Perfect Perennial Pairings for Summer Color with Trees & Shrubs
Posted by Annie Algren on Jul 9th 2025
Perfect Perennial Pairings for Summer Color in Trees & Shrubs
Summer is the season of lush growth and vibrant color, and there's no better way to celebrate it than by thoughtfully pairing trees and shrubs that work in harmony to create a striking landscape. Whether you’re looking for bold blooms, colorful foliage, or a mix of both, the right tree and shrub combinations can transform your garden into a summer paradise. These perfect tree and shrub pairings offer structure, texture, and a stunning array of blooms and hues that evolve as the season progresses.
Weigela
Attributes
A medium sized, deciduous shrub with dense green, purple, or variegated foliage
Growth Habit
Dense, rounded, upright
Soil Type
Loam, will tolerate clay
Bloom Color
Red/Purple/Pink/White
Size
3-6’ H x 3-6’ W
Bloom Time
Late Spring to Early Summer
Use
Excellent in foundation planting, shrubby borders, or used as a specimen plant in sunny landscapes
Maintenance
Prune lightly after spring blooms fade if desired, remove 1/3 of the oldest branches at the base of the plant every few years for rejuvenation
Benefits
Drought tolerant, attracts pollinators- especially hummingbirds, offers wildlife shelter
Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)
Attributes
A large deciduous shrub that blooms large, long-lasting conical or lace cap flower panicles on new growth, often blooming one color before fading to another throughout the season.
Growth Habit
Upright multi-stemmed or tree form
Soil Type
Loam, will tolerate clay
Bloom Color
Pink/Red/White/Green
Size
3-8’ H x 3-6’ W
Bloom Time
Early Summer to Fall
Use
Excellent as a specimen plant, foundation planting, or massed as a hedge
Maintenance
Prune back by one third in late winter or early spring
Benefits
Attracts pollinators, dried blooms offer winter interest, cut flowers, improves soil structure
Summer Sweet (Clethera)
Attributes
A deciduous North American native shrub with dark green foliage and fragrant bottlebrush flower spikes up to a foot long.
Growth Habit
Mounding
Soil Type
Sandy Loam, will tolerate clay
Bloom Color
White/Pink
Size
4-6’ H x 3-5’ W
Bloom Time
Mid-Summer to Late Summer
Use
Thrives in woodland gardens, foundation plantings, mixed shrubby borders, pollinator gardens, and near ponds or other water features
Maintenance
Prune in early spring if desired, remove up to 1/3 of oldest stems to the ground for rejuvination if desired
Benefits
Tolerates wet and salt, resistant to deer and rabbit, attracts a wide variety of pollinators, improves soil structure, vibrant fall color, seed pods offer winter interest
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