What is your favorite summer flower to grow?

kbmbillups1
kbmbillups1 Posts: 1,391 ✭✭✭✭✭

I have several favorite flowers but Black-eyed Susan's are filling most of my flower bed in my front yard right now and I love driving up and seeing them. My across the street neighbor tells me how much she likes seeing them as well. I love them because they come back every year and because they bloom and flower for a long time. I also love seeing all of the finches who love my flowers too.

What is your favorite flower to grow and why?


Comments

  • naomi.kohlmeier
    naomi.kohlmeier Posts: 380 ✭✭✭

    I love Black-eyed Susans as well! All the flowers are my favorites, but I think if I had to pick I would go with Zinnias. They bloom in many different colors and attract pollinators. It's fun to see all the bees and butterflies that come to feed. They also make great cut flower arrangements and last quite a while.

  • blevinandwomba
    blevinandwomba Posts: 813 ✭✭✭✭

    I don't think I can pick a favorite- can I pick a top four?

    1. I love all of the Rudbeckias
    2. black prince snapdragons- heirloom variety that's very easy to grow from seed.https://www.superseeds.com/products/black-prince-snapdragon The flowers are blood red to burgundy(though sometime early in the season they are cherry pink) and the foliage is a deep blue green, with purple shading. I got my seeds from the Sample Seed Shop, but Pinetree and Baker creek also sell them. More or less an annual, but I always have some winter over.
    3. butterfly weed- orange is not my favorite color but these are so vivid yet delicate. Being a host plant for monarchs is a big bonus.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_tuberosa
    4. knautia macedonica- all these lovely dark-red buttons! Also very easy to start from seed, and self-sows. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=knautia+macedonica&t=hk&iax=images&ia=images
  • Nancy Carter
    Nancy Carter Posts: 202 ✭✭✭

    Great question!

    I love so many, its hard to choose. I love marigolds because they remind me of my nana. Zinnia because there are so many colors! Snap dragon and lupine for their height. Nasturtium for the incredible shaped leaves. I love having fresh cut flowers on the table!

  • frogvalley
    frogvalley Posts: 675 ✭✭✭✭

    Portulaca/purslane is my favorite this summer. Edible, medicinal, colorful, drought resistant, and just an overall good little buddy.

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My fav flower...s:

    Dinner plate dahlias, then Borage, then:

    calendula, nasturtiums, sunflowers, zinnias

  • ltwickey
    ltwickey Posts: 369 ✭✭✭

    My favorite for smell is lilac and tied with tube roses.

    My favorite for usefulness is a tie between marigolds and lavender.

    My favorite for beauty is tiger lily.

  • COWLOVINGIRL
    COWLOVINGIRL Posts: 954 ✭✭✭✭

    I love sunflowers!

    1. because they are so bright and cheerful
    2. because I can harvest the seeds too!
  • maimover
    maimover Posts: 359 ✭✭✭

    I think it’ll be the chamomile. Never grown it before and wanted to grow my own so I didn’t have to buy tea this winter. They are so dainty and beautiful and powerful in their qualities... however I grew bachelor’s buttons (haven’t even seen them since I was a kid) and nasturtiums for the very first time this year.

  • Lisa K
    Lisa K Posts: 1,936 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My favorite flower to grow anytime of the year are roses! At one point I had 50 of them but with age and gophers I now have less but still have a lot of them 😊

  • fivelawrences
    fivelawrences Posts: 33 ✭✭✭

    Hibiscus! I love the colors and they remind me of Hawaii!

  • Lisa K
    Lisa K Posts: 1,936 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I found that I took a photo of one of my favorite roses, it is beautiful and has a great fragrance.


  • blevinandwomba
    blevinandwomba Posts: 813 ✭✭✭✭

    @Lisa K Those are beautiful! Do you know what variety they are?

  • Lisa K
    Lisa K Posts: 1,936 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @blevinandwomba thanks! They are a Hybrid Musk Rose called Lavender Lassie.

  • frogvalley
    frogvalley Posts: 675 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2020

    @Lisa K Those are the prettiest roses I've ever seen. I love them! They sort of look like Peonies.

  • Lisa K
    Lisa K Posts: 1,936 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @frogvalley thanks, I know that is one of the reasons this is a favorite rose, I love Peonies but I cannot grow them in Zone 9.

  • Megan Venturella
    Megan Venturella Posts: 678 ✭✭✭✭

    This year it’s bee balm. I think it adds an unusual element to flower arrangements. It’s medicinal as well. I like to tuck them in with pink roses


  • Jens the Beekeeper
    Jens the Beekeeper Posts: 651 admin

    I will go with French marigolds anytime as well as cosmea, calendula sunflower and dahlia.

  • nicksamanda11
    nicksamanda11 Posts: 755 ✭✭✭✭

    Mullein flowers are really neat. Borage was a rockstar this year. Okra flowers are really cool too.

  • mcarryon
    mcarryon Posts: 32 ✭✭✭

    Sunflowers. Big bang for your buck. I plant them near veggies that need some shade from the heat here in South Carolina.

  • Lisa K
    Lisa K Posts: 1,936 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I am hoping my Bee Balm and Evening Primroses will bloom soon!