Five summer perennials for July

Of course, to keep your perennials looking good and flowering for as long as possible, they will need a bit of help. Take a look at our quick guide to summer watering, plus our advice on how to deadhead flowers.

• What to plant in July

Check out five of the best summer perennials for July, below.

Achillea

Commonly known as yarrow, achillea are hardy, herbaceous perennials that produce marvellous, flat flower heads, popular with a range of beneficial insects. The feathery foliage is particularly attractive, too.

Hollyhocks

Hollyhocks (alcea) are cottage garden classics. A varied range of cultivars are available, including the sumptuous 'Halo Lavender' (pictured), as well as the apricot-bloomed 'Halo Apricot'.

Rudbeckias

Like all plants in the daisy family, rudbeckias are a hit with pollinators – and provide a hit of colour from midsummer into autumn. An easy cut flower to grow from seed.

Hardy geraniums

Hardy geraniums, such as 'Russell Prichard' and 'Ann Folkard', are especially useful plants to grow in shade. Once the flowers have gone over, cut the plant right back to encourage a second flush of blooms and foliage.

Echinaceas

Purple coneflowers (echinaceas) are ideal summer perennials for July. Just a few of the cultivars you could grow include 'Sunset' and 'Leuchtstern' (pictured). If you enjoy growing daisies, here are eight essential border daisies to grow.

Summer perennials for gravel gardens

• Nepeta
• Santolina
• Stachys
• Thyme
• Sedum
• Verbena
• Ballota
• Sisyrinchium
• Verbascum