Direct sow summer flowers: these quick-growing (and beautiful!) blooms can still be sown in early summer
Have you heard of garden candytuft, purple viper’s-bugloss, and fineflower gilia? These direct-sown summer flowers quickly grow into adorable little eye-catchers.
1. Fineflower gilia
This species forms dainty, lavender-blue spherical blooms from July to September, which butterflies especially love. Drought-tolerant and profusely branching, it grows to about 60–80 cm. It thrives in full sun or partial shade in light, well-draining soil. You can also sow its seeds in fall for slightly earlier blooms the following year.
2. Calendula officinalis ’Pink Surprise’
This variety grows double blooms in apricot, pink, and creamy yellow that continue to delight well into fall—just remember to regularly remove any faded flowers. They’re also lovely as cut flowers in bouquets. Plants reach about 40 cm and do well in both sunny and partially shaded areas. Seeds can also be sown in fall.
3. Sunflower ’Procut White Nite’
This variety, developed especially for cut flowers, does not produce pollen. Each stem bears only one bloom, so there’s no need to pinch the plant. It grows to 150–200 cm and thrives in a sunny spot.
4. Annual baby's-breath ’Rosa’
This sweet, delicate bloomer is perfect for sunny spots, and you can keep sowing it until the end of June. It takes about 60 days to flower from sowing. Grows to 50 cm. Best in a sunny location.
5. Purple viper's-bugloss ’Pink Bedder’
This cultivar forms mounds of blooms that begin pale pink and gradually turn violet. It thrives in sunny spots, where it continues to bloom until September. It’s a good nectar plant that tolerates drought and grows to about 60 cm.
6. Garden candytuft ’Lilac’
This variety enchants with its fragrant flowers that attract butterflies. It blooms most vigorously in a sunny spot, from June to August depending on sowing time, and reaches about 40 cm tall.
