Perennial flowers that bloom all summer are a terrific addition to any garden, especially when grown in pots and containers. Long-blooming perennial flowers provide continuous color and beauty throughout the season without requiring frequent replanting. Growing these flowers in pots allows you to easily move them to optimize sunlight exposure or highlight certain areas of your garden.

When selecting perennials for all-summer blooms in pots. choose varieties that

• Are hardy enough to withstand summer heat.
• Flower continually without deadheading.
• Have a moderately compact growth habit.
• Tolerate some dryness between waterings.

Some excellent perennial flowers for all-summer color in containers include

Sedums

Sedums are succulent perennials with thick, fleshy leaves that need minimal watering once established. These easy-care perennials bloom through the hottest summer days when other plants wilt.

• ‘Autumn Joy’ has large semi-domed flower heads that transition from pink to copper. It grows 18-24 inches tall.

• ‘Brilliant’ has bright pink blooms and trailing stems perfect for hanging pots.

• ‘Boogie Woogie’ has variegated green and cream foliage with yellow blooms. It grows 6-8 inches tall.

Verbena

Verbenas are heat-loving perennials with clusters of small starry blooms. The tall varieties add vibrant color and fragrance to containers all season.

• ‘Homestead Purple’ has rich purple blossoms and grows 10-12 inches tall.

• ‘Quartz Scarlet’ blooms bright red and grows 14-16 inches tall.

• ‘Superbena Whiteout’ has pure white flowers on 12 inch tall plants.

Geranium

Also called hardy geraniums or cranesbill, these mounding perennials produce cheery small blooms continuously in pots.

• ‘Rozanne’ has violet-blue flowers with white centers. It spreads 18-24 inches wide.

• ‘Biokovo’ has white blooms with pink veins and fuzziness. It grows 12 inches tall.

• ‘Jolly Jewel Lilac’ has lavender blooms and spreads 10-12 inches wide.

Coreopsis

Coreopsis offer vibrant, daisy-like blooms in yellow, gold, red and bi-colors from early summer until frost.

• ‘Moonbeam’ has pale yellow flowers and ferny foliage. It grows 18 inches tall.

• ‘Early Sunrise’ blooms bright golden yellow and reaches 15 inches tall.

• ‘Mercury Rising’ has red and yellow bicolor blooms on 15 inch stems.

Lavender

English lavenders flourish with vibrant purple blooms and aromatic fragrance. The short varieties work well in patio pots.

• ‘Munstead’ has lavender-blue blooms on 10-12 inch plants.

• ‘Hidcote’ has deep violet flowers and gray-green foliage, growing 10-14 inches tall.

• ‘Thumbelina Leigh’ is a dwarf variety just 5-6 inches tall with violet flowers.

Creeping Phlox

Creeping phlox produces masses of tiny starry blooms on spreading mats of foliage. They make excellent spillers for mixed containers.

• ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ has lavender-blue flowers and grows 4 inches tall.

• ‘Red Wings’ has bright crimson blooms on 6 inch tall plants.

• ‘Fort Hill’ has fragrant lavender-pink blossoms and grows 5 inches tall.

Dianthus

Commonly called Pinks, dianthus bloom profusely in summer with frilly flowers in white, pink, red and purple shades. The compact varieties work well in pots.

• ‘Firestar’ has bright crimson red blooms on 6-8 inch tall plants.

• ‘Neon Star’ has shocking neon pink flowers on 8-10 inch stems.

• ‘Starry Eyes’ has white blooms with deep pink centers on 6-8 inch plants.

Mexican Heather

Mexican heather is a small shrubby perennial that produces an abundance of tiny purple or white flowers from summer into fall. It grows just 10-18 inches tall.

Scaevola

Scaevola, also called fan flower, produces delicate fan-shaped blooms nonstop once warm weather arrives. Trailing varieties spill beautifully over pot edges.

• ‘Bombay Blue’ has light blue flowers and spreads 14-20 inches wide.

• ‘Whirlwind Blue’ has prolific lavender-blue blossoms and spreads up to 36 inches wide.

Veronica

Speedwell or veronica offers graceful tapered flower spikes in blue, purple and pink hues from early summer until frost.

• ‘Sunny Border Blue’ has bright blue blooms on 18 inch stems.

• ‘Whitewater’ has pure white flowers on 15 inch tall spikes.

• ‘Red Fox’ has rosy-pink plumes on 24 inch plants.

Gaillardia

Also called blanket flower, gaillardia produces showy daisy-like blooms in shades of red, yellow, orange and rusty-brown. The profuse blooms last all season.

• ‘Arizona Sun’ has bold yellow flowers with red rings. It grows 12 inches tall.

• ‘Commotion Frenzy’ has rusty-red petals tipped in yellow on 18 inch plants.

• ‘Fanfare’ has fluted golden yellow petals and grows 14 inches tall.

Coneflower

Coneflowers are one of the best perennials for nonstop color in pots. Their daisy-like blooms come in white, pink, orange, yellow and more.

• ‘PowWow Wild Berry’ has deep rose-purple blooms and grows 15-18 inches tall.

• ‘Flamethrower’ has bright red-orange blossoms on 24 inch stems.

• ‘White Swan’ has pure white flowers on 24-30 inch tall plants.

Yarrow

Yarrow produces flat-topped clusters of tiny blooms on lacy foliage. It flowers faithfully all season in full sun.

• ‘Paprika’ has smoky orange-red blossoms and ferny gray foliage. It grows 18-24 inches tall.

• ‘Moonshine’ flowers luminous ivory-yellow and has chartreuse foliage. It reaches 24 inches tall.

Calendula

Also called pot marigold, the flower heads of calendula offer a steady supply of sunny yellow, gold and orange blossoms from early summer through fall. The 18 inch tall plants thrive with full sun exposure.

Garden Pinks

These old-fashioned cottage garden favorites bloom in beautiful shades of white, pink, rose and red all season long. The 10-15 inch tall mounding plants work nicely in mixed containers.

Perennial Salvia

The long flower spikes of perennial salvia add vibrant hues of blue, purple, rose and white to pots from summer to fall. Examples include ‘Caradonna’ (violet-blue), ‘Rose Queen’ (deep rose) and ‘Snow Hill’ (white).

Daylily

Modern daylily varieties flower continuously all season with large, flashy blooms in vivid colors including bi-tones. Select dwarf varieties under 18 inches tall for containers.

Ornamental Grasses

Grasses like purple fountain grass, maiden grass, dwarf maid grass and Japanese blood grass provide graceful texture and movement to pots. Many also produce plumes or seed heads mid to late summer.

Perennial Herbs

Many culinary herbs like thyme, oregano, sage, parsley, chives and rosemary are perennial in warm climates. Allow them to flower for added beauty and to attract pollinators to your pots.

Tips for Success with Perennial Container Gardens

• Use a quality potting mix formulated for perennials and containers. This ensures proper drainage.

• Include a slow release fertilizer at planting to provide steady nutrients all season.

• Group plants with similar needs together. For example, plant drought-tolerant perennials together in their own pot.

• Combine plants with different heights, textures and bloom times for varied interest.

• Water thoroughly until water drains from the bottom of pots. This encourages deep roots.

• Place containers where they will get maximum sunlight, at least 6 hours per day.

• Turn pots periodically so all sides get even sunlight exposure.

With the right selection of perennial flowers, you can enjoy continuous color in your container gardens from the first days of summer through the autumn chill. Just be sure to provide the basic care plants need including adequate sunlight, water, nutrients and proper drainage. With a little planning, perennial flowers will bloom abundantly for you all season long when grown in pots and planters.