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Summer Flowers: The Ultimate Guide

Discover the best summer flowers, what they mean and how to care for them with this bumper guide.

Ah, the great British summer, how we love it – because even if you can’t rely on the sun, you can rely on brilliant blooms, guaranteed to brighten your day whatever the weather. From classic sunflowers to striking hydrangeas, dainty delphiniums to vibrant gerberas, we’ve rounded up our fave summer flowers in this packed guide, so you can learn what they symbolise, how to care for them and all sorts of other fun stuff.

Caring for a summer bouquet

Before we plunge into the best summer flowers, first a quick lesson on taking care of them. These top tips apply not just to these lovely summer blooms, but most cut flowers – so be sure to remember them!

  • Trim the stems 2-3cm before you put them in the vase, cutting at an angle, this helps the stem take up water. If possible use a clean sharp knife or secateurs (not scissors, these can crush rather than cut the stem).
  • Fill the vase with plenty of clean water.
  • Change the water every few days to help your blooms last longer.
  • They might be summer flowers but they won’t thank you for direct sun. Keep your bunch away from windowsills and conservatories.

Need more help on caring for you bouquet when the mercury rises? Check out our guide to caring for flowers in a heatwave.

Types of summer flower

Begonia-orange-flowers

Begonias

Bright fluffy beauties, begonias bloom through the summer in all sorts of colours.

Meaning: peace, harmony

Colours: all sorts! Including bright red, orange, white and pink

When do they flower: June – September

Vase life: up to 10 days

Top care tips for begonias

Just follow the usual care advice (scroll back up!) for these lovely blooms: lots of clean water, no direct sun, trim the stems.

Did you know?

There are over 1000 species of begonia!

dahlia-orange-flowers

Dahlias

The ultimate in elegant beauty, dahlias come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

Meaning: dignity, grace, kindness, a lasting bond

Colours: all sorts! From deep red to soft peach to pale purple.

When do they flower: June – October

Vase life: 7 days

Top care tips for dahlias

Be sure to remove any foliage below the waterline from your dahlias, else it might contaminate the water with bacteria.

Did you know?

In the Netherlands they have a huge parade celebrating the dahlia.

Read more about dahlias

Delphiniums-blue-flowers

Delphiniums

You can’t beat a classic delphinium, even if the sky isn’t blue, these blooms will be.

Meaning: big heartedness

Colours: generally blue or purple but also come in white and pink

When do they flower: June – October

Vase life: 7 days

Top care tips for delphiniums

Delphiniums are thirsty blooms so keep their water topped up. They’re also poisonous so keep them wash your hands after handling them.

Did you know?

Delphiniums were traditionally used to make blue dyes.

Read more about delphiniums

crested-double-gerbera-orange-flower

Gerberas

Grown up daisies in gorgeous colours, what’s not to love!

Meaning: innocence, purity, cheerfulness, loyal love

Colours: nearly every colour you can imagine

When do they flower: all through the summer

Vase life: 7-10 days

Top care tips for gerberas

Gerberas like to keep cool so steer well clear of any spots that are too hot or sunny.

Did you know?

Gerberas are heliotropic, they turn to face the sun just like sunflowers.

Read more about gerberas

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Roses

Iconic for a reason, we love the sweet smell of roses in summer.

Meaning: love or romance but depends on the colour

Colours: all sorts, but generally red, pink, white and yellow

When do they flower: all through summer

Vase life: 7-14 days

Top care tips for roses

Roses usually come with guard petals (tough petals that protect the flower) carefully pull these off before putting your roses in a vase.

Did you know?

A rose fossil estimated to be 35 million years old was found in China.

Read more about roses

crested-irises-blue

Irises

Striking and elegant, irises always make a statement.

Meaning: faith, wisdom, hope

Colours: generally blue or purple but also come in yellow and white

When do they flower: all through summer

Vase life: 3-7 days

Top care tips for irises

Irises are really thirsty so keep a close an eye on their water. And keep them away from cats, they’re toxic to our feline friends.

Did you know?

Irises mark 25 years of marriage.

Read more about irises

lily-oriental-pink-flowers

Stargazer lilies

Their vibrant hot pink makes us feel like we’re on tropical island.

Meaning: wealth, prosperity, abundance

Colours: hot pink and white

When do they flower: all through summer

Vase life: up to 10 days

Top care tips for stargazer lilies

Another one to avoid if you have furry feline friends, these lilies are toxic to cats. And watch out for the pollen it can stain.

Did you know?

These lilies were only developed in the 1970s.

Read more about lilies

Snapdragon-pink-flowers

Snapdragons

Gorgeous and safe for hayfever sufferers? Hooray for snapdragons.

Meaning: strength, grace

Colours: a wide variety including pink, purple, red and yellow

When do they flower: all through summer

Vase life: 5-10 days

Top care tips for snapdragons

Snapdragons prefer moderate temperatures, so find them a nice cool spot for all to admire.

Did you know?

Their name comes from the fact the blooms look a little like dragons and their mouths ‘snap’ open when squeezed.

sunflower-facts-ultimate-flower-guide

Sunflowers

The epitome of summer, is there a bloom more cheerful?

Meaning: positivity, strength, admiration, loyalty

Colours: classic yellow but also orange and white

When do they flower: all through summer

Vase life: 7-10 days

Top care tips for sunflowers

Sunflowers are especially thirsty (must be those chunky stems) so keep them well topped up.

Did you know?

The record for the tallest sunflowers was set in 2014, it measured in at over 30 foot!

Read more about sunflowers

Read more about sunflowers

hydrangea-blue-flowers

Hydrangeas

Seriously eye-catching, hydrangeas are perfect for making a statement.

Meaning: vanity, thanks for understanding

Colours: all sorts of shades from white and cream to pink, blue and lilac

When do they flower: all through summer

Vase life: 7-10 days

Top care tips for hydrangeas

Recut their stems every few days to keep them fresher for longer. Remember to use a sharp knife or secateurs!

Did you know?

Hydrangeas are often used to mark a fourth wedding anniversary.

Read more about hydrangeas

Styling summer flowers

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Lose the faded flowers

Some blooms will fade faster than others, don’t panic, just take these out and pop them on the compost. When your bouquet starts to look a little sparse, split it into smaller posies you can keep in jam jars or small vases.
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Keep it simple

In winter we might add extra sparkle to highlight the stark beauty of holly or winter roses, but in summer you can let the blooms to the talking. All you should need is a nice vase and the summer stunners will take care of the rest.
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Hay fever friendly flowers

Have a streaming nose and eyes left you loathing blooms not loving them? We’re here to fix that. There are plenty of blooms who won’t cause pollen problems, so many in fact we’ve put together a whole list!

Learn about hay fever friendly flowers