Summer is the season when many landscapes come alive with color, fragrance, and form. Here are standout selections from Endless Summer® Hydrangeas, First Editions® Shrubs & Trees, and Easy Elegance® Roses featuring both popular and underutilized summer bloomers. With a mix of early, mid, and late-season flowering times, your garden can stay colorful from the first warm days of June until the chill of fall. These plants add reliable interest and beauty during the hottest months and are sure to improve any garden design.
Endless Summer® Hydrangeas
Summer Crush® Reblooming Hydrangea
With raspberry-red to neon purple blooms depending on soil pH, Summer Crush® delivers intense color on a compact form. It reblooms reliably from early summer into fall on both old and new wood. Blooms early summer to fall.
Pop Star® Reblooming Hydrangea
This tidy, strong-stemmed hydrangea is a pollinator magnet with blue or pink lacecap blooms. PopStar® flowers early and often, offering season-long performance in a compact form. Blooms early summer to fall.
BloomStruck® Reblooming Hydrangea
Known for its sturdy red stems and vivid violet-blue or rose-pink blooms, BloomStruck® thrives in heat and resists disease. A showstopper with excellent reblooming ability. Blooms early summer to fall.
First Editions® Shrubs & Trees
FlowerFull® Smooth Hydrangea
Aptly named, FlowerFull® delivers an abundance of large, snowy white mophead blooms. Its sturdy stems support the heavy flowers without flopping making it ideal for borders and foundation plantings. Blooms mid to late summer.
Eclipse® Bigleaf Hydrangea
This groundbreaking variety pairs deep purple-black foliage with striking ruby-red or violet blooms. Eclipse® maintains its dark foliage all season for high contrast and drama. Blooms mid to late summer.
Snowdance™ Japanese Tree Lilac
A refined ornamental tree, Snowdance™ bears fragrant, creamy-white flower clusters in mid-summer. This is much later than most lilacs. Another notable quality is it’s ability to profusely bloom every year. Other cultivars of Japanese Tree Lilacs do not. A great urban choice with clean, dark green foliage. Blooms mid-summer.
Cotton Candy™ Phlox
Large, pastel pink blooms cover this compact and mildew-resistant phlox throughout summer. Cotton Candy™ adds a soft touch to mixed borders and pollinator gardens. Blooms early summer to early fall. To learn more about the Phlox genus, check out this blog post Genus Spotlight: Phlox
Lotty’s Love® Rose
This cold-hardy rugosa hybrid offers velvety, magenta-purple blooms with golden centers and a spicy clove fragrance. Lotty’s Love® thrives in tough conditions with minimal care. Blooms late spring to fall.
Cobalt-n-Gold™ Hypericum
A vibrant accent shrub, Cobalt-n-Gold™ displays bright yellow blooms above dense, blue-green foliage. Drought-tolerant and compact, it’s great for mass plantings or edging. Blooms mid to late summer.
Easy Elegance® Roses
Sweet Fragrance Rose
As the name suggests, this elegant rose offers a lush blend of apricot, peach, and coral hues with an intoxicating scent. Continuous blooming and strong disease resistance make it a favorite. Blooms late spring until frost.
Champagne Wishes Rose
Creamy ivory blooms tinged with blush give Champagne Wishes a refined appearance. Its compact habit and glossy foliage make it ideal for containers and formal plantings. Blooms late spring to fall.
All the Rage Rose
This dynamic shrub rose starts with coral buds that open to apricot blooms with a yellow center. All the Rage is low-maintenance and delivers vibrant color all season. Blooms late spring until frost.
Kashmir Rose
With rich, velvety red blooms and a compact, rounded habit, Kashmir Rose brings classic elegance to modern gardens. A standout for foundation plantings and cut flowers. Blooms late spring to fall.
Planting for Success
To get the best performance from your summer blooming plants, it’s important to pair beauty with smart gardening practices. Here are some practical tips and companion ideas to help your landscape thrive from summer’s start to its final bloom.
General Growing Tips
Sunlight: Most of these selections prefer full sun (6+ hours), though some hydrangeas, like Endless Summer® varieties, benefit from afternoon shade in hotter zones.
Soil: Well-draining soil is important. Amending heavy clay or sandy soils with compost improves plant health and bloom production.
Watering: Consistent moisture is key during establishment. Once rooted, many selections (e.g., First Editions® Hypericum, Easy Elegance® Roses) are drought tolerant.
Feeding: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring. Avoid overfeeding, especially with nitrogen, to prevent leggy growth at the expense of blooms.
Pruning: Know your variety. Reblooming hydrangeas bloom on both old and new wood, so minimal pruning is best. Roses and phlox benefit from deadheading to encourage continual flowering.
Companion Plant Suggestions
Mixing textures, heights, and bloom times enhances visual impact and supports pollinators. Here are ideal partners for the featured plants:
For Hydrangeas – Endless Summer® & First Editions®:
- Hosta, Astilbe, and Ferns for shaded or part-sun borders
- Coral Bells and Japanese Forest Grass for foliage contrast
- Dystilium or Chokeberry for structured backdrops
For Roses – Easy Elegance® & Lotty’s Love®:
- Lavender or Salvia to deter pests and attract pollinators
- Catmint for soft texture and complementary color
- Stonecrop and Coneflowers for late-summer punch
For Shrubs like Hypericum, Phlox, or Snowdance™ Tree Lilac:
- Spirea, Ninebark, or Grasses for form and seasonal interest
- Underplant with Tickseed, Blanket Flower, or Pincushion Flower to extend bloom season
- Use Bee Balm or Hyssop in pollinator gardens with Phlox
Blending these selections into your garden design not only enhances seasonal color but also supports biodiversity and landscape resilience. With the right care and combinations, your summer landscape will be full of vibrant color, fragrance, and life.
Summer’s Lasting Impact
From the bold, reliable blooms of Endless Summer® hydrangeas to the refined forms of First Editions® and the effortless beauty of Easy Elegance® Roses, these summer beauties offer exceptional performance and visual appeal throughout the season. Whether you’re designing vibrant garden beds, enhancing curb appeal, or creating pollinator-friendly spaces, these selections provide the color, texture, and fragrance that define summer landscapes. By incorporating a mix of familiar favorites and underutilized gems, you can ensure dynamic interest from summer to fall.
