Plants for Summer: A Beginner’s Guide

14th June, 2025

The Interflora Team

From sunshine-loving houseplants to flowers that come back every year and bloom all summer, discover what to start sowing and growing with our beginner’s plant guide.

Outdoor Summer Plants

Shades, shovel and seeds at the ready – it’s time to brighten up your outdoor space with a range of warm-weather plants. Choose from a range of perennial flowers that bloom all summer and annual plants that wow for just one year. Lots of these are not just beautiful, but they’re also great for attracting important pollinators like bees to your garden too.

Sunflower

Nothing says summer like a big, bright sunflower. Symbolising happiness and optimism, they’re the perfect flower to give to someone who always looks on the bright side.

Sunflower colours

While commonly sunshine yellow, sunflowers are also available in shades of orange, red, brown and pink.

Sunflower availability

Pick up seeds for annual sunflowers all year round and perennial sunflowers as plants in summer and autumn.

Sunflower lifespan

Annual sunflowers will live for a year and perennial types will come back each year.

Sunflower care tips

Sow annual sunflowers in pots from April and plant them outside once they’re a bit bigger and the weather has warmed up. Sunflowers follow the sun (known as heliotropism in horticulture) so pick a sunny spot and somewhere they won’t get blown around. If you’re growing tall sunflowers, give them a support like a beanpole. Water regularly and feed every few weeks.

Lavender

Highly scented with a long flowering season, lavender is one of the best summer flowers for pots that also does well in other parts of the garden. The love of lavender goes back to Ancient Egypt and is said to have been discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb when it was opened in 1923. It’s also a great one for attracting pollinators to the garden.

Lavender colours

Pick up purple-blue, white and pink varieties.

Lavender availability

Head to your local garden centre or look online for lavender plants throughout spring and summer.

Lavender lifespan

Lavenders are perennial so they’ll flower year after year. Their overall lifespan varies depending on the type, but some can last over 10 years.

Lavender care tips

Plant lavender somewhere sunny in free-draining soil. They prefer less fertile, dry soil, so adding perlite or coarse grit can help if growing your plant in a pot. Water regularly during summer months. Pruning depends on the lavender, but generally plants benefit from a generous snip soon after flowers have faded.

Top tip: Different types will suit different spaces, so choose a lavender that’s right for you.

This is what I found from searching for a bit but it might be that they are available all year as they’re a bit hardier?

Rose

Blousy, beautifully scented and blooming throughout summer, roses are a garden favourite. Roses can symbolise many things, from yellow for friendship to red that represent love and romance, so there’s bound to be a rose for every occasion.

Rose colours

White, red, orange, yellow, pink and purple – choose from a huge selection of colours and patterns.

Rose availability

Order bare-root roses online from November to March. Rose plants in soil are available to buy throughout the year.

Rose lifespan

Roses are perennials. They’ll flower for many years, living up to and sometimes over 10 years.

Rose care tips

Like most summer flowers, roses like to grow in a sunny area. When planting, add well-rotted organic matter and give your rose a stake for support if needed. Water roses more often at first, every couple of days during hot weather, and then once a week when they’re established. Feed in spring and after the first flowering. Do your research on pruning them too, it can make a big difference to how they come back next year.

Top tip: bare-root roses need slightly different care, so best to research before planting.

Hibiscus

For showy summer garden flowers that come back each year, it’s got to be the sensational shrub Hibiscus syriacus (commonly called the Rose of Sharon). Blooming slightly later than some plants, it brings a burst of colour to the garden in late summer through to autumn. It’s also a bee favourite.

Hibiscus colours

Colours vary depending on species, but Hibiscus syriacus can have pink, purple or white flowers.

Hibiscus availability

Look out for hibiscus plants in garden centres and online throughout most of the year.

Hibiscus lifespan

Hibiscus can live for 20 or more years.

Hibiscus care tips

Grow your hibiscus in moist, well-drained soil in either a pot or in the ground. Find somewhere it’ll catch the sun for most of the day. During the growing season, water regularly and feed every couple of weeks with a high potash fertiliser.

Did you know? Hibiscus can also be a houseplant. The species is different in that it’s considered a tropical hibiscus rather than a hardier, outdoor type.

From my research it looks like this is the type to grow outside in the UK but might be worth checking?

Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are a bit (horticulturally) magic, with many types changing flower colour depending on your soil type – blue for acidic and pink if it’s alkaline. They represent a mixture of floral meanings, from boastfulness to gratitude, and they’re traditionally given to celebrate four years of marriage – a very versatile bloom!

Hydrangea colours

Available in pink, white and blue, hydrangeas often change colour depending on your soil type.

Hydrangea availability

You can buy plants all year round.

Hydrangea lifespan

Typically lasting around 10-20 years, some have been known to live up to 50 years!

Hydrangea care tips

Choose a sunny or partially shaded spot for your hydrangea and make sure the soil is moist but well-drained. The best time of year to plant them is in spring or autumn – if planting in the summer take care that the soil isn’t too dry. Keep hydrangeas well-watered during summer and mulch in spring. Prune depending on the type but remember many flower on old growth so go easy.

Begonia

The begonia’s bright and frilly flowers signify many things including appreciation and gratitude – the perfect plant if you need to say thank you to someone!

Begonia colours

Begonias are available in orange, pink, red, yellow and white.

Begonia availability

Buy corms (a big underground stem, sort of like a bulb) from January and plants in late spring/early summer

Begonia lifespan

A begonia’s lifespan will depend on the species, but usually they’ll live for at least a few years if cared for. Lift tuberous begonias before the first frost and store in newspaper somewhere warm (they don’t like to be left in cold soil).

Begonia care tips

How to care for begonias depends on the type, so best to follow the instructions of your specific begonia. General guidance recommends planting them outside once there’s no danger of frost, somewhere with partial shade (full sun can burn them). Water often and feed every week during flowering.

Written this as the flowering type like the one on sale on IF website but there are lots of variations of begonia. Also written as outdoor for summer but know we added this as an indoor for spring

Dahlia

From pretty pompom blooms to dramatic dinnerplate flowers, and smaller dwarf varieties, the dahlia in all its forms has been back in flower fashion for many years now. Not only do flower fans and gardeners love these timeless beauties, but pollinators like bees and butterflies can’t get enough of them.

Dahlia colours

Dahlias come in almost every colour – including red, pink, yellow, orange, purple and white. Look out for bi-colour varieties too.

Dahlia availability

Pick up dahlia tubers from February and plants throughout summer. Seeds are available all year, but best sown in early April.

Dahlia lifespan

They’re tender perennials, which means they’ll flower for many years but need protection from the cold weather. Dig up and store dahlia tubers somewhere dry in autumn ready to plant next year.

Dahlia care tips

Start dahlia tubers off in pots indoors or in a greenhouse in March. Once they’ve developed shoots and are a bit bigger, harden off plants before planting outside (usually around May/June when danger of frost has passed). Pick a sunny area with shelter and give your dahlia a plant support if needed. They like to be watered regularly and will benefit from a weekly tomato feed during summer.

Top tip: slugs love dahlias, so keep an eye out for them. The best way to get rid of them is to put copper around them, or to go out at night with a torch and relocate them (the birds will enjoy them in the morning).

Side note: you might be wondering why we haven’t included summer favourites petunias or pansies. It’s because it these blooms contain very little nectar (or are inaccessible because of their petals) for bees or other pollinators – making them plants that are a bit of a waste for wildlife. Given the major decline of insects in the UK, instead we’re backing blooms that are beautiful for us, and helpful for our ecosystem.

Indoor Summer Plants

Bring the sunshine inside with these summery houseplants.

Gerbera

Daisy-shaped and drenched in colour, gerberas make a great houseplant for sunny summer months. It’ll come as no surprise that these joyful flowers symbolise cheerfulness – a great gift if someone you know needs a floral pick-me-up.

Gerbera colours

From brighter shades to pastel hues, gerberas come in a wide selection of colours including yellow, orange, pink, purple, red and white.

Gerbera availability

Buy indoor gerberas as houseplants any time of the year.

Gerbera lifespan

As houseplants, gerberas last around 3 years.

Gerbera care tips

Place your potted gerbera somewhere it’ll get lots of sunshine (but watch out it doesn’t get scorched by direct sun in summer). Water a few times a week during warmer weather. Gerberas don’t like to get too hot or cold, anywhere from 12-20 degrees is best. Remove faded flowers regularly to encourage your plant to keep flowering.

Aloe Vera

Easy to love and easy to care for, an aloe vera plant is a perfect pick to brighten up your home this summer. Its stunning sculptural leaves can even produce flowers in summer/autumn.

Aloe Vera colours

The aloe vera is a green plant, but other types of aloes can be red, orange and yellow with a range of colourful flowers.

Aloe Vera availability

Available widely throughout the year.

Aloe Vera lifespan

They can live up to 12 years.

Aloe Vera care tips

Find a sunny spot for your aloe vera to encourage growth (but watch out it doesn’t get too much direct sun). Water when the soil is dry but be careful not to over water as its roots may rot (water less in winter too). Repot after 2-3 years to give it enough space to grow.

Peace Lily

This elegant houseplant is on NASA’s list of best air purifying plants. Representing many things including peace, prosperity, hope and good fortune, it’s the perfect plant to show sympathy or offer support.

Peace Lily colours

Plants have white flowers.

Peace Lily availability

Buy them as houseplants any time of the year.

Peace Lily lifespan

Most will live for around 5 years, but they can last longer.

Peace Lily care tips

Find a bright spot but avoid direct sunlight. Humid spaces like a kitchen or bathroom are best. Water often keeping the soil moist but not too wet and apply a liquid houseplant feed every 2-3 weeks during spring and summer

Snake Plant

Snake plants are pretty unkillable and happy just about anywhere making them the perfect houseplant for beginners. Their sword-shaped leaves (like many indoor plants) help to clean the air around you.

Snake Plant colours

Their leaves are a mix of green, yellow and white.

Snake Plant availability

Find them online and in garden centres from January to December.

Snake Plant lifespan

Average lifespan is around 10-15 years (though they can push on for longer!).

Snake Plant care tips

While they prefer to grow somewhere sunny, snake plants will tolerate most conditions. Water every couple of weeks or when the first few centimetres of soil feels dry. Feed with a houseplant fertiliser every month during late spring and summer.

Kalanchoe

A summer succulent, kalanchoe produces small, bright flowers which contrast against dark green foliage. In China red flowering kalanchoes are thought to be lucky and are given to friends and family during Lunar New Year.

Kalanchoe colours

Pick from red, purple, orange, yellow and white.

Kalanchoe availability

Find them in local garden centres and florists usually in summer.

Kalanchoe lifespan

Plants will live up to 5 years. With the right care, kalanchoes will flower again after the first year.

Kalanchoe care tips

Kalanchoes are low maintenance, just pop them somewhere sunny and water every few weeks. If you’re potting them up yourself, use a mix with good drainage like cactus compost. To encourage them to flower again, place them somewhere dark after blooming and limit their daylight intake (there’s lots of advice online on how to do this).

Wild Summer Plants

Exploring the outdoors this summer? See if you can spot these wild summer flowers.

Foxglove

Identified by its tall, towering flower spikes, foxgloves grow wild in woodlands, gardens, coastal areas and along the roadside.

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle’s trumpet-shaped flowers bloom from June onwards. Make sure to lean in and smell their sweet scent.

Meadowsweet

White clusters of fragrant flowers balance on stems reaching up to and over a metre high. This flower likes to grow in damp conditions like alongside a riverbank.