The best summer flowers to plant in your garden, according Semple Begg

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This is your ultimate guide to gardening in summer – what to plant, where to plant it and what not to do, with the help of the founders of garden design studio Semple Begg

Award-winning garden design and landscaping studio Semple Begg were the designers behind the summer flowers in Dior’s Cruise 2025 show garden and boast a long list of acclaimed city and rural projects, including the ‘The Elsewhere Garden’, which won an award at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2023.

Founders Susan Begg and Nicola Semple build their gardens by creating a sense of place, using collaboration to form awe-inspiring spaces that don’t just look beautiful but champion sustainability, too.

Dior garden designers Semple Beg, Susan Begg and Nicola Semple, sitting in one of their gardens
IMAGE | Courtesy of Semple Begg

“Gardens and landscapes are by their very nature dynamic and we seek to create spaces that you can enjoy from the outset and then maintain in the long term,” the duo say.

Here, Susan and Nicola lead you through the best summer flowers to plant in July and August. It isn’t too late to add colour – and remember that what you plant now will flourish in autumn, too.

1. Salvia Nachtvlinder

What to plant in summer, Salvia Nachtvlinder
IMAGE | Andrea Jones. Flowers of Salvia Nachtvlinder with raindrops

Salvia is such a rewarding summer flower. Light and graceful in habit, the deeply aromatic foliage is topped by luscious purple, pea-like flowers. Planted in full sun, in light, with free draining soil it will flower continuously throughout summer from June to September.

Insider’s tip It’s all too easy to overlook the contribution bulbs can make to the summer garden, but they can play a key role in bridging the gap between early and late season perennials whilst taking up barely any room.

2. Gladiolus Ruby 

One of three best summer flowers to grow in your garden
IMAGE | Semple Begg. Gladiolus Ruby close-up with deep red colours perfect for adding depth to your garden

This Papillio hybrdid manages to be both breath-takingly glamorous and much more natural in appearance than the Vegas showgirls of the Gladioli family. It is one of the best summer flowers because it likes a sunny position in free-draining soil.

Insider’s tip These should be planted in spring and will flower in the first year. If happy, they will naturalise and multiply in number.

3. Coreopsis Moonbeam

Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’
IMAGE | Abundant and lovely pale yellow flowers of Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’

Moondbeam introduces a soft yellow into the garden in the summer months. Yellow is a colour that clients are often wary about using in their gardens, but when placed correctly it can add charm to a green space. Moondbeam is robust, super-long flowering and in our experience, is hardier than other Coreopsis cultivars.

Semple Begg gardening work in late summer
IMAGE | Clare Tweedie. Planting cocooning a terrace in late summer

We like it with neutrals like the grass Stipa tenuissima and Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Album’ as in the photo and we’ve also paired it with blue tones such as with Calamintha nepeta ‘Blue Cloud’, Scabiosa caucasica ‘Perfecta’ and Campanula lactiflora ‘Pritchard’s Variety’.

Insider’s tip Be mindful that perennials may flower in their first year but will generally take two to three years to establish.

What not to do when planting flowers in July and August

Semple Begg image of garden shed
IMAGE | Semple Begg. Florals wrapped around the garden shed, glistening in the evening summer sun

If you have gaps in your planting then plug them with late flowering perennials such as Agastache, Anemones, Asters, Echinacea, Heleniums, Hylotelephiums or Perovskia. In terms of location, ‘right plant, right place’ is the mantra you will all have heard. Follow nursery recommendations, shady plants for shady spots, sun lovers for sun traps.

When selecting the best summer flower combinations, we aim to create a balance of leaf and flower forms with 2-3 plant species in flower at any one time. How to achieve this comes with experience and if it all sounds rather daunting, seek help from your local nursery, they really are you best friend.

Colourful and pleasing summer flower combinations are entirely subjective and there is no right or wrong. If it makes you happy, you have got it right.

Insider’s tip Avoid using trays of annual bedding plants as their environmental footprint is much bigger than perennials that come back every year.

Best garden centres in Scotland

Primula japonica 'Apple Blossom'
IMAGE | Andrea Jones. Primula japonica ‘Apple Blossom’

For perennials we recommend Macplants near Pencaitland in East Lothian. They grow a huge range of perennials, grasses, alpines and shrubs for all situations. What’s more, Gavin McNaugton and his team are a generous wealth of knowledge. We have learnt so much from them over the years. It’s definitely worth a visit and their plants always look supremely healthy. You won’t be able to resist.

Kevock Garden Plants are another nursery gem right on our doorstep. We would describe them as connoisseurs of specialist plants; bog, alpines, woodland plants and much more. Regular winners of Gold at Chelsea Flower Show, need we say more. Order online.

Insider’s tip For those with balconies or looking for pots, we love Domani and Atalier Vierkant, both can be bought in the Scotland at Floral Scape Nurseries. Their pots can be used as a sculptural piece freestanding within a planting, planted up, or made into a water feature.

Explore more Scottish gardens with artist and garden designer Bella Hoare.

The art of gardening with artist Bella Hoare

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