These perennials reliably bloom for weeks, often flowering until the first fall frost.
The best summer-flowering perennials will carry a garden through heat, drought, deluge, and whatever else summer serves up. In the Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden® in Des Moines, Iowa, a few top performers shine above all the rest.
“I’m looking for plants that aren’t fussy and check a lot of boxes,” says garden manager Sandra Gerdes. Here are her picks for the very best summer-blooming perennials that you can count on to fill your summer garden with colorful flowers with minimal maintenance.
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Catmint
Both deer- and rabbit-resistant, catmint (Nepeta spp.) is a hardworking perennial that produces purple flowers from late spring until fall. Cut stems back by one-third of their height after the first flush of flowers fades in early summer to spur the plant continue blooming. The nectar-rich flowers make it a pollinator magnet…