There's something about walking into a garden in the middle of summer and being hit with a wall of colour. The bees are busy, the butterflies are everywhere, and even a small garden can feel like a little escape from the world.

The funny thing is that many people think growing beautiful summer flowers is difficult. It isn't. Some of the easiest plants you can grow will reward you with months of blooms, and once they're established they often need very little attention.

A few years ago I made the mistake of filling my garden with plants that looked lovely in garden centre displays but seemed determined to die the moment I got them home. Since then I've become much more practical. I want flowers that work hard, flower for weeks, attract pollinators and don't sulk if I forget to water them for a day or two.

If you're planning your garden this year, these are eight summer flowers that deserve a spot in almost any garden.

Summer Flowers You Need to Be Growing!

1. Cosmos

If I could only grow one of all the summer flowers on this list, it might be cosmos.

They're easy to grow from seed, flower for months and produce masses of delicate blooms that dance around in the slightest breeze. They also make fantastic cut flowers, which means you can enjoy them indoors as well as outside.

Cosmos come in shades of white, pink, crimson and deep burgundy. The more flowers you pick, the more they seem to produce.

They're one of those plants that look far more expensive than they actually are.

2. Marigolds

Marigolds are often overlooked because they're so common, but there's a reason gardeners have grown them for generations.

The bright orange and yellow flowers seem to glow on sunny days and they work brilliantly in vegetable gardens. Many gardeners plant marigolds alongside tomatoes, courgettes and beans because they help attract pollinators while adding colour between crops.

They're also one of the easiest summer flowers for beginners.

Plant them once and they'll keep flowering until autumn if you remove the faded blooms every so often.

3. Zinnias

Zinnias deserve far more attention than they get in the UK.

Their flowers come in almost every colour imaginable, from soft pastel shades to vivid reds, oranges and purples. Some varieties look almost like dahlias while others resemble giant daisies.

What I love most about zinnias is that they seem to thrive during hot weather when other plants start looking tired.

They're perfect if you're trying to create a bright cottage garden feel without spending a fortune.

4. Dahlias

Few summer flowers create as much impact as dahlias.

Some varieties produce dinner-plate-sized blooms that stop people in their tracks. Others are smaller and more delicate but equally beautiful.

Years ago I thought dahlias would be complicated to grow. The reality is they're surprisingly straightforward once you get started.

Plant the tubers after the last frost, keep them watered during dry spells and you'll be rewarded with flowers from midsummer right through to the first frosts.

If you're looking for flowers that make neighbours peek over the fence, dahlias are hard to beat.

5. Sunflowers

No list of summer flowers would be complete without sunflowers.

They're cheerful, dramatic and ridiculously satisfying to grow.

There's something magical about planting a tiny seed and watching it become a giant plant taller than you are. Children love them, wildlife loves them and they're brilliant for adding height to borders.

Modern varieties range from traditional giant yellow sunflowers to compact plants that work well in containers.

And if you leave the seed heads in place at the end of the season, the birds will thank you.

6. Sweet Peas

Sweet peas earn their place for one reason alone.

The scent.

Walk past a row of sweet peas on a warm evening and you'll understand why gardeners have adored them for centuries.

They're climbing plants, so they don't take up much ground space, making them ideal for smaller gardens. Give them a trellis, obelisk or some bamboo canes and they'll happily scramble upwards.

The flowers are beautiful, but it's the fragrance that keeps people coming back year after year.

7. Verbena Bonariensis

This is one of my favourite plants because it creates movement throughout the garden.

The tall stems rise above other plants, topped with clusters of purple flowers that seem to float in the air. Butterflies absolutely love them.

Unlike some summer flowers that dominate a border, verbena weaves itself through other plants and somehow makes everything around it look better.

It's one of those plants that professional garden designers use all the time, yet it's surprisingly easy to grow at home.

8. Lavender

Technically many people think of lavender as a shrub rather than a flower, but when it bursts into bloom during summer it's impossible not to include it.

The scent alone makes it worthwhile.

Lavender attracts bees in huge numbers and looks beautiful lining pathways, borders and vegetable gardens. Once established it's remarkably drought tolerant and doesn't ask for much in return.

A warm summer evening with the scent of lavender drifting through the garden is one of life's simple pleasures.

How to Get the Best From Summer Flowers

The biggest mistake many gardeners make is planting everything and then leaving it alone.

Most summer flowers benefit from regular deadheading. That's simply the process of removing spent blooms before they go to seed.

It sounds like extra work, but it only takes a few minutes and can dramatically increase the number of flowers your plants produce.

Water deeply rather than little and often. Plants develop stronger roots when they're encouraged to search for moisture lower down in the soil.

And don't be afraid to cut flowers for the house.

Many gardeners avoid picking blooms because they don't want to lose them from the garden. The strange thing is that many flowering plants actually produce more blooms when you harvest them regularly.

Which Summer Flowers Should You Choose?

If you're new to gardening, start with cosmos, marigolds and sunflowers. They're forgiving, inexpensive and generally eager to please.

If you already have a little experience, add dahlias, zinnias and sweet peas to the mix.

The best gardens aren't necessarily the most expensive ones. They're the gardens filled with plants that make you smile every time you step outside.

And honestly, that's exactly what summer flowers do.

They turn an ordinary garden into somewhere you actually want to sit, relax and spend time.