In our mild coastal climate, we have many choices for midsummer color. Unlike areas that have significant summer heat, many plants here continue to churn out flowers, especially if deadheaded regularly. But some plants stand out as above-average performers this time of year. Here are a few you might consider.
For sunny areas, it is hard to beat dahlias for sheer impact. With flowers in every color but true blue, and blossoms of numerous sizes and styles, and heights ranging from approximate 12 inches to some well over 5 feet, dahlias are stars of the garden from July right up to autumn. They are least expensive in late winter when they show up in the stores as dormant tubers, but acquiring them now gives you the advantage of seeing exactly what kind of flower you are adding to your garden.
Dahlias love our climate and are usually free of pests and diseases here, if their few needs are met. Give them sun, good drainage, plenty of organic matter in the soil and some slow-release plant food several times a year, and you will be rewarded with reliable and spectacular bloom. Once established, they are fairly drought tolerant. Do plant them in wire gopher baskets, for complete peace of mind. If your soil is sandy, you can safely bypass the annual lifting and winter storage of the tubers; in well-drained soil, the tubers will happily survive the winter in a dormant state and come up again in spring, bigger and better than ever.
Ornamental grasses come into their own in midsummer. Feathery flower heads dance gently in every breeze, bringing movement to the garden as does a stream of water. Several fountain grass [Pennisetum] cultivars are especially reliable, and can provide color as well as movement. P. setaceum 'Rubrum' has narrow burgundy leaves and rose-colored flower plumes that look like fluffy kittens' tails, and usually don't produce viable seed or seedlings that become pests. Tolerant of a wide range of soils, and up to a half-day of shade, this grass is drought tolerant once established. It looks at home near water, as a foundation plant or among shrubs and perennials, and the burgundy color is especially striking near plants with foliage in silver or gold, or among yellow flowers. And deer usually pass right by these cold-hardy plants, without so much as a nibble.
Many salvias, or ornamental sages, bloom prodigiously in midsummer. Guaranteed to attract hummingbirds to your garden, you can find virtually any flower color in this genus, including some amazing blues. [Take a look at S. patens, if you covet rich blue blossoms.] Most are quite drought tolerant once established, and a few are excellent bloomers in bright shade. [Try S. cacaliifolia with gentian-blue flowers, or for bright red, S. miniata, both from the mountains of Mexico.]
For sunnier areas, try butter-yellow S. madrensis or one of the brightly colored S. greggii or S. microphylla. Most sages prefer sharply draining soil, and are low water users. And many are of little interest to deer. [The more fragrant the foliage, the less likely deer are to sample.]
Look around in your neighborhood, and in the garden centers, and notice what looks especially good right now. You'll find many plants that will enhance your midsummer garden, and delight your eye, producing color and texture for many years to come.
-Sharon Hull
