What are the best plants to grow for a beginner to have flowers blooming all summer?

For fragrance (in light or shade) you may enjoy Phlox, Angel trumpets, Kashmir Bouquet, Some perennials with scented flowers: Achillea (yarrows) some Anthemis (marguerite daisy) some Aquilegia (columbine) Aruncus (goats-beard) Cimicifuga (black snakeroot) many chrysanthemums clematis vine Eremurus (foxtail lily) Erysimum (wallflower) Filipendula (meadowsweet) many perennial geraniums species daylilies herbs hops vine several species iris Lonicera (honeysuckle vine) peony garden phlox Tanacetu (tansy) Trillum (wake robin) wisteria vine Coleus is nice, but not exotic or different http://www.rosydawngardens.com/coleus_catalog_E_K.htm Here are hundreds of variets . Coleus not truly a flower, just purple leaves and stems.

Go to local nursery and get advice-different heat humidity etc. dictate plants you will want to grow. However coleus would probebly do well provided your plants get mostly a.m. sun. The really great flowers take time to grow like gardenias,roses , dahlias. Day lilies might be a good starting point also geraniums, petunias,carnations,zinneas,pansies. Good that you have shade, most flowers get beat up by lots of p.m. sun, too hot. Although ,marigolds hold up to a lot of sun. Don't forget to check out books from the library, great resource. Good luck with your gardening adventures.

You only have to look around to see what your neighbors are planting or ask a local garden shoppe. I've always seen geraniums growng profusely in Italy. Other choices would be lantana which comes in so many colors and gets quite large or verbena which is so sun hardy and will practically grow in rocks! It speads beautifully. Coleus should do well for your border; just keep it pinched back so it doesn't grow so tall and leggy. There are scented geranium varieties available now, but for real "perfume" why not roses? Happy gardening.

You may think I am Crazy but, Wild Flowers. They will give You a Rainbow of Color all Summer Long. They also need Very Little Care. Good Luck and I would Love to see the result of what flowers You decide to Plant.

This website sells just about every flower there is, and they will tell you all about each flower. http://michiganbulb.com/Default.asp? http://michiganbulb.com/category.asp?c=6 http://michiganbulb.com/category.asp?c=2

i think Dalia's i started with them and they brite beautiful colors

Under tropical conditions, orchids, boungavilla, roses, will surely bloom during summer. The best time to plant is during the rainy seasons so that you don't consume so much water. . Remember, " can the roses live without the sun?"

Euryops- Perennial, constant yellow daisy-like flowers (most year round) Chrysanthemums, Roses, Lantana (trailing), Daylillies

Daisies and lilacs. If you have grapes there, go for tulips and petunia, especially blue.