These Vibrant Plants Will Last All Summer Long
Gardening is a game of patience. You plant, water, check on, think about, google, water, and check on again, all in the hopes that your hard work will reward you with blooms so vibrant that passersby will simply have to stop and comment.
Often, your patience is rewarded. But if you've struggled with successes that don't last long - aka plants that flower and then fade, fast - you may want to consider different flowers. Social media user Michael Griffiths (@themichaelgriffiths on TikTok) has some suggestions.
Picking the Right Flowers
According to Griffiths, there are some plants that will flower all summer, keeping your garden bright and colorful from May until September. Here are his suggestions.
@themichaelgriffiths If you want a garden full of colour for MONTHS… plant these One of the biggest gardening mistakes is choosing plants that only look good for a couple of weeks These are some of my favourite long-flowering plants because they keep going through summer and well into autumn From pollinator-friendly hardy geraniums to towering Verbena bonariensis, these plants earn their space in the garden And the best part? Most of them are incredibly easy to grow and give you colour for months with very little effort A garden that flowers longer means: More colour More pollinators More cut flowers Better value from your planting Which plant in your garden flowers for the longest? #gardentok
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Hardy Geraniums
This plant, also known as the Cransebill Geranium, is a flowering perennial (and Griffiths takes care to point out that you don't want the annual version). They are low-growing and dense, and deliver colorful, small flowers ranging from white to magenta to blue. Griffiths says these have pollinator-friendly blooms that will last into autumn, and will grow in full sun and partial shade.
One note on these: they are toxic to pets, so steer clear if you've got a dog or an outdoor cat who will be roaming your garden.
Related: 6 Easy-to-Grow Flowers That Help Repel Mosquitoes Naturally
Erigeron or Campanula
Griffiths pairs these together as an option for low-growing plants. He says that they both spread beautifully and are pollinator-friendly.
Erigeron is also known as Fleabane, and produces narrow petals from around a bright center. Campanula's other name is Bellflower, and it blooms in blues, purples, and whites. Campanula does best in full to partial sun.
Sweet Peas
Not to be confused with the vegetable, these climbing flowers are perfect for a trellis or fence. Their colors are vibrant and various - they come in almost every color except yellow - and they thrive in full sun. According to Griffith, these begin flowering as early as May and last all summer.
Related: You're Probably Deadheading Your Petunias the Wrong Way
Penstemon
Penstemon, aka Beardtongue, is Griffith's answer to anyone looking for immediate color. It comes in pink, red, white, purple, and yellow (though yellow is rare), and feature flowers on elegant stalks. Griffith advises that you plant them in groups of three to five to see immediate impact.
Verbena Bonariensis
Looking for some height? This butterfly plant is Griffith's pick - and he notes that it even rivals Buddleia, aka the classic butterfly bush.
A Long, Colorful Season
For gardeners, we're about to enter the season we've dreamt of all winter. Try the plants above for more color in your garden, more pollinators coming by, and more value from all your hard work.
And if you get a few more compliments from neighbors, too? That's just gravy.
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 11:11 AM.