Long-Lasting Summer Flowers

• Grow long-lasting flowers that add color to the landscape through the summer months. VisionsofAmerica/Joe Sohm/Photodisc/Getty Images

  When planning a summer garden, select heat-resistant flowers that bloom throughout the summer to add vibrant color to the dull and weary landscape. Include different types of successive bloomers and long-blooming flowers to provide continual color until fall. While some annuals grow for one season, others benefit from deadheading that prolongs their flowering period.

Impatiens

• Attractive impatiens bloom all summer. impatiens image by palms from Fotolia.com

  Consider impatiens (Impatiens wallerana) that spruce up a shaded or partially shaded part of the lawn. Commonly called busy Lizzie or patience plant, impatiens grow 10 to 24 inches tall, depending on the variety selected, and add a splash of color when grown in large masses from early to end summer. Each flower measures 2 inches across and appears in shades including pink, white, salmon lavender and coral. The low-maintenance annuals prefer well-draining, slightly moist soils and flower until the first frost.

Black-Eyed Susan

• Black-eyed susan add vibrant color to the garden. black eyed susan image by sharon from Fotolia.com

  A popular perennial across the United States, the black-eyed Susan or gloriosa daisy is a summer flower belonging to the Aster/Daisy family. The plant grows from 10 to 36 inches tall, depending on the variety selected, and produces daisy-like blooms in shades of yellow, orange, brown and red that add summer interest to a garden bed or container. The hardy plant thrives in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 10 and prefers full sunlight in well-drained soil.

Petunias

• Low-maintenance petunias bloom during the summer months. Variety of petunias image by Sergey Kolesnikov from Fotolia.com

  Prized for their colorful blooms and low-maintenance needs, petunias are popular bedding and container flowers grown throughout the United States. Appearing in both upright and trailing varieties, petunias feature attractive funnel-shaped blooms in bold and pastel shades that provide summer-long interest. The low-spreading, heat-tolerant annuals thrive in full sun and provide non-stop blooms throughout the summer months until the first frost. Each 4- to 6-inch-tall flower gives out a pleasant scent.

Zinnias

• Zinnias add a cheerful note to the summer garden. zinnia image by maslight from Fotolia.com

  Native to Mexico, southwest United States and Central America, zinnias (Zinnias elegans) are popular annuals that add a cheerful note to the container or flower bed from end spring until the first frost. Although delicate in appearance, the hardy flowers withstand extreme temperatures and appear in pastel and bold shades that liven up the area. The plants grow from 6 to 20 inches in height, depending on the variety selected, with flower heads that measure 1 to 4 inches in width. The hardy annuals benefit from deadheading. Grow zinnias in well draining soil exposed to full sunlight.

Cornflower

• Bachelor's buttons or cornflowers are hardy, drought-tolerant annuals that thrive in full sun. The plant grows 18 to 35 inches tall and features attractive blue, white, lilac, red and pink blooms. Cornflowers thrive in well-drained soils exposed to full sun. Deadheading spent blooms prolongs flowering till fall. In areas with temperate climates, the self-sowing annuals grow in the same spot for many years.