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Flowers of an Alabama Summer
In June, the cool days of spring give way to the high sun and heavy heat of a southern summer. Only the strong survive here. The blooms of these summer soldiers appear this month and persist through it all, making them garden favorites for generations. Plant these iron-hearted beauties and marvel at their endurance and colorful yield...
Butterfly Bush Shimmering, fragrant spires that attract butterflies like no other. Superb cut-flower. New dwarf varieties are suitable for small gardens or containers. 
Coneflower This native holds a special place in every southern gardener's heart. Huge, sturdy flowers attract butterflies. Coneflowers tolerate heat & drought like champs. 
Coreopsis Drive down any quiet Alabama road in summer and look for bright yellow blooms dotting ditches and roadsides. These are most likely coreopsis, also called tickseed- tremendously durable native wildflowers that deserve a place in every garden. 
Daylilies These are an old southern standby, often spotted around homesteads long gone, still blooming like the day they were planted. It's no wonder they transcend generations like that, as they are extremely tolerant of less than perfect growing conditions, enduring sun, heat and drought very well. 
Hostas Hostas are prized for bold, colorful foliage in shade, but often overlooked are the graceful lavender blooms that appear in summer. 
Hydrangea It's nearly impossible to beat the giant blooms of hydrangeas for shady spots, where bold blooms are hard to come by. Plant a mix of Hydrangea macrophylla (French), Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf) and Hydrangea paniculata (bloom later in summer, also more sun tolerant), for season-long color. 
Lantana You have to admire lantanas when you see them baking in the summer sun, blooming like crazy and feeding the butterflies to boot. They are one of the toughest choices for sun and heat. 
Lavender Lavenders need two things: Lots of sun and well-drained soil. Give them these and they will thrive, provide fragrant foliage and oodles of purple blooms in summer. 
Rudbeckia No Alabama garden is complete without a few black-eyed Susans. Native wildflowers that thrive in our climate, they have one-of-a-kind blooms with sturdy stems, great for cutting. 
Salvias The large Salvia family boasts many members, most of them durable, reliable perennials that bloom all summer, many also attract hummingbirds. | 
