Nothing brightens up outdoor living spaces during the summer better than beautiful containers filled with flowers. Whether you have a huge yard or a tiny balcony or patio, you can bring summer to life outside your door with a few (or many!) summer planter flowers. These potted beauties will bloom all summer long.
Gorgeous Summer Planter Flowers for Full Sun
For your yard's sunniest spots, you can't go wrong with these beautiful blooms that'll keep your containers colorful all summer.
Annual Lobelia
These blue and white beauties will spill over the sides of your container, adding so much pretty color. Annual lobelia (Lobelia erinus) doesn't get taller than six inches, but it adds a powerful punch of color to any flowerpot.
Blanketflower
The pretty, dual-colored blossoms of blanketflowers (Gaillardia) are a great full-sun option for summer containers. They're super easy to care for, and they'll come back year after year. Keep them blooming into fall by deadheading regularly.
Cockscomb
With their unique spiky blooms, cockscomb (Celosia) plants are a striking addition to any summer container garden. This plant is related to the grain amaranth. Cockscomb flowers are edible, and so are the plant's stems and leaves.
Common Geraniums
There's a reason geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) make such popular potted flowers. They come in pretty colors, start blooming in early spring, and bloom all summer. Plus, they're super easy to care for. Common geraniums are among the best potted flowers for spring and summer, as they start blooming in late spring and keep going through the entire summer.
Dahlias
From compact blossoms to flowers as big as dinner plates, colorful dahlias (Dahlia) can thrive in containers. Plus, dahlias will bloom year after year if they aren't exposed to freezing temperatures. Container planting makes it super-easy to move them indoors for the winter months.
Daisies
Who doesn't love a cheerful daisy? Daisies (Bellis perennis) are easy to grow, and they make great potted plants. Get creative by mixing together a few different kinds of daisies in the same container.
Echinacea
If you're looking for a summer-blooming plant to put in a large container, echinacea (Echinacea), also known as coneflower, is a great choice. Use at least a two-gallon container to accommodate this perennial's long taproot.
Marigolds
Marigolds (Tagetes) make marvelous planter flowers. These sun-loving blossoms bloom all summer long with lovely red, yellow, or orange heads (based on variety) for a sunny pop of color. They're very easy to grow and will provide you with tons of seeds to plant next year.
Petunias
Petunias (Petunia) are a cheerful-looking addition to any summer garden. No matter what kind of garden container you have, it will look positively precious with some colorful (and low-maintenance!) petunias cascading over the side.
Sunpatiens
Sunpatiens (Impatiens x hybrida SunPatiens®) plants are patented and trademarked. Most impatiens need shade, but this hybrid loves full sun. They are a great option for all kinds of containers, including urns and hanging baskets.
Zinnias
Zinnias (Zinnias) start with the last letter of the alphabet, but they should be first on your list of summer planter flowers. There are many varieties in all sizes, shapes, and colors. You'll never get tired of looking at garden pots filled with zinnias.
Best Summer Flowers for Planters in Shady Areas
Whether it's hanging under the eaves of your house or underneath your favorite shade tree, if you have a pot of blooms that gets more shade than sun, you'll want some of these pretty shade-loving plants that bloom.
Balsam
Balsam (Impatiens balsamina) is an old-timey heirloom plant that thrives in partial shade. It's a low-maintenance plant that grows very well in containers as long as it's not exposed to either too much sun or too much shade.
Madagascar Periwinkle
Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), also known as bright eyes and cape periwinkle, is a lovely container flower for summer. It prefers to grow in part shade, but it can also tolerate a good bit of sun.
Tuberous Begonia
Tuberous begonias (Begonia × tuberhybrida) are terrific container flowers that bloom all summer, as long as they are placed in part shade or dappled shade. They work great in hanging baskets or any kind of garden pot.
Cardinal Flower
The bright red cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a wildflower, but that doesn't mean that you can't put this shade-loving perennial in a container. As long as you plant it in rich soil that you keep moist, it will reward you with beauty.
Impatiens
Impatiens (Impatiens) are the saving grace of many a shady backyard. These plants thrive in shady conditions. They will bloom profusely in even heavily shaded areas where most other summer plants wouldn't produce a single petal.
Creative Outdoor Planter Ideas for Summer
You don't have to stick with just one kind of flower in your favorite planters, nor do you have to purchase containers from a nursery or garden center to hold your potted plants. There are many unique container garden ideas.
- Create a tire garden - Paint some old tires and fill them with dirt to create a unique upcycled container garden for your yard. Chances are that a local tire store will be happy to give you some older tires.
- Convert a fire pit - Did you upgrade your backyard fire pit? Don't send the old one to a landfill. Drill a few holes in the bottom and use it as a planter.
- Mixed plantings - Who says you have to stick with just one type of plant per pot? Mix several kinds of flowering plants in the same container, or pair a leafy plant like coleus with a plant that produces a lot of blooms.
Beautify Your Yard With Summer Planter Flowers
In-ground gardens and raised beds are awesome, but no summer landscape is complete without a collection of containers overflowing with beautiful blooms. When it comes to creating a seasonal container garden, there are no hard and fast rules to follow. Plant your favorite summer flowers in whatever you have handy — from decorative containers made to be used in formal container garden designs to creative upcycled options that will help you create an eclectic garden design that is uniquely yours.
