It's Not Too Late to Plant! These 7 Perennials Will Reward You With Stunning Color Later This Summer

Every June, I find myself plagued by the sinking feeling that I've missed the boat when it comes to planting. The spring bulbs have come and gone, garden centers are already starting to tempt shoppers with fall favorites, and it can feel as though the main planting season is behind us. But then I remember one very important thing: perennials.

Yes, while some plants are best added in spring or fall, plenty of perennials can still be planted successfully in June, especially if you're buying healthy container-grown specimens. Better yet, many will reward you with flowers later the very same summer.

Now, as gardeners, we can be surprisingly rigid about planting calendars. Sometimes too much so. Because, while timing certainly matters, a well-watered perennial planted in June? Well, that can absolutely establish quickly and put on an impressive show before the season is out. It's basically a form of magic.

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The Best Perennials to Plant in June

Once again, a little louder for the people at the back: June is a fantastic time to fill gaps in borders, add more pollinator-friendly plants, and inject fresh color into areas of the garden that aren't quite pulling their weight. And, depending on your USDA growing zone, you'll still have months of growing season ahead.

If you're looking for plants that will earn their keep before summer is over, these seven perennials are well worth adding to your garden now.

1. Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus)

Balloon flower is one of those pretty perennial plants that delights me every year. Before opening, the flower buds swell into balloon-like puffs, making them almost as attractive as the blooms themselves.

Plant it in June and you'll often still enjoy its star-shaped blue, purple, pink, or white flowers later in the season. Hardy in USDA zones 3-8, it's easy to grow and reliably returns year after year.

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2. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

If you're trying to support pollinators, butterfly weed deserves a place in your garden.

This native perennial produces clusters of vivid orange flowers that attract butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects throughout summer. It's particularly valuable for monarch butterflies, which use milkweed species as host plants.

Hardy in zones 3-9, butterfly weed loves sunshine and once established becomes impressively drought tolerant. Mix things up with the Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed from Nature Hills; its multicolored blooms make a serious statement.

3. Coneflower (Echinacea)

The devil works hard, but coneflowers work even harder! This perennial's daisy-like blooms appear for weeks on end, providing color from summer into fall while also attracting pollinators and seed-eating birds. Available in shades of pink, white, orange, yellow, and red, they're versatile enough to suit almost any planting scheme.

Plant container-grown coneflowers now and they should settle in quickly while still offering flowers later this season. Try the Color Coded® 'Knock 'em Red' Coneflower from Proven Winners if you want bold color that makes everyone stop and stare.

4. Coreopsis

Coreopsis (aka tickweed) is one of my favorite plants for gardeners who want maximum impact with minimal effort.

The cheerful yellow, gold, pink, or bi-colored flowers bloom prolifically throughout summer, often continuing well into fall if deadheaded regularly. Many varieties are heat tolerant and thrive in sunny locations.

For sheer flower power, few perennials can compete. Go for the classic Designer Threads® 'Golden Needles' Threadleaf Coreopsis from Proven Winners if you want sunshine-coded blooms (or a Li'l Bang™ Candy Stripes Coreopsis from Nature Hills if you prefer things pretty in pink).

5. Salvia

Quietly replacing lavender like nobody's business, salvias are garden workhorses.

Why? Well, this perennial's upright flower spikes provide weeks of color while attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Many varieties bloom from early summer right through until frost, making them one of the best value plants you can buy.

They're also remarkably tolerant of heat and dry conditions once established, which makes them especially useful for summer planting.

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6. Roses (Container-Grown)

While bare-root rose season has long since passed, container-grown roses can still be planted successfully in June.

Modern shrub roses and landscape roses are particularly good choices when it comes to perennials because they're often repeat-flowering, producing multiple flushes of blooms throughout the season.

As long as you keep them well watered while they establish, you'll likely be rewarded with flowers before summer is over. The Oso Easy Double Red® Rose from Proven Winners is an excellent place to start.

7. Bee Balm (Monarda)

Bee balm earns its place in almost every pollinator-friendly planting scheme. After all, its distinctive shaggy flowers appear in shades of red, pink, purple, and lavender, bringing bold color to borders while attracting hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies in droves.

Most varieties flower from mid-to-late summer, making June an excellent time to get them established before their main show begins. Something like the SUGAR BUZZ® Grape Gumball Bee Balm from Nature Hills promises purple prettiness right through to early fall.

One of the biggest gardening mistakes I make (other than, ahem, planting mint straight into my flower beds that one time) is assuming I've missed my chance to plant something. In reality, June offers a valuable opportunity to add fresh energy to the garden, especially when it comes to container-grown perennials.

With a little extra watering during establishment, these plants can quickly settle into their new homes and reward you with flowers, pollinator activity, and plenty of late-season color. And if you're anything like me, that means you can keep enjoying the excitement of planting season for a little longer yet. Hurray!