• Planting flower seeds in early spring ensures you’ll have beautiful blooms by summer.
• Geraniums come in a wide variety of colors, so they’re your best bet for a colorful summer garden.
• Hydrangeas are your other best bet if you’re looking for a low-maintenance flower that comes in many shades.

Next to the warm weather, having bright, colorful flowers to spruce up your home’s exterior is one of the best parts of summer! But before you can enjoy the vibrant shades of your container garden, there’s work to be done in the early days of spring, especially when planting from seed.

Starting early ensures you give your seeds enough time to germinate and produce healthy blossoms for the most stunning garden visual. In fact, you can plant several summer-blooming flowers for a custom floral scene that lasts all season long.

Here are the best summer flower seeds to plant now to enjoy a colorful container garden for the entirety of summer.

Zinnias

Zinnias are a beloved summer flower to plant for their ease of maintenance and variety of shades, like pink, red, purple, yellow, and orange, that give your garden a pop of color. They come in two distinct shapes such as pom-poms or cactus-like blooms, but the best part is they’re heat-tolerant, so they’re even more ideal for the summer months.

• Water Needs: Every two to three days.
• Light Needs: Full sun in direct sunlight for 6-8 hours every day.
• Mature Size: 1-4 ft. tall, 1-2 ft. wide.
• Best Used As: Filler.

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Marigolds

Marigolds are another favorite summer plant because they’re easy to care for and they have a long blooming season. These flowers sprout in beautiful warm reds and oranges to create a cheerful garden, and they work to deter pests thanks to their smell.

• Water Needs: Once or twice a week.
• Light Needs: Full sun with 6 hours of direct sunlight every day.
• Mature Size: 6-12 in. tall, 6-18 in. wide.
• Best Used As: Filler.

Dahlias

Dahlias are gorgeous, dainty flowers that are perfect for cute summer gardens because of their soft pink colors. These delightful flowers begin to bloom in the later summer months but have a lasting season into the fall.

• Water Needs: 3-4 times every week.
• Light Needs: Full sun with 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day.
• Mature Size: 1-6 ft. tall, 1-3 ft. wide.
• Best Used As: Thriller.

Begonias

Like dahlias, begonias come in cheerful shades perfect for the summer months, but they’re also one of the easiest to care for. While most summer flowers require lots of sun, begonias prefer the shadier spots, so their maintenance is even easier for you!

• Water Needs: Water every two to four days.
• Light Needs: Plant in a bright, indirect sunlight spot.
• Mature Size: 1.5 ft. tall, 1.5 ft. wide.
• Best Used As: Filler.

Peonies

Arguably one of the summer classic florals is the fan-favorite peonies. These dainty flowers add true cheerfulness and brightness to your summer containers with their white, pink, and magenta shades.

• Water Needs: Water once or twice a week.
• Light Needs: Full sun with 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight every day.
• Mature Size: 2-3 ft. tall, 2-3 ft. wide.
• Best Used As: Thriller.

Geranium

If you want an abundance of colorful flowers this summer, then geraniums are one of the top picks. These colorful flowers produce a variety of shades and forms, but better yet, they’re long-lasting and extremely easy to care for. Plus they mix well with other flowers on our list for an even bigger seasonal arrangement.

• Water Needs: Water once a week.
• Light Needs: Full sun with 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day.
• Mature Size: 1-3 ft. tall, 1-3 ft. wide.
• Best Used As: Filler.

Hydrangea

Another classic summer flower to plant this spring is hydrangea. These flowers are incredible for a bountiful display that looks classy and elegant, but bright from their variety of shades. Hydrangeas are also low maintenance so you don’t have to worry too much about care.

• Water Needs: Water deeply once or twice a week.
• Light Needs: Plant in a partial sun, partial shade location.
• Mature Size: 2-3 ft. tall, 2-3 ft. wide.
• Best Used As: Thriller.

Creeping Phlox

Creeping phloxes are the perfect summer flower to plant in spring if you want a long-lasting container garden filled with color and abundance. This flower comes in purple, white, pink, red, or blue shades so you can warmth or coolness to your display.

• Water Needs: Water deeply once a week.
• Light Needs: Full sun and partial shade with 4-6 hours of sunlight daily.
• Mature Size: 0.5 ft. tall, 1-2 ft. wide.
• Best Used As: Spiller.

Pansies

If you live in a cooler region, then pansies are an ideal summer flower. Not only do they produce bright blooms in gorgeous purples and yellows for a cheerful scene, but they also thrive in shade and are easy to care for. Just remember to keep them out of direct sunlight and water them regularly.

• Water Needs: Water once or twice a week.
• Light Needs: Partial shade with at least 6 hours of sunlight daily.
• Mature Size: 1 ft. tall, 1 ft. wide.
• Best Used As: Filler.