I’m a little obsessed with planting bulbs that do all the heavy lifting once summer hits. There’s something magical about stepping outside and seeing wave after wave of color, without having to replant every few weeks.
These beauties know how to put on a show—from fiery reds to soft pastels, they’ve got it covered. I’ve tested tons over the years, and these are the ones that never let me down.
Get ready for a garden that basically throws its own summer party!
1. Glamorous Gladiolus
Tall, elegant spikes covered in trumpet-shaped blooms make gladiolus a showstopper in any garden. Coming in nearly every color imaginable, these dramatic flowers open from bottom to top, extending their bloom time.
Plant them in groups for maximum impact, and consider staggering planting times for continuous blooms all summer. Their cut flowers last wonderfully in vases, bringing that garden magic indoors for up to two weeks.
2. Dazzling Dahlias
From dinner-plate sized blooms to petite pompoms, dahlias offer incredible variety for summer gardens. Their geometric perfection and rich color palette ranging from soft pastels to vibrant jewel tones make them irresistible.
Plant tubers after the last frost and watch these Mexican natives produce flowers continuously until autumn’s first freeze. Regular deadheading encourages more blooms, while cutting for arrangements actually promotes additional flowering throughout the season.
3. Carefree Calla Lilies
Smooth, sculptural flowers rising above lush foliage give calla lilies their distinctive elegant charm. Beyond the classic white, these South African beauties now come in yellow, orange, pink, purple, and even nearly-black varieties.
Growing from rhizomes, callas thrive in moist soil with morning sun and afternoon shade. Their long-lasting blooms work beautifully in borders or containers, adding sophisticated structure to summer gardens while requiring minimal maintenance once established.
4. Lovely Lilies
Fragrant and fabulous, true lilies create spectacular focal points with their star-shaped blooms and intoxicating scent. Asiatic varieties bloom first, followed by trumpets and orientals, creating a sequence of color throughout summer.
Plant these bulbs in spring for same-year blooms, making sure to place them in well-drained soil where their heads can bask in sun while roots stay cool. Many varieties return year after year, multiplying naturally to create increasingly impressive displays.
5. Captivating Cannas
Tropical flair comes to any garden with cannas’ bold, paddle-shaped leaves and vibrant flower spikes. Some varieties sport striped or burgundy foliage that looks stunning even before blooms appear.
Growing from rhizomes, these heat-lovers reach impressive heights of 3-6 feet, making perfect backdrops for smaller plants. Hummingbirds can’t resist their bright flowers, adding another dimension of garden enjoyment as these magnificent plants thrive through summer’s hottest days.
6. Brilliant Begonias
Tuberous begonias produce rose-like blooms in shades so vibrant they almost glow in the garden. Perfect for shady spots where few flowering plants thrive, these beauties bring color to difficult garden areas.
Starting begonia tubers indoors gives a head start on their summer show. Once established, these low-maintenance plants flower continuously until frost, especially when given regular feeding and consistent moisture, making them ideal for containers and hanging baskets.
7. Charming Crocosmia
Arching stems lined with fiery red, orange, or yellow trumpet-shaped flowers give crocosmia its distinctive charm. Hummingbirds zoom straight to these nectar-rich blooms while their graceful form adds movement to borders.
Growing from corms, crocosmia multiplies readily in favorable conditions, creating impressive drifts over time. Their sword-shaped foliage remains attractive throughout the growing season, and the dried seedheads add winter interest long after the vivid summer blooms have faded.
8. Alluring Agapanthus
Known as Lily of the Nile, agapanthus produces spectacular globes of blue or white trumpet-shaped flowers atop tall stems. Rising dramatically above strappy green foliage, these firework-like blooms create instant impact.
Thriving in containers or borders, these South African natives prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Once established, they’re remarkably drought-tolerant while still producing their stunning summer displays, making them perfect for low-maintenance gardens in warmer regions.
9. Elegant Eucomis
Commonly called pineapple lilies, eucomis produces fascinating flower spikes topped with a tuft of leaves resembling a tropical fruit. These conversation-starters bloom for weeks in late summer when many other plants have finished.
Growing from bulbs, these South African natives prefer sunny positions and well-drained soil. Their architectural quality makes them excellent container specimens, while their long-lasting blooms work beautifully in arrangements, bringing exotic flair to summer gardens.
10. Tropical Tuberose
Intensely fragrant white flowers make tuberose a nighttime sensation in summer gardens. The sweet perfume intensifies after sunset, creating an intoxicating atmosphere on warm evenings.
Growing from tuberous rhizomes, these Mexican natives produce waxy blooms on tall stems above narrow foliage. Plant them near patios or windows where their incredible scent can be fully appreciated, or cut stems for indoor arrangements that will perfume an entire room.
11. Energetic Eremurus
Known as foxtail lilies, eremurus creates spectacular vertical elements with flower spikes reaching up to 8 feet tall! Covered in hundreds of tiny star-shaped blooms, these magnificent plants become garden focal points.
Growing from unusual starfish-shaped roots, these Central Asian natives need excellent drainage and full sun. Plant them in fall for early summer blooms that attract pollinators while creating dramatic backdrops for lower-growing perennials in mixed borders.
12. Lavish Liatris
Fuzzy purple spikes that bloom from top to bottom give liatris its distinctive character in the summer garden. Native to North American prairies, these butterfly magnets add vertical interest to perennial borders.
Growing from corms, liatris thrives in full sun and tolerates poor soil and drought once established. Their unusual blooming pattern, starting at the spike’s top and working downward, extends flowering time while providing essential nectar for beneficial insects throughout summer.
13. Butterfly-Friendly Acidanthera
Fragrant white star-shaped blooms with dramatic purple-maroon centers make acidanthera (peacock orchid) truly special. These elegant flowers appear in late summer on slender stems above grass-like foliage.
Growing from corms, these Ethiopian natives prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Their sweet evening fragrance attracts night-flying pollinators, while their exotic appearance adds unexpected charm to borders or containers when many other summer bulbs have finished blooming.
14. Showy Tigridia
Known as tiger flowers or Mexican shellflowers, tigridia produces dramatic three-petaled blooms with spotted centers resembling exotic jungle creatures. Though each flower lasts just one day, plants produce new buds continuously.
Growing from bulbs, these Central American natives bring bold colors to sunny borders or containers. Their unusual triangle-shaped blooms in red, orange, yellow, pink or white open each morning and close by evening, creating a constantly changing summer display.
15. Bewitching Bessera
Known as coral drops, bessera produces delicate clusters of bell-shaped orange-red flowers that dangle from wiry stems like tiny lanterns. These graceful bloomers appear in late summer when gardens often need fresh color.
Growing from small bulbs, these Mexican natives prefer hot, sunny spots with excellent drainage. Their airy nature makes them perfect for weaving through borders or container displays, where their dancing flowers create enchanting movement with every summer breeze.
16. Remarkable Ranunculus
Layer upon layer of paper-thin petals give ranunculus blooms their rose-like appearance and incredible texture. Available in a rainbow of colors from creamy whites to vibrant oranges and deep burgundies, these stunners dazzle in gardens.
Growing from claw-shaped tubers, ranunculus prefers cool spring temperatures but continues blooming into early summer. Their exceptional vase life as cut flowers makes them doubly valuable, bringing weeks of enjoyment whether in garden beds or indoor arrangements.
17. Dramatic Dinnerplate Dahlias
Massive blooms reaching 8-10 inches across make dinnerplate dahlias the undisputed drama queens of summer gardens. These spectacular flowers come in countless color combinations, creating jaw-dropping focal points wherever they grow.
Unlike smaller dahlia varieties, these giants often need staking to support their enormous flowers. The extra effort pays off with weeks of stunning blooms perfect for cutting and creating spectacular arrangements that look like they came straight from a professional florist.
18. Cheery Freesia
Sweetly scented tubular blooms arranged along arching stems make freesia a fragrant delight in summer gardens. Available in white, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, and blue, these South African natives bring rainbow colors and perfume.
Growing from corms, freesia prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Their intoxicating fragrance makes them perfect for planting near windows or garden seating areas, while their long vase life ensures cut stems will continue sharing their sweet scent indoors.
19. Magnificent Mirabilis
Known as four o’clocks, mirabilis produces trumpet-shaped flowers that open in late afternoon, releasing sweet fragrance into evening air. These magical plants can display multiple colors on a single bush, with flowers sometimes striped or speckled.
Growing from tuberous roots, these Central American natives form bushy plants covered in blooms throughout summer. Their ability to self-seed means a single planting often returns year after year, while their evening-blooming habit extends garden enjoyment into twilight hours.
20. Cascading Gloriosa Lilies
Exotic flowers with reflexed petals in flame colors and curious climbing habits make gloriosa lilies utterly unique summer bloomers. Their unusual blooms feature wavy-edged petals that transition from yellow to deep red, creating a fiery effect.
Growing from tubers, these African and Asian natives use tendrils at leaf tips to climb supports. Perfect for containers with trellises or growing through shrubs, these conversation-starters bloom throughout summer while their unusual growth habit adds vertical interest to garden spaces.