6) Get ready to plant. See my list of favorite, easy Summer bloomers at the end of this article. Do be aware the care info is based on what we know from our experience at the nursery & what folks have told us. I know you folks in hotter areas (like Sacramento) tend to plant most Summer bloomers in part sun to part shade. Also, plants listed as drought tolerant do need some water for a while until they become established.

7) Planting. Always try to buy your plants small. Really. The smaller the better as long as the roots reach the bottom of the pot. Don’t buy plants in bloom unless it’s a party-type emergency. Plants already blooming in a container are stunted, have used up some of their bloom time & will never put on the show a small, non- blooming plant will. The smaller plant will grow nice, fat, roots, grow much faster, bloom much longer & will be much healthier. Resist the blooming plant!
Just like the books say, it does look better when you plant in groups of 3-5-7 etc. If you’re on a budget, remember one blooming annual this year will give you 10 or more self-sown seedlings next year. A highlight or specimen plant may be planted singly, of course.

Luciously dark foliaged Dahlia 'Bishop's Children' adds contrast to the Summer border.

To stretch out the bloom season when planting a group of one type of plant, I often plant several different sizes; from small seedlings to ones almost in bud. I place the taller ones so they don’t block the light to the smaller ones. Remove older plants as they fade so the smaller ones can put on a optimal show.

When planting a perennial that will take some months to bloom, I plant shorter, fast growing annuals around it to fill in space. German Catchfly is great for this purpose. Make sure they don’t block all the light to the perennial or the perennial will rot.

Again, just like the books say, it’s good to include vertical plants to add height to your garden. They lift the eye, give a multi-layered look & definitely eliminate the “gas station garden” look. When in doubt, Verbascums are a fast & carefree choice. Besides, they reseed easily & provide free vertical accents every year.

Blue German Catchfly mixes well with slower growing perennials.

Also, perennial Verbascums will continuously form new flower spikes if spent ones are cut back. Sunflowers, Verbena bonariensis & Polygonum orientale are a few more of my favorite vertical accent plants.

Use Verbascums and other spikers to add verticality to the garden

8) Don’t forget the snail bait! Even if you were religious about putting down snail bait in Spring, you may still have some snails lurking about. Your new plants will need protection. Here at the nursery, I use Sluggo. It works better than any other snail bait I’ve tried & it’s non-toxic too!

9) Keep an eye on watering. You don’t want all your good work to go >poof< during one of our hot spells. If you go on vacation, set up a watering system or hire a neighborhood teenager to come over & water.

10) Time to luxuriate! Pull out a lounge chair, grab a great book & give yourself some “special time” in your beautiful Summer garden. You deserve it!

Happy Gardening!
Annie