When you want a good looking flower garden in NJ, you do not need to put a lot of work in. When you pick the right plants and flowers, you can enjoy a colorful landscape year-round without needing to tend it every few days. And we put together a list of the best plants and summer flowers to plant for the perfect New Jersey garden. We hope our New Jersey flower planting guide comes in handy for you!
Astilbe
Want a plant that looks great all year, requires no deadheading and is pest-free? Look no further than Astilbe plants for one of the easiest flowers to grow in NJ. These perennials are in many ornamental gardens in New Jersey. They add texture and color. And if you take good care of them, they will last for many years. Astilbe even continues to grow in size. Also, these plants have a lacy foliage and tall flower plumes.
Late Into Summer
Depending on the variety, they will bloom mid-spring and late into the summer. The plants will only flower once, but they look great even as they dry which means no deadheading! There is some maintenance to this plant. You will need to cut back leaves that have died sometime in the fall or in the spring. Although these plants can usually take full sun, they may do better with some shaded area in hot summers of New Jersey. If they are full sun, you will need to make sure they have enough water.
Russian Sage, or Perovskia Atriplicifolia
Russian sage plants have a unique, soft purple haze. They are sturdy plants that survive well in the cold. They require hard pruning each spring at the buds as they begin to break to allow for new growth in your NJ flower garden.
Spreading Through the Garden
These plants will bloom in late summer into a bright blue flower. Some challenges of the Russian Sage is that they do not transplant easily and can spread.
Spike Speedwell or Veronica Spicata
Veronica will grow in clusters and bloom starting at the bottom of the stalk and then, continue upwards – this extends the time that they stay in bloom.
Dense Foliage
Spike Speedwell will grow into mounds of foliage that are dense. The flower spikes are tall and are visible above the leaves. Spike Speedwell flowers with shades of blue, purple, white and pink. They do not require cutting back to get the next bloom and stay in bloom for many weeks at a time.
Catmint or Nepeta, Faassenii and Hybrids
In the past, catmint was considered a weed-like plant. However, newer varieties are much better suited for a flower garden in NJ.
Clouds of Blue
These plants repeatedly bloom, and the latest varieties are well-behaved. Catmint has the look of lavender with clouds of blue. Also, the plant does require deadheading for a repeat bloom which makes this one of the best flowers to plant in New Jersey.
Coral Bells or Heuchera
It’s no mistaking these coral-colored and bell-shaped flowers known as Coral Bells. They are a popular flower among plant breeders because of their colorful foliage. And it’s a beautiful combination for the flowering gardens of New Jersey summers.
Consider the Winter
Occasionally, gardeners will cut the flower stalks to prevent the leaves from distracting the flower. There is one challenge with this flower, they tend to heave out in the winter. One remedy is to wait until the ground is frozen and mulch them. Also, this protects the crown from getting damaged in the cold winter.
Bleeding Heart Flowers or Dicentra Species
These repeat-flowering plants with fern leaves are low-maintenance. Bleeding hearts bloom in mid-Spring but can remain flowering through the summer. However, they struggle in very hot weather.
Water and Shade
It is important to water and shade them appropriately as temperatures rise. If you do not, they will yellow and disappear. Other species will repeat flower in the summer, but can also fade as new growth comes in.
Hardy Geraniums or Geranium Species and Hybrids
These flowers will bloom all summer and can weave through other plants in your New Jersey garden. And some varieties will bloom non-stop throughout the summer.
Ground Cover
Depending on the variety, these plants can grow to light up less attractive plants or can be used as ground cover.
Columbine or Aquilegia Species Plus Hybrids
Native columbine is native to the region and hummingbirds help to spread it. Also, this wildflower includes a colorful series of hybrid flowers. And these blooms can help fill the gap in your New Jersey garden.
Resist Drought
And one of these greatest benefits of Columbine is that it can easily be transplanted and is drought-resistant.
Daylily or Hemerocallis Hybrids
While daylily flowers only open for a day, you can plant many of them so that they are blooming in your garden for weeks. Daylilies thrive in New Jersey gardens and they are a staple of the region.
Fill Out the Garden
These flowers will fill out your garden quickly which is great for starting gardeners. They do need to be divided every three years which you can share with your neighbors! And here are repeat bloom varieties that do not require deadheading.
Taking care of summer flowers in the Garden State is a breeze as long as you have the right plants and plan in place. Work with a professional landscaper to learn more about the best summer flowers to plant to build your perfect flower garden in NJ.
Thank you for reading our blog, and we hope our New Jersey flower planting guide was useful! If you are in the Wyckoff, Ridgewood, or surrounding areas of NJ, how can we help you? Contact us today.
