Sensational Summer Flowers For Pots: 8 Joyful Bloomers for Sun-Loving Containers

If you have limited space, growing flowers in containers is one of the best ways to brighten up a garden. As we enter the warmest months of the year, well-selected summer flowers for pots will attract a variety of butterflies and bee species and create a thriving backyard ecosystem.

Plenty of summer flowers will thrive with minimal attention, but some are better suited to container culture than others. Choose the best plants for container gardens through summer, and you’ll be rewarded with repeat blooms and profuse displays in a kaleidoscope of sunshine color.

Here are some of the best summer plants for container gardening, whether you’re looking to fill out a specific garden theme or just brighten a quiet corner of the backyard.

Choosing the Best Potted Flowers for Summer

When selecting flowering plants for summer containers, give thought to the growing space. This includes the amount of light each container receives throughout the day, as well as soil type and watering needs. Even plants for full sun that are selected for drought tolerant containers might need a measure of hydration to keep them at their best.

Rate of plant growth and size at maturity will help determine whether certain cultivars will flourish as summer container plant ideas. Color, form, texture and bloom period should also be taken into consideration when mulling potted flowers for summer.

1. Alyssum

If you’re living in cooler regions, you may find it difficult to determine which summer container plants will be most tolerant to cold spells. Alyssum, grown as an annual, is one of the best options. You can expect containers of alyssum to begin blooming in early spring, persisting well through summer.

Dainty flowers are produced in profusion, luring beneficial and pollinating insects with their sweet fragrance. The plant's small stature works exceptionally well in mixed pots, gradually spilling from the sides as they continue to grow. You can buy ‘Snow Crystals’ sweet alyssum seeds in the Gardening Know How Shop.

2. Calibrachoa

Calibrachoa are prized for their immense blooms. Flowering plants quickly expand to fill pots and hanging baskets, adding color and texture to porch containers, balcony planters and patio pots. Though well adapted, you’ll see the healthiest plants and most dazzling displays where potting soils are slightly acidic.

Routine deadheading and the weekly application of fertilizer can enhance floral displays with these full sun container plants. Try ‘Callie Purple,’ ‘Cappuccino’ and members of the Superbells Series to enjoy the best summer flowers for pots.

3. Dahlia

Although larger dahlia cultivars are not best suited to containers, there are plenty of dwarf varieties that flourish in pots, either alongside a more expansive cut flower display or as a focal point on a patio. Grown from seed or from tubers, these plants remain small through summer. Still, their beauty and production of blooms is unmatched.

Planting dwarf dahlias in pots, you’ll love their ability to attract pollinators. Partner with lavender in pots for regular visits from local bees! Most species of dahlia are hardy through USDA zones 8-11.

4. Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are popular in hedges and privacy screens, but smaller dwarf cultivars can also make some of the best summer plants for containers. These varieties demonstrate a compact growth habit and produce long-held blooms. These potted shrubs are ideal for partially shaded spots and benefit from dappled light during hot summer afternoons.

Regular pruning and feeding aid in root development and the production of flowers. Make sure containers for hydrangea plants are large and offer optimal drainage. Great panicle hydrangea options include ‘Little Lime Punch’ and ‘Limelight Prime’ – available in the Gardening Know How Shop. Plants are hardy in USDA zones 3-9.

5. Impatiens

Praised for its adaptability and ease of growth, impatiens makes an exceptionally good choice for containers alongside paths and small patios. To grow impatiens plants that produce the best floral displays, place containers in filtered light or dappled shade.

Attractive foliage further contributes to the ornamental value of impatiens pots, window boxes and baskets. Popular varieties include ‘Soprano Rose’ and ‘Rollercoaster Hot Pink’ as well as several fully-double hybrids.

6. Lantana

Tolerant of both heat and drought, lantana plants are some of the best potted plants for warmer regions. Still, routine watering will be essential to the health of containers, and daily monitoring helps to keep your lantana looking its best.

Gardeners and hummingbirds will delight in this plant's nectar-rich flowers, springing forth in abundance through the whole of summer. Though most choose to grow lantana as an annual, it is likely to behave as a perennial where conditions are ideal. Grow with coneflowers for the ultimate potted pollinator partnership. Plants are hardy in USDA zones 8-11.

7. Pelargonium

Fragrant pelargoniums are amongst the best summer flowers for pots where scent is concerned. Place containers near patios and other gathering spaces where they can best be enjoyed. Form and fragrance vary greatly from one variety to the next, but popular cultivars include zonal and ivy types, whose foliage further adds interest.

When growing pelargoniums in containers, most plants are considered perennial through USDA zones 10-11, but many have found success keeping the species as an annual. They make creative containers either as standalone specimens or as part of a broader perfumed potted garden.

8. Zinnia

Like other heat-tolerant plants, zinnias thrive in containers. Choose smaller, more compact varieties which grow quickly to fill pots with seasonal color. Grab Park Seed’s ‘Zinnias for Cutting Collection’ from the Gardening Know How Shop.

Consistent irrigation and routine feeding help in the development of large numbers of vivid blooms. Deadheading will further aid in healthy, bushy plants and encourage further blooms. As well as making gorgeous cottage garden ideas for pots, zinnias are a magnet to bees, butterflies and a variety of beneficial species.

This article features products available from third party vendors on the Gardening Know How Shop. Keep in mind that our plant inventory is limited - so if you’re thinking of purchasing, don’t wait!