What Blooms in June

Borage

Star-shaped electric blue flowers that bees go absolutely wild for. Self-sows freely.

Celosia

Flame-shaped or crested flowers in electric colors that dry beautifully. Heat lovers that thrive in summer.

Cleome

Spider-flower with whisker-like stamens and airy blooms. Tall, dramatic annual that self-sows freely.

Flowering Tobacco

Tubular flowers that release sweet fragrance at dusk. A cottage garden classic that attracts moths and hummingbirds.

Scarlet Sage

Electric red spikes that hummingbirds zero in on. Common bedding plant that earns its spot every year.

Sweet Pea

Ruffled, intensely fragrant climbing flowers in every pastel shade. Cool-season annual that hates heat.

Bee Balm

Shaggy, crown-shaped flowers that hummingbirds fight over.

Blanket Flower

Fiery bicolor pinwheels that bloom nonstop in the worst heat and soil.

Blue False Indigo

Lupine-like spikes on a native that lives forever. Gets better with age.

Catmint

Billowy lavender-blue haze that blooms all season if you shear it back.

Clematis

The queen of flowering vines. Over 300 species, something for every spot.

Coneflower

Tough prairie native with long bloom season and medicinal history.

Coral Bells

Grown mostly for dramatic foliage, but the tiny bell flowers are a bonus.

Cosmos

Airy, dancing flowers on thread-thin stems. Effortless cottage garden charm.

Creeping Thyme

Fragrant, walkable ground cover. Bees love it, foot traffic can't kill it.

Daylily

Virtually indestructible perennial with trumpet blooms in every warm hue.

Dianthus

Spicy-scented, fringed petals. One of the best edging plants there is.

Drift Rose

Groundcover rose that stays low and spreads wide. Tough, disease-resistant, and constantly in bloom.

Honeysuckle

Tubular, nectar-rich flowers with a fragrance that defines summer evenings.

Impatiens

The shade annual champion. Flowers prolifically where nothing else will.

Iris

Elegant sword-leaved perennials with intricate, ruffled blooms.

Marigold

Bulletproof color all season long. The workhorse of warm-toned borders.

Morning Glory

Fast-climbing vine with trumpets that open fresh every morning.

Pardon Me Daylily

Compact cranberry-red with a yellow-green throat and one of the best reblooming habits in the entire family.

Petunia

Cascading color for containers and beds. Blooms nonstop until frost.

Pickerelweed

Spikes of violet-blue flowers above glossy arrow-shaped leaves. Native pond and stream bank staple.

Rose

The queen of the garden. Modern varieties are surprisingly low-maintenance.

Salvia

Vertical flower spikes that hummingbirds and bees cannot resist.

Shasta Daisy

Classic white-and-gold daisies that look fresh from a meadow painting.

Snapdragon

Vertical flower spikes with squeeze-open blooms. Kids love them.

Spirea

Flat-topped flower clusters on tidy mounds. The easiest flowering shrub.

Stella de Oro Daylily

The most planted perennial in America. Compact, reblooming, and basically indestructible.

Sweet Alyssum

Honey-scented carpet of tiny flowers. The best living edging plant.

Tickseed

Cheerful native daisy that blooms for months with almost no care.

Viburnum

Fragrant snowball clusters in spring, then berries for birds in fall.

Vinca

Evergreen mat with periwinkle-blue flowers. Tough shade ground cover.

Yarrow

Flat-topped clusters on ferny foliage. Thrives on neglect in poor soil.

Zinnia

Easy-grow annual with electric colors. Cut-and-come-again champion.

American Elderberry

Large flat clusters of creamy flowers in early summer give way to dark berries for jams and wildlife.

Angelina Sedum

Chartreuse needle-like foliage turns golden orange in fall. Tiny yellow flowers are a bonus.

Annabelle Hydrangea

Enormous snowball blooms on a native species. Blooms on new wood, so prune hard in spring.

Asiatic Lily

Upward-facing blooms in a wide range of vivid colors. Easy to grow and brilliant in the summer border.

Bela Lugosi Daylily

Deep, near-black purple with a small yellow-green throat, the darkest and most dramatic daylily you can grow.

Beverly Sills Iris

Coral-pink blooms with a tangerine beard. Named for the opera star and just as elegant.

Butterfly Milkweed

Vivid orange-red flat-topped clusters that monarchs and swallowtails cannot resist. Drought-proof once established.

Caradonna Salvia

Dark purple stems set this apart from every other salvia. Vertical, architectural, electric.

Cat's Meow Catmint

Tidy, dome-shaped habit that never flops open. Stays compact without shearing.

Chamomile

Tiny daisy flowers with apple-scented foliage. Brew into tea or let it naturalize between pavers.

Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

A rainbow mix of coneflower colors from a single seed strain. Every plant is a surprise.

Chicago Apache Daylily

Scarlet red with a velvety texture. One of the best true red daylilies available.

Chives

Cheerful purple pom-pom flowers on a kitchen staple. Edible blooms make any salad Instagram-worthy.

Double Punch Coral Daylily

Fully double coral blooms like a small peony on a daylily, lush and completely unexpected.

False Sunflower

Cheerful golden-yellow daisies that bloom for months on a tough native perennial. The sunniest, most reliable workhorse in the border.

Happy Returns Daylily

Lemon-yellow rebloomer with light fragrance. A bit taller than Stella with softer color.

Hyperion Daylily

Tall, pale lemon-yellow, sweetly fragrant blooms on an heirloom variety that's been cherished since 1925.

Immortality Iris

Reliable rebloomer with pure white ruffled falls. Blooms spring, then again in fall.

Mary Todd Daylily

Ruffled golden-yellow flowers with a lavender eye, large, showy, and sweetly fragrant in the summer border.

May Night Salvia

Perennial Plant of the Year. Dense indigo-violet spikes that rebloom if deadheaded.

Pacific Bleeding Heart

Western native that blooms much longer than its eastern cousin. Ferny foliage all season.

Powwow Wild Berry Coneflower

Deep rose-purple petals and a bronzy cone on a compact reblooming plant that won't sprawl.

Purple de Oro Daylily

Deep purple-red blooms on a compact Stella-sized plant. Brings rich color to the front of the border.

Red Hot Returns Daylily

Brilliant red with a small yellow center, compact and one of the earliest daylilies to kick into rebloom.

Rosy Returns Daylily

Soft rose-pink blooms with a cream throat that keep coming from late spring to frost, absolutely tireless.

Siloam Doodlebug Daylily

Tiny pastel pink blooms on a miniature plant, perfect for container gardens and tight spaces.

Swamp Rose

Clear pink single blooms on a native rose that thrives in wet spots, ditch edges, and rain gardens where other roses would drown.

Thread-Leaf Coreopsis

Thread-fine foliage and masses of tiny yellow stars bloom for months with zero effort. A perennial you can actually neglect.

Trumpet Vine

Aggressive native vine with fiery trumpets. Hummingbird highway.

Walker's Low Catmint

Perennial Plant of the Year. Billowy lavender-blue spikes that rebloom hard after a shear.

Water Lily

Floating jewels that transform any pond. Pads provide shade for fish while flowers dazzle above.

White Swan Coneflower

Pure white drooping petals around a bronze-orange cone. Elegant and underused.

Wild Columbine

Nodding red-and-yellow spurred flowers that hummingbirds love on a self-sowing native that naturalizes along woodland edges.

Yucca

Sword-like evergreen foliage sends up dramatic stalks of white bells. Tough, architectural, underrated.

Astilbe

Feathery plumes that light up shady, moist spots like nothing else can.

Bleeding Heart

Arching sprays of heart-shaped flowers for shady woodland gardens.

Blue Fescue

Steel-blue tufted mound. Perfect edging or rock garden accent.

Blue Flax

Delicate sky-blue flowers open each morning on airy stems over fine foliage.

Blue Oat Grass

Compact clumps of steel-blue blades provide year-round color and texture.

Bowl of Beauty Peony

Hot pink outer petals cup a creamy center of narrow petaloids. Dramatic and unmistakable.

Bridal Veil Astilbe

Graceful cascading white plumes on dark stems. Luminous in a shady corner.

Butterfly Bush

Long, arching flower wands that butterflies absolutely lose their minds over.

California Poppy

Golden cups that carpet hillsides across the state. Closes at night and on cloudy days.

Camassia

Tall spikes of starry flowers rise above strappy foliage in late spring.

Campanula

Open, nodding bells in clear blue on tall graceful stems. Self-sows into refined cottage garden drifts.

Columbine

Delicate, spurred flowers that dance on wiry stems. Hummingbird favorite.

Coral Honeysuckle

Non-invasive native honeysuckle with brilliant coral-red tubular flowers that hummingbirds hover at for months.

Delphinium

Towering spires of true blue. The tallest, most dramatic back-of-border plant.

Don Juan Climbing Rose

Deep velvety red climber with classic rose fragrance. Repeats reliably on a strong, vigorous plant.

Double Knock Out Rose

Fuller, double-petaled version of the Knock Out. Same bulletproof performance with more petal count.

Endless Summer Hydrangea

Reblooms on old and new wood, so you get flowers even after a harsh winter. Color shifts with soil pH.

Ernest Markham Clematis

Magenta-red flowers with brown anthers that bloom late when others have faded. A solid, underappreciated red clematis.

Fanal Astilbe

The deepest garnet-red of any astilbe. Dark bronze foliage makes those plumes glow.

Festiva Maxima Peony

Pure white double blooms flecked with crimson at the center. Beloved since 1851 and still unmatched.

Firecracker Penstemon

Spikes of scarlet tubular flowers that hummingbirds fight over. Southwestern native at its finest.

Foxglove

Stately spires of spotted, bell-shaped flowers. Cottage garden royalty.

Fringe Tree

Clouds of white fringed petals dripping from branches in late spring. Fragrant and underused native.

Hagley Hybrid Clematis

Soft shell-pink flowers with a hint of mauve that fade beautifully in part shade and bloom reliably all summer.

Hens and Chicks

Tight rosettes that multiply by producing offsets. The mother plant flowers once, then dies, replaced by chicks.

Husker Red Penstemon

Dramatic burgundy-red foliage all season with white tubular flowers in late spring. The most striking native penstemon for gardens.

Hydrangea

Massive mophead blooms that shift color with soil pH. Showstoppers.

Ice Plant

Neon-bright daisy flowers that shimmer in the sun over succulent foliage. Thrives in hot, dry rock gardens.

Incrediball Hydrangea

Annabelle's bigger sibling with stronger stems that don't flop. Blooms the size of basketballs.

Indian Paintbrush

Bright red to orange bracts surround small flowers and glow across spring prairies.

Japanese Iris

Huge, flat, ruffled blooms up to 10 inches across. Needs consistent moisture, especially during bloom.

Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass

Strong vertical plumes emerge in early summer and persist as tawny stems through winter.

Knock Out Rose

The rose that changed everything. Disease-resistant, self-cleaning, and blooms nonstop from spring to frost.

Lavender

Fragrant silver-green mounds beloved by bees and humans alike.

Lupine

Dramatic spikes in every color. Short-lived but self-seeds generously.

Magnus Coneflower

The gold standard coneflower. Flat, non-drooping petals around a bold copper cone. Perennial Plant of the Year.

Mexican Hat

Distinctive sombrero-like flowers sway on wiry stems in summer prairies.

Miss Kim Lilac

Compact lilac with pale lavender blooms and outstanding fragrance. Burgundy fall foliage as a bonus.

Mountain Laurel

Exquisite geometric buds open to cupped flowers. A native evergreen gem.

Native Spiderwort

Three-petaled flowers in blue-purple open fresh each morning on a tough native that blooms for weeks and seeds freely.

Ninebark

Peeling bark, burgundy foliage, and white puffs. A native multitasker.

Nootka Rose

Single, apple-pink blooms followed by large rose hips that persist through winter on a vigorous Pacific Northwest native.

Oregano

Tiny flowers are a pollinator magnet when allowed to bloom. Let a patch go to flower for the bees.

Penstemon

Tubular flowers on upright stems. Native hummingbird magnet for dry gardens.

Peony

Lush, ruffled blooms with intoxicating fragrance. Lives for decades.

PowWow Wild Berry Coneflower

Compact, heavily branched, and smothered in deep rose-purple blooms. Reblooms without deadheading.

Purple Prairie Clover

Brushy purple flower spikes rise over fine foliage and feed prairie pollinators.

Quick Fire Hydrangea

Blooms a full month before other paniculatas. White cones age to deep rosy pink by fall.

Red Twig Dogwood

Flat clusters of white flowers and berries give way to vivid red stems that shine in winter.

Rhododendron

Big, bold trusses of bloom over glossy evergreen foliage.

Rhubarb

Huge leaves and thick red stalks give a lush look while supplying tart harvests.

Rocky Mountain Columbine

Large blue-and-white spurred flowers bloom in late spring above lacy foliage.

Rocky Mountain Penstemon

Spikes of deep blue tubular flowers rise above glossy evergreen foliage in early summer.

Sarah Bernhardt Peony

Fully double, apple-blossom pink blooms so heavy they nod on their stems. The most planted peony in history.

Scarlet Gilia

Tubular red trumpets on a wiry biennial that hummingbirds adore across the Mountain West. Blooms its second year, then self-sows.

Sea Thrift

Grassy tufts topped with round pink pom-poms. Loves lean soil and coastal conditions.

Solomon's Seal

Arching stems hung with dangling white bells. Pairs of leaves create graceful, layered architecture.

Speedwell

Tidy spikes of blue that add vertical punch to the front of the border.

Sulphur Flower

Sulfur-yellow flower clusters on a silvery-leaved cushion plant. One of the toughest and prettiest natives of the Mountain West.

The President Clematis

Big, rich violet-blue flowers with silvery reverse petals rebloom through the season on a vigorous, reliable plant.

Tufted Hair Grass

Airy gold-green flower clouds hover above dark evergreen tufts. One of the few grasses that thrives in moist shade.

Twinspike Coral Bells

Warm amber-caramel foliage that glows in the shade garden all season. The flowers are just a bonus.

Weigela

Tubular blooms smother arching branches in late spring. Hummingbird haven.

Western Red Columbine

Scarlet and yellow spurred flowers that hummingbirds follow through the Pacific Northwest's mountain meadows.

White Prairie Clover

Cylindrical white flower spikes with orange anthers on a delicate, drought-proof prairie native that feeds bees all summer.

White Wild Indigo

Luminous white lupin-like spikes on a structural native that's practically indestructible and improves with every year.

Wild Blue Phlox

Loose clusters of sky-blue flowers float above woodland floors in spring on a fragrant, mat-forming native.

Wild Geranium

Soft pink blooms over deeply-cut foliage. A woodland edge staple.

Winterberry

Inconspicuous blooms, but covered in brilliant red berries all winter long.

Allium

Dramatic globe-shaped heads on tall stems. Architectural and deer-proof.

Bloom-a-Thon Azalea

Repeat-blooming azalea with waves of color spring through fall. Evergreen in mild climates.

Bloomerang Lilac

Blooms in spring, then reblooms summer through frost. Compact habit with classic lilac fragrance.

Bottlebrush Buckeye

Massive suckering shrub with foot-long white flower candles. Showpiece for large shade gardens.

Cliffrose

Creamy white rose-like flowers with sweet fragrance and feathery seed plumes on a tough Rocky Mountain native.

Climbing Hydrangea

Slow to start but spectacular once established, covering shady walls with flat-topped white lacecap flowers and exfoliating bark.

Culinary Sage

Spiky purple blooms above silver-green aromatic foliage. A kitchen herb that doubles as an ornamental.

Desert Marigold

Cheerful desert wildflower that blooms almost year-round in warm climates. Thrives on neglect.

Double Delight Rose

Creamy white petals blush to strawberry red at the edges. Knockout fragrance matches the looks.

Dutch Iris

Slender stems bear elegant iris blooms in late spring to early summer.

Dwarf Korean Lilac

Slow-growing dwarf with dense rounded habit. Perfect for small gardens and foundation plantings.

Feverfew

Clusters of small white daisies that bloom for weeks. Historic medicinal herb that self-sows readily.

Globe Artichoke

Bold silvery foliage and large thistle-like buds are both decorative and edible.

Goatsbeard

Giant creamy plumes like an astilbe on steroids. Native woodland giant that anchors a shade border.

Golden Rain Tree

Showers of small yellow flowers followed by papery lantern-like seed pods. Tolerates tough urban conditions.

Graham Thomas Rose

Rich golden-yellow cups with an intense tea rose fragrance. David Austin's most famous creation.

Henryi Clematis

Large, pure white flowers with dark brown anthers rebloom in fall. Elegant, classic, and undeniably refined.

Hidcote Lavender

Compact and intensely dark purple. The standard against which all other lavenders are measured.

Jackmanii Clematis

The classic large-flowered clematis since 1858. Deep violet-purple blooms cover the vine midsummer.

Japanese Painted Fern

Silver and burgundy fronds unlike any other fern. Foliage plant that earns its keep on color alone.

Lady's Mantle

Chartreuse frothy flowers and pleated blue-green leaves that hold water droplets like mercury. The ultimate filler plant.

Lewisia

Succulent rosettes with brilliant striped flowers in hot sunset colors. Must have perfect drainage or it rots.

Mexican Feather Grass

Gossamer fine blades ripple in the slightest breeze like living silk. Plant where you can watch it move.

Mock Orange

Arching stems carry orange-blossom-scented white flowers in late spring.

Mountain Bluebell

Sky-blue bell flowers on tall arching stems along mountain streams. The showy western cousin of Virginia Bluebell.

Munstead Lavender

Earlier blooming and slightly softer purple than Hidcote. Gertrude Jekyll's favorite for a reason.

Nelly Moser Clematis

Pale pink petals with a darker pink bar down the center. Prefers some shade to prevent color fading.

New Dawn Climbing Rose

The world's most popular climbing rose. Soft blush pink, sweetly fragrant, and remarkably vigorous.

Nikko Blue Hydrangea

The classic blue mophead. Rich, true blue in acidic soil. A cottage garden essential.

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Oak-shaped leaves turn burgundy in fall. White cone blooms age to pink. Four-season native shrub.

Oceanspray

Cascading creamy white plumes on arching branches. Western Washington's summer answer to a native bridal veil.

Ostrich Fern

Tall vase-shaped fronds that unfurl from fiddleheads in spring. Spreads to form dramatic colonies.

Phenomenal Lavender

Survives humidity and cold that kills other lavenders. Silver foliage stays tight and full.

Prairie Smoke

Nodding wine-red flowers transform into feathery pink seed plumes that persist into summer. Native prairie gem.

Red Hot Poker

Torch-like spikes in fire-orange and yellow that hummingbirds zoom straight to. Bold and unforgettable.

Shooting Star

Nodding flowers with swept-back petals resemble tiny shooting stars in spring meadows.

Smoke Tree

Airy pink flower plumes create a smoke-like haze around the canopy. 'Royal Purple' has burgundy foliage.

Stokes Aster

Fringed, shaggy-petaled flowers in shades of cornflower blue that bloom for weeks on a tough Southern native.

Sundrop

Bright yellow cups that open in daylight on a cheerful, drought-tolerant native that spreads into informal drifts.

Swamp Milkweed

Soft mauve-pink clusters that monarch butterflies seek out for egg-laying. Thrives where it's consistently wet.

Tall Verbena

Wiry stems topped with purple clusters that butterflies can't resist. See-through plant for layering.

Trumpet Gentian

Intense, almost electric blue trumpet flowers on a low mat. The holy grail of alpine gardeners.

Virginia Sweetspire

Fragrant white bottlebrush flowers followed by brilliant orange-red fall color on a shade-tolerant, deer-resistant native.

American Beautyberry

Inconspicuous flowers give way to stunning clusters of magenta-purple berries in fall. The berries are the show.

Century Plant

Grows for decades, then sends up a massive flower stalk up to 20 feet tall before dying. Worth the wait.

Coral Bean

Bold spikes of tubular red flowers in spring attract hummingbirds before bean pods form.

Crape Myrtle

The tree of the South. Months of crinkled blooms and gorgeous peeling bark.

Flame Azalea

Outrageous blooms in hot orange, red, and yellow on a deciduous native azalea that stops people in their tracks.

Gardenia

Glossy evergreen foliage frames intensely fragrant white flowers from late spring into summer.

Green-and-Gold

Bright yellow star flowers appear for months above mat-forming foliage. The best spring ground cover for the Southeast.

Jasmine

Intensely sweet-scented white stars. The scent of warm southern evenings.

Lantana

Multi-colored flower clusters that bloom relentlessly in brutal heat.

Masterwort

Intricate pincushion flowers surrounded by papery bracts in soft pinks and whites. Beloved by florists and shade gardeners alike.

Matilija Poppy

Enormous fried-egg flowers on blue-gray stems. California's largest native wildflower. Spreads aggressively.

Meadow Rue

Fluffy puffs of bloom on tall, airy stems above columbine-like foliage. Light and ethereal.

Pomegranate

Brilliant orange-red blossoms in late spring and summer are followed by decorative, edible fruits.

Rozanne Geranium

Violet-blue saucer flowers on a sprawling mound that blooms from late spring until frost. The most awarded perennial geranium in history.

Salal

Leathery evergreen groundcover of Pacific Northwest forests. Urn-shaped flowers lead to edible berries.

Stewartia

Camellia-like white flowers, exfoliating bark, and crimson fall color. The four-season tree professionals love.

Tiger Lily

Spotted orange-yellow turk's cap blooms on tall stems. The fire-bright wildflower of Pacific Northwest meadows and open forests.

Turk's Cap

Nodding red hibiscus flowers that never fully open are pure hummingbird candy across the Gulf South.

Wax Begonia

Glossy leaves and nonstop flowers in sun or shade. One of the most reliable bedding plants anywhere.

Wonderful Pomegranate

Reliable cultivar bearing large red fruits and vivid orange flowers.

Aeonium

Dramatic rosettes on woody stems. 'Zwartkop' variety has near-black leaves. Stunning in containers.

Angel's Trumpet

Huge pendant trumpets release intense evening fragrance over a long warm-season bloom.

Bougainvillea

Explosive cascades of papery bracts. Covers walls and fences in color.

Calibrachoa

Mini petunias that bloom nonstop in hanging baskets. Dozens of color options and no deadheading needed.

Echeveria

Perfect rosettes in blue, green, pink, and purple. Bell-shaped flowers on arching stems. Frost-tender.

Hawaiian Hibiscus

Large tropical blooms in vivid colors appear repeatedly from spring through fall.

Mandevilla

Glossy vines are covered in showy trumpet flowers from early summer to frost in warm climates.

Meyer Lemon

Sweetly scented white blossoms appear intermittently year-round and set thin-skinned lemons.

Pelargonium

The classic window-box geranium. Ball-shaped flower clusters above scalloped leaves. Tough container staple.

Pink Dipladenia

Bushy form with glossy foliage and abundant pink trumpets suited to pots and borders.

Rodgersia

Huge textured leaves resembling horse chestnuts with fluffy plumes. Architectural shade statement.

Southern Magnolia

Huge glossy-leaved tree bearing enormous lemon-scented white flowers. The quintessential symbol of the Deep South's summer.

Bird of Paradise

Sculptural, crane-like flowers in orange and blue. Unmistakable.

Pink Plumeria

Clusters of pink, sweetly scented blooms cover this classic tropical tree in summer.

Plumeria

Intoxicatingly fragrant tropical blooms. The flower of Hawaiian leis.

White Plumeria

Highly fragrant white flowers with yellow centers appear in clusters on succulent branches.