Perfect Perennial Pairings for Summer Color in the Sun
Posted by Annie Algren on Mar 31st 2025
Perfect Perennial Pairings for Summer Color in the Sun
Summer is the season of vibrant colors, and there’s no better way to take full advantage of the sunny days than by filling your garden with perennials that thrive in full sun. With the right pairings, you can create a garden bursting with energy, from bold and dramatic blooms to softer, more delicate flowers that complement each other beautifully. There is a wide array of plants to choose from that offer bright summer color, but a few of them stand out against the rest by providing the longest blooming season and enormous benefits to pollinators in the summer. These three perfect perennial pairings will keep the color coming late spring into late summer and entice all your favorite pollinators!
Coneflower (Echinacea)
Attributes
Upright, bright flowers with cone-like, concentrically blooming centers atop rigid stems
Growth Habit
Clumping
Soil Type
Sandy loam, will tolerate clay
Bloom Color
Red/Orange/Yellow/Purple/Pink/White
Size
18-36” H x 12-24” W
Bloom Time
Early Summer to Fall
Use
Long-lasting color in sunny garden beds and pollinator gardens
Maintenance
Deadhead spent flower heads to encourage blooming, Cut back to basal growth in late winter or early spring
Benefits
Tolerates drought, Deer resistant, Great as a cut flower, attracts a wide variety of pollinators, long lasting blooms that offer summer and winter interest
Meadow Sage (Salvia)
Attributes
Lightly fragrant, gray-green foliage and numerous bright flower spikes
Growth Habit
Clumping
Soil Type
Loam, sandy loam
Bloom Color
Pink/Purple/Blue/White
Size
12-36” H x 12-24” W
Bloom Time
Late Spring to Late Summer
Use
Mass plantings, mixed borders, cottage gardens, and pollinator gardens
Maintenance
Benefits from a hard trim after blooming to promote a flush of bushy new growth and summer color
Benefits
Tolerates drought and salt, resistant to deer and rabbit, attracts a wide variety of pollinators, aromatic
Bee Balm (Monarda)
Attributes
Fragrant green foliage and large clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers
Growth Habit
Mounding, spreading
Soil Type
Loam, will tolerate sand and clay
Bloom Color
Red/Pink/Purple
Size
18-48” H x 24-48” W
Bloom Time
Mid-Summer to Late Summer
Use
Pollinator gardens or massed together, slowly spreading to form small groupings over time
Maintenance
Remove spent flowers to encourage reblooming, cut back in late winter/early spring, divide every 2-3 years to control spreading
Benefits
Tolerates black walnut and drought, deer and rabbit resistant, medicinal properties, repels mosquitos, attracts a wide variety of pollinators
Always approachable and happy to help!