forgotten how gorgeous they were in June! I have 'Mango Lasi' and 'Fireball', which I love, and little seedlings of 'Blazing Sunset', which I'll have to wait until next year to see bloom.Â

... and Gazania and Katyrose also made a good suggestion with the Butterfly weed. If you don't like the traditional orange Asclepias tuberosa, there's a yellow one, called 'Hello Yello', a red, orange, yellow mix called 'Gay Butterflies', and a pink one, Asclepias incarnata.

Bonnie

Day lilies and Lilies, Russian Sage and Baby's breath are both glorious now, all kinds and colors of Yarrow,phlox that perfume the air,veronicastrum, cimicifugia, meadow rue balloon flower, coneflower,nicotiana,helianthus, Joe Pye and Plume Poppy ( which is now in seed but still gorgeous),thresd leaf coreopsis,pink butterfly weed and Holly hocks.THe caladium aand impatiens are putting on quite a show.Along with NIcotiana they are the only annuals I plant.

Dee, I was reluctant to buy these Lilies because they look boring on pictures. Finally, I bought them at Brent&Becky's 50% off sale last year. I am so glad I did! They are absolutely fantastic! Very strong and much more impressive than on pictures. This is their first year after planting. They are more than 5' tall already! I love Orienpets!

Other perennials that look very healthy and bloom for a very long time:

Gallardia 'Oranges and Lemons' and 'Fanfare'

Geranium 'Rozanne' and 'Jolly Bee'

Dahlia 'Edge of Joy' (not exactly perennial in my climate, but I hope to save tubers for the next year). I planted it this spring. It is more than 3' tall and literally covered with beautiful blooms since early June. Never needs staking, even after severe thunderstorms and heavy rains.

Shasta daisy 'Becky'. Keeps going even after deer attacks.

Cameron you have a beautiful garden. June -daylilies - the first thing I do in the morning is go out to see what opened. July there is not just one. Then I begin to appreciate plants that don't have to be watered. Crepe myrtle does well in the heat.

My 'Happy Returns' and 'Stella d'Oro' and 'Joan Senior' daylilies are blooming again now. They're actually blooming a lot. I've even seen double blooms (bloom within a bloom) on some of mine.

My gaillardia are on their 2nd bloom now and it's almost as full as the first bloom.

My garden is mostly roses for the month of june, with under plantings of salvia maynight, perennial geraniums,and a few others. But july is whole other story. Heliopsis, shasta daisys, purple cone flowers, lillies, meadow sage, russian sage, culvers root, tall and short veronica's, phlox, bee bam, daylillies. July is the primo month for perennials the list is endless and so are the combinations..

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We've had so much rain this year that all my perennials are my favourite this year......mark

Thorn grower, beautiful pics! I see you obviously don't have an Oriental beetle problem in your garden. Your coneflowers and daisies are gorgeous. I'd kill to have just one of my coneflowers and/or daisies look that good. Just one, so I could cut it and enjoy it in a bouquet. Sigh...

Yes, Alina, I agree about the lilies. They are much more impressive in person. Mine tower over my head, and I am five-feet, five-inches tall. They are out near the street and I often get comments on them from passers-by, especially in the evening when the setting sun hits them. And I could smell them in my house, which is a good forty or more feet away. Just beautiful!

:)
Dee

Thorn grower, are the yellow daisies in your photos the Heliopsis, and if so, which one? Also, how tall are they? It's hard to judge their height from the photos. I think they are absolutely gorgeous!

Bonnie

Everyone love your garden pics!Here is some of my faves this year.[IMG]http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll34/juicyfruitkid/Flowers%207-08/8-2008004.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll34/juicyfruitkid/Flowers%207-08/8-2008008.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll34/juicyfruitkid/Flowers%207-08/8-2008006.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll34/juicyfruitkid/Flowers%207-08/8-2008005.jpg[/IMG]

Yes the yellow daisies are the heliopsis (sp) They grow 3-5 feet and bloom 6-7 weeks. Its a great plant if you like yellow. I have a few too many this year. They self seed all over. There very hardy here in z5. All of the plants i grow are easy care plants. I was lucky when i put my garden in, most of my friends amd family garden, so I was able to see the plants growing in gardens in my area before i even planted. I just loved seeing all the lillies people have posted. I'd like to add a few more. I've really enjoyed this thread and I'm so glad i don't have the beetles that i hear about on the forum....mark

Mark...

you really know the formula for "just the right number" of plants to make a beautiful mass planting and then find the perfect color/texture companions. What's your magic number for a mass of each type? How many coneflowers, shasta, etc.? I assume you're figuring in the size of each to decide how many of each. Your combinations seem so perfectly balanced.

Cameron

Wonbyherwits, judging from the photo you posted i would say you have a very keen eye as well. I think the trick for me is useing plants that do well in my conditions and understanding there growing habits and mature size. I think experience is the best teacher in my case. I have no special talents as a gardener other than a deep love of plants. I've been useing the same plants (10 yrs.) and understand what thay do. Thanks for your kind words. I googled herbaceus borders "images", there are a lot of inspirational border pics. This is the 1st year i've started back working on my borders. I took the last 7yrs building and understanding my antique and shrub rose collection. Its good to be home again. Perhaps we should start another thread discussing combination and heights etc.........mark

Hi all!
I have been enjoying the photos and June-July perennial ideas. I will second (3rd,4th..10th) daylilies. They draw me out every morning before work just to see what has opened and to do a little deadheading. They are truly easy care plants. I also love my rudbeckia. I have two kinds, an early and a late blooming type. My garden gets 1/2 sun at best and do so well despite that. Mary

Butterfly bush
Phlox ( I have the disease resistant type)
Blue satin Rose of Sharon
Roses
Portulaca all colors, they sure come back every year that is for sure!
Native trumpet honeysuckle with bright orange trumpet flowers with bright yellow centers! Hummingbirds are in my yard all day.
Boy do I have alot of activity in my small yard between the pholx, butterfly bush and honeysuckle!
Makes for great viewing!