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Color That Keeps Going: Best Bloomers for July and Beyond

Posted on by Bruce Martin
09
Jul

Long-lasting annuals and perennials that thrive from summer into fall.

At Bru-Mar Gardens in Annapolis, we know the heat of July can leave gardens feeling a bit tired—but it doesn’t have to be that way! With the right plants, you can enjoy vibrant color straight through the end of summer and well into fall. Whether you’re refreshing containers or filling garden beds, here are our favorite summer-to-fall bloomers that bring beauty and resilience to Zone 7b gardens.

🌿 Top Annuals for Continuous Color

1. Supertunias (Petunia hybrids)
These Proven Winners® favorites bloom non-stop without deadheading. Perfect for hanging baskets, window boxes, and sunny garden edges.

2. Lantana
Tough, heat-loving, and butterfly-approved, lantana thrives in full sun and produces blooms right through fall.

3. Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
Mini petunia-like flowers in a rainbow of colors. Keep them fed and watered, and they’ll keep blooming.

4. Zinnias
A favorite for pollinators and cutting gardens, zinnias love the sun and heat. Keep harvesting blooms to encourage more!

5. Celosia
These bold, textural blooms hold their color for weeks. Great in borders or mixed containers.

🌸 Perennials That Don’t Quit

1. Coneflowers (Echinacea)
Native, drought-tolerant, and beloved by pollinators, coneflowers start blooming in summer and often continue into fall.

2. Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
A Maryland favorite! These bright golden blooms are iconic in late summer and pair beautifully with ornamental grasses.

3. Coreopsis
Delicate foliage and daisy-like blooms in yellow, pink, or red. A low-maintenance, long-blooming star.

4. Russian Sage (Perovskia)
Airy purple flowers and silvery foliage—this one thrives in heat and dry conditions, blooming through frost.

5. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
This late bloomer saves its best show for the end of summer into fall, transitioning from pale pink to deep rose and rust.

💡 Bru-Mar Tip: Keep the Color Going

  • Feed your annuals with a bloom booster fertilizer to extend flowering.

  • Deadhead regularly or trim back tired plants to encourage fresh blooms.

  • Mix in native perennials for low-maintenance color that returns every year.

🐝 Pollinators Love These Plants!

Many of these long-bloomers are also pollinator-friendly, helping support local bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds into the fall.

📍 Stop by Bru-Mar Gardens at 1009 Bay Ridge Road, Annapolis for fresh arrivals of heat-tolerant annuals and perennial color. Need help designing a late-season container or garden bed? Our friendly staff is here to help you choose the right mix.

📱 App-Exclusive Deal: Download the Bru-Mar Gardens app and use promo code Welcome5 to get $5 OFF a $25 purchase! Download now »

Let your garden keep glowing—right through autumn.
Visit us today and let’s grow something beautiful together!