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Our favourite July plants
- BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Published: Tuesday, 5 July 2022 at 1:44 pm
Discover plants that are looking glorious this month, chosen by the Gardeners' World team and our friends in the gardening world.
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July is peak flower time in the garden, and the team were spoilt for choice trying to narrow down the options to choose their favourite plants for this month. Here, we share the loveliest plants that are guaranteed to brighten up your garden this month. There's something to suit every space, from flowering shrubs perfect for a cottage garden style, to tiny gems to treasure in pots. Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners' World team and across the gardening industry.
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Zaluzianskya
The tiny flowers of Zaluzianskya ovata open at night to release their sweet scent
Chosen by Nick Bailey, Gardeners' World presenter
Delicate night phlox folds its white petals inwards during the day, revealing the cherry red backs. But it comes into its own at night when the petals unfurl, releasing a sublime and heady, parma violet meets vanilla scent. There are annual types, such as Zaluzianskya capensis, which are easy to grow from seed, and perennials, such as Zaluzianskya ovata.
- How to grow Zaluzianskya ovata
Zantedeschia aethiopica
The white calla lily, Zantedeschia aethiopica, is hardy outdoors in mild areas of the UK
Flo Headlam, Garden Rescue presenter
It's hard not to love this show stopper. The flowers of calla lilies are a pure white and unfurl above lush heart shaped leaves, brightening any border, plus it's super easy to grow – even thriving on neglect (apparently!)
- How to grow calla lilies
Ipomoea tricolor 'Heavenly Blue'
Morning glory is fast-growing and easy to grow from seed – you can even grow it in a pot
Chosen by James Alexander-Sinclair, BBC Gardeners' World Magazine columnist
You might recall the Oasis track: “What’s the story, Morning Glory”. This is nothing at all do with that, but instead is a vigorous and free flowering annual climber. Every breakfast time until the weather gets cold, Ipomoea 'Heavenly Blue' will treat you to a spectacular display of blue trumpets.
- How to grow morning glory
Agapanthus africanus
Agapanthus are perfect for coastal gardens as they can survive salty sea winds
Chosen by Toby Buckland, director of Toby's Garden Festival
I love everything about the flowers of Agapanthus africanus. The flowers rise above the leaves in plump buds and burst like azure fireworks, lighting up the borders. I grow it along path edges, where it basks in reflected heat and stops soil falling onto the paving.
- How to grow agapanthus
Thalictrum delavayi Splendide White
Thalictrum delavayi Splendide White is perennial and makes a lovely cut flower. Photo of Hazel by Tia Talula
Chosen by Hazel Gardiner, floral designer
I'm always looking to create lightness in the garden, and this plant is fantastic for the back of borders . It grows to a striking height, but with its feathery, light foliage and plumes of white flowers, it’s a tall but gentle giant. I pair it with grasses, which creates a border full of movement and depth.
- How to grow thalictrums
Verbena bonariensis
Verbena bonariensis is a magnet for pollinating insects and provides seeds for birds
Chosen by Kevin Smith, BBC Gardeners' World Magazine deputy editor
For me, there’s no better plant than Verbena bonariensis. It’s completely slug proof, unfussy about growing conditions and self-seeds with ease, meaning you’re never without it. Best of all, it makes the perfect partner for virtually any other plant – I challenge you to find anything its delicate purple blooms don’t look good alongside.
- How to grow Verbena bonariensis
Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer'
Alstromeria 'Indian Summer' is a hardy perennial that flowers from June to November
Chosen by Michael Perry, presenter and plant lover
I fell in love with this plant the first time I saw it. I'd known alstroemerias from my childhood, as my Nana grew orange and yellow ones, exotic like orchids. 'Indian Summer' brings all that, and more, with deep maroon foliage all summer long. Peruvian lilies flower for five months in a year – find me another plant that does that so easily. They also make great cut flowers.
- How to grow alstromeria
Nigella
Nigella has decorative seed pods that look lovely dried and added to cut flower arrangements
Chosen by Isabelle Palmer, founder of The Balcony Gardener garden design
Nigella (love-in-a-mist) is one of my favourite flowers, and because it was one of the first flowers I grew, it holds an even greater place in my heart. The frothy delicacy of its foliage, topped by a velvety flower in shades of white, pastels or rich, dark tones never disappoints. It's a hardy annual and it couldn't be simpler to grow from seed.
- How to grow love-in-a-mist
Hibiscus
Tender, evergreen hibiscus like this one, make great house plants, while hardy, deciduous varieties make striking garden plants
Chosen by Gynelle Leon, owner of Prick succulent boutique
The hibiscus flower always makes me smile and reminds me of special moments in my grandparents' garden in Saint Lucia; my grandad would break off a flower, much to my grandmother's disapproval, and place it in my hair.
- How to grow hibiscus
Rosa 'Kew Gardens'
Rosa 'Kew Gardens' is an extremely healthy variety and will even grow in partial shade
Chosen by Catherine Mansley, GardenersWorld.com deputy editor
This shrub rose is a mass of flowers all summer long. My biggest challenge is keeping up with the deadheading. The flowers are good for bees and the near-thornless stems mean kids don't get too scratched if they run into it.
- How to grow Rosa 'Kew Gardens'
Lavandula x intermedia 'Grosso'
Lavandula x intermedia 'Grosso' is a tall lavender with large flowerheads that are loved by bees
Chosen by Cel Robertson, founder of Forever Green Flower Company
It wouldn't be summer without these long stems and gracefully tapering flower heads. Like all lavender it has wonderful scent, but Lavandula x intermedia 'Grosso' is my favourite variety. Easy to grow, it is drought-tolerant and performs well for me on my sandy soil.
- How to grow lavender
Sweet peas
Sweet peas are easy to grow from seed and come in an array of lovely colours
Chosen by Lily Middleton, content producer, GardenersWorld.com
I've recently started volunteering at Fulham Palace and one of my favourite jobs is to pick sweet peas and make posies. I've always had a soft spot for sweet peas, who can resist them, but they've captured my heart as I immerse myself in their heady scent each week. The best thing is, the more you pick the more flowers you get, so it's not just a dreamy task - but a useful one too.
- How to grow sweet peas
Ammi majus
Let this annual go to seed and you can collect them to sow again next year
Chosen by Adam Duxbury, features editor BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
At ease everywhere, from a cottage garden or meadow scheme to a contemporary border, the billowing white umbellifers of ammi (Bishop's flower) are a must in July.
- How to grow Ammi majus
Hollyhocks
Biennials, or short-lived perennials, hollyhocks are great for adding height to borders
Chosen by Lucy Felton, Gardeners' World Magazine content coordinator
With spikes bursting up through the edges of lanes and pavements in our village, July really is Hollyhock territory in Oxfordshire. I’ll admit to strategically placing baby hollyhocks, in creamy whites and almost-blacks, by the doors of our woodstore and garden gates, as if they’ve randomly sprung from nowhere.
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- How to grow hollyhocks
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