Summer colour that keeps on giving

A sunny patch, a few well-chosen plants and a little regular care can bring months of colour to the garden. Whether you’re filling gaps in a border, freshening up patio pots or planting a whole bed, salvias, pentas, zinnias and angelonias deserve a place on your summer shopping list.

November and December are a good time to get these heat-loving favourites into the ground. Give them a sunny position, well-drained soil and the right care, and they’ll keep the show going well into autumn.

Salvias: colour with staying power

There’s a good reason salvias remain firm favourites in summer gardens. Their upright flower spikes bring colour and shape to beds and borders, with fresh flushes keeping the display going through the warmer months.

There’s plenty to choose from beyond the familiar reds, too. For neat borders or generous blocks of colour, try ‘Vista’, a compact grower reaching 25–30 cm. ‘Reddy’ stays at a similar height and offers rich colours that make an impact even in a small space.

For a bolder display, look out for the bicolour flower spikes of ‘Fire Breather’. Prefer something softer? The lavender and silvery tones of ‘Salgoon Lake Silvretta’ sit beautifully alongside ornamental grasses and grey-leafed plants.

Keep them happy

Choose a spot with at least six hours of direct sunlight a day.
Work compost into well-drained soil before planting.
Water moderately, taking care not to leave the roots sitting in soggy soil.
Remove faded flower spikes regularly to encourage another flush.
Apply a balanced flower fertiliser every three to four weeks.

Pentas: a little star power

Plant a patch of pentas and you’ll have more than flowers to enjoy. Their clusters of star-shaped blooms attract butterflies and sunbirds, bringing welcome movement to the garden.

The flowers keep coming through summer and well into autumn. These plants also cope remarkably well with heat and humidity, making them useful choices for Lowveld and coastal gardens.

‘Glitterati’ has a compact growth habit, reaching 30–40 cm, with vivid colours to brighten beds and containers. For a slightly taller display, try ‘Graffiti’. It grows to around 35–45 cm, branches well and carries a generous covering of flowers.

Keep them happy

Plant in full sun to light shade.
Enrich fertile, well-drained soil with compost.
Water regularly, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings.
Feed every two to three weeks with a potassium-rich fertiliser to support flowering.
Pinch back young plants to encourage fuller, bushier growth.

Try this: Plant pentas where you can enjoy the visiting butterflies from a patio, garden bench or favourite window.

Zinnias: cheerful summer favourites

Few flowers bring quite the same cheerful feel to a summer garden as zinnias. They have an old-fashioned charm, but newer varieties offer plenty for today’s gardeners, including compact growth and improved disease resistance.

‘Profusion’ is a dependable choice, growing 30–40 cm tall and producing single blooms in a bright mix of colours. If you enjoy a fuller flower, ‘Profusion Double’ adds extra layers of petals to the display.

‘Zahara’ is another variety worth looking out for. Its spreading growth habit fills out a planting beautifully, while its tolerance of heat and humidity helps it cope with demanding summer conditions. It’s just as useful for bringing colour to a sunny patio pot.

Keep them happy

Give zinnias a position in full sun.
Plant in rich, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter.
Direct water onto the soil rather than over the leaves to help keep foliage dry.
Feed fortnightly with a flower fertiliser once buds begin to form.
Allow good airflow around plants, spacing these compact varieties about 20–25 cm apart.

Angelonias: easy elegance

For flowers that carry on through the heat without much fuss, make room for angelonias. Often called summer snapdragons, they bring upright flower spikes to a planting and cope well with both heat and humidity.

There’s no need to remove every faded bloom to keep them flowering, either, which makes them especially appealing when the summer gardening list is already a long one.

For pots and the front of a border, ‘Alonia’ is a compact option reaching 25–30 cm, with dense flower spikes. ‘Serenita’ grows to a similar height but has a slightly looser, more natural appearance.

Need a little height? ‘Guardian Angel’ reaches 40–50 cm and works well among lower-growing plants in mixed borders. For richer colour combinations, explore the ‘Angelflare’ series, including ‘Black’, ‘Cranberry’ and ‘Orchid Pink’. Plant them together for a bold display or pair them with silver foliage.

Keep them happy

Plant in full sun and well-drained soil.
Water moderately once established, avoiding waterlogged roots.
Add a slow-release fertiliser at planting and supplement with a liquid feed each month.
Leave the deadheading off your list, but give plants a light trim midway through the season if they need tidying.

Bring a few indoors: Angelonia makes a lovely filler for summer flower arrangements. Cut stems in the cool of the morning; they can last well over a week in a vase.