Summer is the time to decorate your porch with as many flowers as you care for. While flowers are more of a personalized thing for homeowners, the porch makes for a prime location to place them. So pick your favorites of course, but if you need some help or advice on what to pick, here are some plants that love the summer weather. Here’s our list of the best summer porch plants.

”Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. Hans” - Christian Andersen

Petunias

Pretty in purple: set these around the patio for some color
Petunias are always a nice addition. Source: Gardenerdy

The petunia is one of the most resilient flowers you can get for your porch, especially when it comes to sunlight. You can basically leave them in the sun all day and you only need to water them once a week.

Don’t worry about shade, petunias really love the sun. They come in red, pink, purple, yellow, and white colors, so you can be sure to find an arrangement that matches your home’s exterior paint. Overall they’re just one of the best container plants for full sun.

The only real downside is that they are susceptible to several harmful natural things, such as:

  • Viruses
  • Leaf spots
  • Soft rot
  • Leaf miners
  • Aphids
  • Grey mold
  • Caterpillars

Begonias

Another solid choice when it comes to planters
Making sure a few accents are just right on the porch. Source: Southern Living

Another feasible option for porches and patios is planting >begonias. These plants also love sunlight and some newer types can be left in the sun all day. If your seeds are of older stock, simply give them a little shade. Begonias make for some of the best summer porch plants.

Hydrangeas

Dotting the patio with hints of color is always a good idea
Hydrangeas are sort of an all purpose color plant. Source: Napa Valley

True to their name, hydrangeas can produce a variety of different colors even if they all stem from the same plant. Moreover, depending on what soil you use, they could bloom different colors as well.

Hydrangeas just absolutely love the sunlight. You can’t go wrong with hydrangeas.

Zinnias

Some flowers will attract butterflies to your garden.
Other friendly critters include bumblebees, hummingbirds, and moths. Source: Savvy garden

Said to symbolize the thoughts of absent friends, zinnias are some of the easiest plants to grow. They bloom quickly, in bright colors, and attract butterflies to your yard. This makes them the perfect patio plants for shade. Be sure not to burn them with too much sunlight, but just enough to keep them growing. These are still “full sun” types, so it can be a bit of a challenge to see where enough is enough sun.

Geraniums

What a lovely geranium pot
Geraniums are also a hearty flower to have. Source: DIYnetwork

Geraniums are among the best patio plants in pots. They’re perfect for the porch in pots and can be transferred later. Geraniums add a lot of color to any backyard, and are perfectly fine sitting in the sun all day and cooling off at night.

Care is generally pretty easy, just be sure to water them and give plenty of sunlight, and fertilize when needed. If you hit a bit of a dry spell, you can always take the pots indoors. Geraniums are very versatile.

Lobelias

Lobelias will grow pretty much anywhere, so why not make them a pretty feature for your porch? They can certainly take full sun and will provide a nice shade of purple around the patio. Their easy care makes them one of the best summer porch plants.


Wondering which flowers work best for your porch or patio? Looking for a contractor to help plan that? Get in touch with a pro today.

Continue Reading:

Join the conversation