Top 10 Hardy Plants For Early Summer

This hardy shrub flowers through May and June
Image: Syringa 'Red Pixie' from T&M (© Darby Nursery Stock Ltd)

Early summer is a wonderful time in the garden. The weather is warming up but the soil is still moist with spring rainfall - the perfect growing conditions for many hardy plants. Whether you want to pack your outside space with scented shrubs, evergreen perennials or flowering climbers, there's a hardy plant for every tricky corner. Need to fill a lull as your spring bulbs start to fade? Colourful hardy plants are the best way to bridge the gap.

If you want some early summer magic in your garden, here are the hardy plants our expert horticultural team recommends...

1. Foxglove
2. Clematis
3. Hydrangea macrophylla
4. Hardy geraniums
5. Lilac
6. Penstemon
7. Philadelphus
8. Lupin
9. Leucanthemum
10. Alchemilla

1. Foxglove

These magnificent blooms cope well with shade
Image: Foxglove 'Dalmatian Mixed' from T&M

Foxgloves (Digitalis) are a stalwart of the cottage garden, their vertical flower stems rising up in June to meet the early-summer sunshine. Including perennials and biennials, this well-loved group is instantly recognisable by their spires of open-mouthed, tubular flowers with delicately spotted throats. After flowering, simply cut back the faded flower stems to prevent self-seeding (although I'm rather fond of the new seedlings which pop up in the most unexpected places!)

There are some newer cultivars, like the sterile Foxglove 'Illumination Raspberry', that don't set seed, and this extends the flowering period well beyond that of traditional varieties. Whichever type you choose, plant your foxgloves along woodland edges and in perennial borders where they will thrive in sun or dappled shade.

2. Clematis

These double, two-toned blooms look wonderful on fences and trellis
Image: Clematis florida 'Taiga' from T&M

The large-flowered Clematis cultivars are sought-after for their colourful, wide-open blooms. These beauties come in a wonderful range of colours and forms, and always make a showy display. Flowering from June onwards, they are versatile climbers, happily covering trellis, scaling pillars and obelisks, or scrambling through mature shrubs.

A good number of modern cultivars have been bred for a more compact growth habit, making them ideal for growing in large containers on the patio. Try Clematis 'Nelly Moser' for a shady, north-facing spot, or bring a splash of colour to sunny positions with Clematis 'The President'. If you fancy a more exotic look then go for a double-flowered Clematis florida 'Taiga'. With so many to choose from, the hardest part is picking your favourite!

3. Hydrangea macrophylla

This compact variety is perfect for containers or borders
Image: Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bouquet Rose' from T&M

Hydrangeas are a classy genus! Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars are some of the best-known, with large mopheads and elegant lace-caps that change colour on soils with different acidity. Showy yet elegant - I've honestly never seen a hydrangea I don't like. From delicate white blooms like Hydrangea macrophylla 'Sandra' to modern and strikingly colourful varieties like Hydrangea macrophylla 'Glam Rock', there's something to suit every garden.

Easy to grow in sun or dappled shade, the superbly hardy Hydrangea macrophylla makes a versatile addition to early summer borders.

4. Hardy Geraniums

This classic cottage garden variety flowers from June
Image: Geranium sanguineum var. Striatum from T&M

No herbaceous border is complete without at least a few hardy Geraniums. This diverse group of plants ranges from the demure, well behaved Geranium cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' to the taller, highly vigorous Geranium oxonianum cultivars. There really is a hardy Geranium to suit every spot in the garden. These easy-to-grow perennials are tough and dependable, always giving 100%. Chop them back as the flowers fade and you'll be rewarded with a fresh clump of foliage and often a second flush of flowers. It's no wonder that these are one of the most popular hardy perennials in the UK.

5. Lilac

Lilac 'Palibin' is covered in tiny perfumed flowers from late spring
Image: Lilac 'Palibin' from T&M

The fragrant blooms of Lilac are already in full swing by early summer - their large flower heads filling the garden with an unmistakable perfume. Syringa vulgaris cultivars make attractive specimens even when not in flower, with heart-shaped foliage cloaking the branching stems of this upright shrub. Try double variety Lilac 'Madame Lemoine' or the well-loved 'Katherine Havemeyer' for a classic cottage garden specimen shrub. If space is at a premium, Lilac 'Palibin' is perfectly proportioned for growing in containers on the patio.

6. Penstemon

This tough perennial remains semi-evergreen throughout winter
Image: Penstemon heterophyllus 'Heavenly Blue' from T&M

Penstemons are relentless! Flowering from June, they will continue throughout the summer bringing months of colour to your borders. The Pensham cultivars are particularly tough, withstanding cool temperatures and changeable weather that so often dominates the British summer. Upright flower spikes of tubular blooms rise from attractive clumps of evergreen foliage. These hard-working plants remain neat and tidy throughout the summer, making them excellent choices for filling gaps in borders.

7. Philadelphus

'Starbright' produces larger than average blooms in early summer
Image: Philadelphus 'Starbright' from T&M

Commonly known as Mock Orange, Philadelphus is well loved for its early summer display of perfumed flowers. Double-flowered Philadelphus 'Virginal' is one of the best, with pure white blooms that are loved by bees and butterflies. If you enjoy colour, then the rose-tinged variety 'Petite Perfume Pink' is worth considering. Varigated forms such as Philadelphus coronarius 'Variegatus' are also available. Although the impact of the flowers is somewhat diminished against variegated foliage, these forms make fantastic specimens for breaking up the green canvas of a mixed border.

8. Lupin

'Noble Maiden' is perfect for adding elegant, architectural structure
Image: Lupin 'Noble Maiden' from T&M

Instantly recognisable - the Lupin is another traditional cottage garden perennial. Tall towers of pea-like flowers rise above clumps of finely dissected foliage. Lupins come in a wonderful rainbow of colours; their tall stems adding height and structure to early summer borders. George Russell gives his name to the 'Russell Hybrids' from which most of our modern cultivars have been bred. Having devoted 23 years of his life to perfecting these beauties, he would be pleased to know that they're still as popular as ever!

9. Leucanthemum

This free-flowering, dwarf variety looks lovely in borders or patio containers
Image: Shasta Daisy 'Madonna' from T&M (© Branded Garden Products)

There is something particularly charming about the simplicity of the Leucanthemum, also known as the Shasta Daisy. These large flowered plants are upright perennials that form spreading clumps over time. Always white, ivory or yellow, there are plenty of different flower forms, from simple, single blooms to frilly doubles such as Leucanthemum x superbum 'Goldfinch'. The first flowers appear in June, and continue on throughout the summer, attracting pollinating insects and making lovely cut flowers. These robust hardy perennials are easy to grow, blending effortlessly into the careful design of mixed borders or the carefree informality of a wildlife garden.

10. Alchemilla

These clusters of lime green blooms are honey-scented
Image: Alchemilla mollis 'Thriller' from T&M

From early summer, alchemilla (Lady's Mantle) produces a froth of honey-scented, chartreuse flowers above low clumps of soft green foliage. A valuable source of nectar for pollinating insects, they also make a charming filler for early summer bouquets.

In the garden, the fan-shaped leaves of popular Alchemilla mollis have a habit of collecting dewdrops that twinkle like jewels among the foliage. This low-growing perennial makes wonderful ground cover on reliably moist soil. Try using dense swathes of the more upright cultivar Alchemilla moillis 'Thiller' for planting along the edge of borders and to soften pathways.

We hope this has given you plenty of ideas to bridge the gap between spring and summer. If you're looking to extend your display through the hottest months of the year, visit our summer flowers advice hub for everything you need to know.