Which Shrubs are perfect for summer?

As the summer heats up and the blooms of spring have faded, many think it’s impossible to gain that colorful and robust flowering landscape in the scorching heat. Not true! Many plants thrive on hot sunshine to bloom, and with regular care and watering can last throughout the summer. While we specialize in tree services in Memphis, we’ve been around long enough to know a few things about landscaping and making your yard the best it can be. Below is our list of six heat-loving, summer blooms that will keep your yard looking bright all season long!

1. Hydrangeas

Endless Summer Hydrangeas are pastel puffs of small flowers that are simple to grow and work best with a combination of sunshine and shade. They range in color from blue in low pH and more acidic soils to pink in high pH and less acidic soils. The Hydrangea paniculata variety flower from late summer into fall.

2. Roses (certain types)

Some roses are actually fairly easy to grow, even in the summer heat. Shrub roses in white, yellow, pink, and red hues bloom best in sunshine and drained soil from summer into fall. Rock roses can even handle a draught, and they bloom in white, pink, lavender and purple hues. Rose of sharon has tropical flair from the hibiscus family and is a favorite among hummingbirds. Rose of sharon blooms resemble trumpets and arrive in late summer and fall in pink, white, and purple tones.

3. Gardenia

Gardenias are evergreens that produce white blooms with a beautiful aroma and thick, shiny forest green foliage. Gardenias prefer a combination of sunshine and shade and regular watering. They grow best with regular pruning, an acidic fertilizer every 3 to 4 weeks during their growing season, and an area they don’t have to share with many other plants. The can also thrive in large pots outside your house.

4. Butterfly Bush

Butterfly bushes have a lovely aroma and bloom in large arches of lilac, pink, yellow and white from summer to fall, particularly if wilted flowers are plucked off the bush to make room for new blooms. Butterfly bushes are simple to care for and thrive in drained soil and sunshine, while they attract butterflies with the nectar in their flowers.

5. Smoke Bush

Smoke bushes resemble their namesake smoke clouds with large, fluffy blooms. They host an array of hues throughout their prime seasons, including bright pink bursts of color in the summer and red, yellow, and orange foliage in the fall, encouraged by the summer heat. They too grow best in drained soil and sunshine with early springtime pruning, and Smoke bushes can even survive a drought.

6. Crape Myrtle

Crape myrtle is a truly Southern plant, embracing the heat and sunshine, and blooming from late summer into early fall, especially if old flowers are picked off, making room for new blooms. Crape Myrtle blooms bring not only beauty to your yard, but also bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Their foliage also produces fall hues as well, as long as the first frost stays at bay while the leaves are still green. Their attractive bark makes them aesthetically pleasing in all seasons, and pruning during the winter months makes them successful come summer. Plant Cape Myrtle in moist but drained soil, in an airy location to prevent mildew.

Now you know that summer months don’t have to mean nothing but green in your sunny, warm yard in Memphis. Contact Red’s Tree Service today for trimming, pruning, deep root fertilization or removal of problematic trees, stumps, and tree pests, so you can get started landscaping with these summertime shrubs. We can even advise you on the type of tree service you might need, so you can get back to gardening and enjoying your yard this summer.