Grow These Worry-Free Plants in Summer

Wax begonias are a tried-and-true staple in home landscapes. They prefer shade, but will tolerate full sun settings. These bedding plants work equally as well in-ground, in planters and hanging baskets, as long as they have well-draining soil. Use good quality potting mix or garden soil amended with organic compost for improved drainage.

Look for wax begonias in shades of red, white and pink. If you have a long growing season, like in the Southeast, trim back begonias by a third in late August for a last flush of color.

You’ll find many types of begonias in the Garden Center, like tuberous begonias, angel wing and dragon wing begonias, and the beautiful Rex begonias with their bold and dramatic leaves. Get started with easy-growing wax begonias then give the specialty types a try.

Coleus is beloved for its large velvety leaves in brilliant shades of burgundy, salmon pink and lime green. The foliage is so pretty, you have to look to really see the flowers, but they’re there, slender stalks with (usually) small purple flowers. Pinch back the stalks when they appear to keep the plant bushy.

Coleus earns its low maintenance reputation because it grows happily in sun or shade. Most prefer shade or partial shade, but some varieties can take heat. Generally, the thicker the leaf, the more sun it can handle. Coleus is a generous plant, too. You can pinch back the stems and root these cuttings for more outside plants, or to overwinter as houseplants.

Dipladenias are non-stop bloomers for planters, garden beds and hanging baskets. Very little watering is required because they have built-in water storage in the form of tubers. Dipladenia thrive in locations with four-plus hours of sun daily but will also perform well in part-shade.

Dipladenias are tidy plants and no deadheading is needed. Just plant and watch them bloom all summer long. Try dipladenias in a hanging basket for a change of pace. Pull them indoors and overwinter for returning color next spring.

Plant gaura and watch pollinators like bees and butterflies flock to your garden. If you like, you can snip away at spent blooms to encourage new waves of petite white or pink flowers. But you don’t have to deadhead, you can just let gaura’s long stems wave in late summer breezes.

Gaura is also known as wandflower. It is drought and heat tolerant and hardy in zones 6 to 10, so you’ll have beautiful blooms for the bees next year, too.

Whether in planters or in garden beds, geraniums require little fuss. Their colorful flowers attract butterflies.

Geraniums are easy-care plants. When kept in containers, these flowers need watering more regularly, but not too much, because that could cause root rot. Let the soil dry out between watering.

With the exception of slugs in wet weather, you won’t need to worry about pests nibbling on your geraniums. Rabbits and deer don’t like them.

Shade-loving hostas doen’t need much to thrive and will grow back year after year. Plant hosta in containers or in the ground and forget about them. Every few years, you can divide hosta for additional garden plants.

If deer visit your garden, plant hostas close to your house. You may want to surround them with a preventive barrier to keep the deer away. You can also use deer spray. Learn more about growing hostas.

Lantana is a sun-loving, favorite annual in most of the country. Lantana’s profuse flowers attract butterflies to the garden. It is striking as a low hedge or topiary or in mixed containers.

Some lantana varieties are perennial up to hardiness zones 8 and sometimes 7, but that all depends on the variety and your microclimate.

Lavender is an irresistibly fragrant and attractive woody perennial in the garden. The lovely, finely cut, gray-green foliage releases a perfume when you brush against it, and the purple blooms offer color throughout the summer.

Location is everything with lavender. Give it full sun, well-draining soil and space for air to flow through its stems. Learn more about growing lavender in your garden.

Plant marigolds from spring to fall for golden blossoms that delight butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects. Marigolds thrive in heat, and can be pretty resilient if you miss a watering or two.

Marigolds grow easily from seed, if you want to try your hand at direct-sowing seeds. Just give them plenty of sunlight and water to get started.

You won’t have to worry about ornamental grasses in your garden in summer. They’ll look feathery and light all season long, even during dry spells. Learn more about types of ornamental grass, from purple fountain grass to Muhly grass.

This robust herb is a fragrant and bushy plant that just needs well-drained soil. Rosemary works great in a hellstrip garden, or in a mailbox garden.

Be sure to give rosemary plenty of room to grow. A mature rosemary plant is at least three feet wide and tall.

Sedum is an easy-growing succulent that needs little care or attention. Plant a tile of sedum as groundcover or use it as a spiller with a planter of heat-loving flowers. Proven Winners' Lemon Coral Sedum brings a bright accent to containers and garden borders, and is winter hardy to zone 7.