Summer Flowers to Give: A Seasonal Calendar and Tips

Summer offers the richest choice of flowers all year: alongside roses and chrysanthemums, sold year-round, come peonies, hydrangeas, lavender, sunflowers, dahlias and true wildflowers. Seasonal flowers are fresher, more fragrant and more affordable than imported ones. Here is what blooms in June, July and August, which bouquets suit graduations, weddings and summer holidays, which exotic flowers cope with heat, and how to keep a bouquet fresh when it is +30 outside.

What blooms in summer: a month-by-month calendar

• June is peony month: their season is short, 3–4 weeks from late May. Garden roses, ox-eye daisies, bellflowers and delphiniums bloom at the same time, with lavender at the end of the month.
• July is the peak for hydrangeas, lilies and lisianthus. Cornflowers and poppies fill the fields, sunflowers and zinnias the gardens.
• August brings dahlias, asters, gladioli, rudbeckia and echinacea. More in August flowers.

Wildflowers: the beauty of simplicity

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Daisies, cornflowers, bellflowers, clover, yarrow and grasses make the most summery bouquet, perfect for a country house, a picnic or a cosy evening at home. Note that many wild plants are protected, so use garden equivalents or buy from florists. Cut poppies are short-lived: sear their stems in boiling water or a flame. See how to make one in wildflower bouquet guide.

Summer garden favourites

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• Peonies mark the start of summer and are among the most wished-for gifts; buy them as "soft marshmallow" buds and they will open in 1–2 days. See our peony catalogue.
• Hydrangeas: lush heads that love plenty of water.
• Lavender: a fragrant accent and a base for dried arrangements.
• Sunflowers: a sunny and very long-lasting bouquet.
• Dahlias: from pompons to giants, in every shade except blue.

Summer occasions and suitable bouquets

• Graduation. Light bouquets of spray roses, lisianthus, daisies and greenery that are easy to hold all evening. For teachers, bright hydrangeas or sunflowers.
• Weddings. Peonies in June, hydrangeas and lisianthus in July, dahlias and sunflowers in August. Late-summer tips in August wedding guide.
• Constitution Day and Independence Day. Yellow and blue arrangements: sunflowers, yellow roses or chrysanthemums with delphiniums, cornflowers or blue lisianthus.
• Birthdays and visits. A seasonal bouquet in a calm palette is a safe choice; see ideas in bouquet colour combinations.

Exotic flowers that withstand heat

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If the bouquet has to travel or will stand in a warm room, choose firm tropical flowers: anthurium, calla lilies, cymbidium and dendrobium orchids, protea and bird of paradise. They hold their shape even at +28 °C and last more than two weeks in a vase. Spray chrysanthemums, alstroemeria and carnations also cope well with heat.

How to keep a bouquet fresh in the heat

1. Do not leave flowers in the car: in a closed car in the sun they wilt within 20–30 minutes.
2. At home, recut the stems at an angle by 2–3 cm and put them in cool water straight away.
3. Remove leaves below the waterline and add cut-flower food.
4. Change the water daily; bacteria multiply much faster in summer.
5. Keep the vase away from the window and from air conditioning blowing directly on the flowers.
6. Revive limp hydrangeas and peonies by recutting the stems and submerging the whole flowers in cool water for 1–2 hours.

Flowers from your own garden: when and how to cut

Cut flowers early in the morning or in the evening, when stems are full of water, and put them straight into a bucket of water. The stage of opening matters: cut roses and peonies as buds showing colour; gladioli when the lowest 1–2 florets have opened; sunflowers as the petals start to unfurl; and dahlias, zinnias and asters fully open, because they will not open further in a vase. Before arranging, let the flowers rest for a few hours in a cool, shady place so they stay fresh longer.

Frequently asked questions

Which flowers should I give in summer?

Seasonal ones: peonies and garden roses in June, hydrangeas, lavender and lisianthus in July, dahlias, asters and sunflowers in August.

When is peony season?

From late May to late June, peaking in the first half of June.

Which flowers last longest in the heat?

Chrysanthemums, carnations, alstroemeria, anthuriums, calla lilies and orchids.

Can I give wildflowers?

Yes, but do not pick protected species; choose garden daisies, cornflowers and grasses from a florist instead. Browse our daisy catalogue.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.