FAVOURITE FLOWERS OF HIGH SUMMER
Water lilies
“‘Water Lilies’ is an extension of my life. Without the water the lilies cannot live, as I am without art.” –Claude Monet
Water lilies are a favorite high summer bloomer because they thrive in the heat, add a touch of whimsical vegetation to any koi pond or fountain, and are actually one of July’s birth month flowers. Even when they aren’t flowering, the green lily pads really accentuate any watery ecosystem, providing coverage for fish and frogs as well as a landing pad for birds. Although they look very similar, the water lily is quite distinctive from the lotus blossom. While their flowers both cover the spectrum of the rainbow, water lilies have thicker, waxy leaves, while the lotus has more delicate ones that are papery in texture.
The lotus is such a revered plant because it represents rebirth and self-regeneration. Because a lotus flower grows in mud and dark, murky water but rises to the surface, blossoming each day (only to shrink away in the evening), it is an obvious symbol of literal and spiritual change and resurgence. To experience more tranquility in the day-to-day, Chelsea Flowers offers a Zen Garden bouquet featuring kalanchoe and nephthytis.
Amphibious Nature and Aquatic Plants
Embrace the pond aesthetic with aquatic plants like water lilies, lotus, cattails, horsetails, and taro. A little pond really elevates any backyard or garden, and tall grasses such as bulrush and sweet flag create a lush oasis that welcomes bullfrogs, dragonflies, and other fauna to flourish. Blue flag is a similar hue of azure to larkspur and adds a pop of color to any pond dwelling. Creeping Jenny works as an efficient groundcover plant and will soften the edges of slate, stones, and rocks. This creates a lush, green sanctuary that will really enhance the marsh aesthetic. Horsetail reeds, pickerel plants, and mosaic pond plants (with tiny yellow flowers), and water lettuce also embellish a watery environment, turning your koi pond into an ornate escape. To keep everything clean and moving, try adding a DIY waterfall and simply remove pesky and invasive plants such as dog weed manually.
Lovely Larkspur
The larkspur represents an open heart and even a fickle, indecisive nature as well as lightness. This makes it the perfect flower for midsummer because it somehow symbolizes that carefree, unattached feeling of a fleeing summer fling. Larkspur, another July birth flower, is very often confused with delphinium and while they are similar, they are not exactly interchangeable. With their tall stalks and vibrant blue blossoms, they almost effortlessly make a statement bouquet all on their own.
Other flowers that thrive in the heat of high summer include Brown-eyed Susan, gladiola, Echinacea, canna lily, cosmos, sunflowers, butterfly plant, milkweed, yarrow, goldenrod, and hollyhocks. For tall, ostentatious flowers that pair well with larkspur, try using red hot poker, lupine, digitalis, foxglove, and liatris (or blazing star) in your arrangements. For a ready-made bouquet featuring one of our favorite violet-hued beauties that also loves hot weather, look no further than the Plumb Perfection floral arrangement featuring lisianthus by Chelsea Flowers.
For plants that will thrive in summer, always plant varieties that are native to your landscape. This is when wildflowers are your best friends, really. Anything that will grow wild will survive and should be cultivated and heartily mulched in your own garden. This will create a beautiful green space that requires minimal care (as it can grow verdantly) and will last throughout the summer.
To learn more about floral offerings by Chelsea Flowers, click the links below:
https://chelseaflowers.co.uk/product/zen-garden
https://chelseaflowers.co.uk/product/plumb-perfection
For more information on the plants mentioned in this blog, check out the following websites:
https://www.britannica.com/plant/water-lily
https://libguides.nybg.org/waterlilyandlotus
https://www.ewaterplant.com/meaning-of-water-lily-flowers/#:~:text=The%20Nymphaea%20waterlilies%20perfectly%20symbolise,rebirth%2C%20wellness%2C%20and%20peace.
https://extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener/counties/luzerne/news/july-birth-month-flower-larkspur-consolida-sp#:~:text=Larkspur%20is%20symbolic%20of%20a,are%20spent%20away%20from%20school.