4 Shrubs that Bloom All Summer
Published On: Jun 30, 2022
Updated On: Sep 24, 2026
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Spring is the most talked-about gardening season of the year, closely followed by fall. Most gardeners are starving for color in the early spring because we've spent all winter dreaming about colorful flowers and bright, vibrant green foliage. Many gardeners forget that summer is one of the most critical flower seasons because many pollinators are present and need the nectar provided by blooming shrubs.
We have assembled a list of shrubs to add summer color to your yard. These summer-flowering shrubs are easy to grow and disease-resistant. They will provide months of blooms and nectar for butterflies, honey bees, and other pollinators, which are crucial to our ecosystem.
1. Buddleia or Butterfly Bush
Any list of summer-flowering shrubs must start with the Butterfly Bush. If you're looking for an easy-to-grow plant that leads the pack in attracting butterflies and flowers all summer, look no further. Why else would they call it a butterfly bush?
Butterfly bushes come in many colors, ranging from dark purple to blue and pink. There are even buddleias that produce white blooms. They can be grown in any well-drained soil from full sun to part sun. Not a summer day will go by that the buddleia is not covered in butterflies and honey bees.
Breeders are now creating dwarf varieties that stay smaller and are better suited for the front of the garden.
Our Favorites
Buddleia Black Knight is one of the oldest yet still extremely popular butterfly bushes. It's a taller variety with large, dark purple flowers. For those looking for a shorter variety, we suggest Buddleia Lo and Behold Blue Chip Jr. Powder-blue flowers cover this short butterfly bush, making it perfect for the front of the border or even in pots.
2. Spirea
The Spirea family has come a long way in recent years, thanks to the breeding efforts of many around the globe. Their easy-care nature makes them perfect members of the summer-flowering border. Not only are the flowers bright and cheerful pollinator magnets, but many have colorful foliage and gorgeous fall color.
Our Favorites
Most summer-blooming spireas produce pink flowers, but there are newer varieties with red flowers, such as Spirea Double Play Red, which is rapidly becoming a favorite at our nursery.
3. Crape Myrtles
Nothing says summer like the clusters of colorful, paper-like blooms of the Crape Myrtle. Pinks, reds, whites, and purples abound in any summer garden with crape myrtles. Southern areas of the country come alive every summer with color thanks to crape myrtle, and many towns even have festivals that revolve around this favorite landscape plant.
Crape Myrtle shrubs range from 3 to 6 feet tall, with blooms from early to late summer. The blooms often last for 6 to 8 weeks, and newer varieties even re-bloom throughout the fall.
Our Favorites
While each crape myrtle has multiple reasons to love it, our staff seems to be drawn to two plants. Pocomoke Crape Myrtle brings deep rose-pink flowers to a naturally compact shrub, making it a lovely choice for patio pots and smaller gardens. Double Feature Crape Myrtle puts on a different kind of show, with rich red blooms and wine-colored new growth that adds color even before the flowers open.
4. Hydrangeas
The number of new hydrangeas hitting the market every year is mind-blowing. Each year, it seems like a whole new category of hydrangeas is created. Many types of hydrangeas are available, from hydrangea paniculata types with their cone-shaped flowers to big-leaf types such as the Endless Summer varieties. Some hydrangeas can take full sun, partial shade, and even full shade.
There are even native hydrangea varieties for those who prefer to plant native plants in their gardens. Hydrangea Annabelle is a member of the smooth hydrangea family, native to the eastern United States.
Our Favorites
We have too many favorite hydrangeas to list, but a few from the top of that list are Hydrangea Vanilla Strawberry, whose flowers change from white to red as the weather cools in the fall, and Limelight hydrangea with its green-tinged flowers that seem to last for months.
No list of hydrangeas would be complete without mentioning the Endless Summer Hydrangea Family. At the top of that list is the newest member, the Endless Summer Crush Hydrangea with its brilliant red flowers.
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We're confident that from this list, you will find your own favorite summer-blooming shrubs, and we hope this list is enough to get you started on your quest to fill the summer landscape with color.
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