Talking with a local farmer the other day about just how far behind schedule he and other farmers in our area are in fieldwork and planting this spring, his parting comment struck me. “In my forty years of farming, we’ve always gotten the planting done; we just have to wait a little longer some years.” After a couple of years of early starts in our gardens—both for flower and vegetable gardens—this year has tried our patience waiting for warm weather. With more pleasant weather finally arriving, now is the time to start planting flowers to enjoy through summer, and here are a few of my must-haves this year.

First on my list for containers and hanging baskets is calibrachoa, often referred to as “million bells” or the popular branded Proven Winners “Superbells.” I like no-fuss color in containers and baskets that blooms well into autumn, and calibrachoa does just that. With a trailing growth habit, endless blooms that hold up even in rainy weather (thus at the top of my list this year), and nonstop color deep into fall, calibrachoa should be on everyone’s list to plant in summer pots. While it’s hard to pick a favorite, I’m really drawn this year to Superbells Blackcurrant Punch, a hot-magenta flower with a near-black center, and Lemon Slice, with bright yellow and white striped blooms.

A second plant I’ve come to love in the last couple of years is Suncredible sunflower, a dwarf everblooming type that makes a bold statement as the centerpiece of a large container or in a flowerbed. This year, I’ve already talked with several gardeners who are planting sunflowers in a show of support for Ukraine, which holds the sunflower as its national flower. Suncredible sunflowers grow to around three feet tall and bloom through summer with four-inch-wide blooms great for cutting. Pair Suncredible with a black-leafed sweet potato vine or other foliage accent plants and let it shine in a pot all summer!

Third, another plant I was quick to fall in love with during last year’s trying summer heat was Megawatt begonia, a super-sized wax begonia perfect for gardeners of any skill level. One of my first flower recommendations for new or inexperienced gardeners is wax begonia, also called fibrous-rooted begonia. With glossy leaves in green or bronze and flowers from spring until a hard frost, wax begonias are showy with almost no upkeep. Megawatt begonias have all the benefits of traditional wax begonias with a much larger stature, growing to two feet tall and almost as wide. Great for sun or shade, Megawatts require only minimal water and fertilizer and put out loads of large flowers all summer—even in the over-100-degree temperatures we had last summer!

Finally, I would be remiss to not mention a new color of one of my all-time favorite summer annuals: black-eyed susan vine. In addition to yellow and shades of orange, this heavy-blooming vine now comes in white as well, for all of you gardeners that like neutral colors. ‘Coconut A-Peel’ thunbergia will grow ten feet tall in a matter of months, with white flowers from spring until frost. Enjoy it spilling out of a hanging basket, planted in a pot next to a trellis, or growing over an arbor for color all summer.

For all the flowers you plant this summer, be sure to use fresh potting soil if your pots had any issues with bugs or disease last summer, as eggs or fungus spores can overwinter in old soil. And after planting, get on a regular schedule of fertilizing with a high-quality water-soluble fertilizer like Jack’s Classic, alternating weekly between Jack’s All Purpose 20-20-20 for growth and Jack’s Blossom Booster 10-30-20 for additional flowers.

This spring, we gardeners are learning the meaning of patience as we wait for warmer, more pleasant weather. But like the farmer I talked to reminded me, nicer weather will come eventually, so let’s be ready to enjoy the abundance of color our gardens can provide all summer long!