Flowers to Plant in July in Low Light
- Many northern gardeners get off to a late start as it can take time for the soil to warm; however, given the length of the summer season, July may not be the best time to sow annual flowers. The seeds can take weeks to germinate and blossom, at which point, summer is often coming to a close. Shade-loving perennials such as candytuft and wild blue phlox respond well to summer planting in northern gardens as do cold-hardy flowering herbs, such as ornamental kale.
- Summer in the Midwest and Plains states can be tumultuous. The weather ranges from sweltering to downright chilly, and it can change from one to the other in the blink of an eye. Hardy perennials, such as astilbes and violas, tolerate the wildly fluctuating temperatures and respond well to summer installation. Not only do these plants fill the yard with flowers and foliage for weeks on end, they thrive in shady spaces, adding color and texture to areas that would normally be empty.
- There are many plants that wilt in the sizzling summer heat that characterizes the South in July. Southern gardeners hoping for beds filled with colorful blooms frequently turn to robust, heat-loving plants such as hardy begonias and periwinkles. These reliable, easy-to-grow annuals tolerate partial shade, summer heat and drought, filling the garden with color until the winter frost arrives.
- Regardless of area, gardeners who have fallen behind in their planting can still enjoy an abundance of seasonal flowers and fill shadowy spaces with color. Pansy and impatiens seedlings are readily available at garden centers throughout the growing season. These low-maintenance transplants add splashes of carefree color to the yard until the first frost of fall.
