Your Garden in July: Blooms, Bees & Summer Beauty

Your Garden in – July is a magical month in the garden. The long, sunny days and warm evenings create the perfect conditions for flowers to flourish, wildlife to thrive, and for us to slow down and enjoy the outdoors. Whether you’re pottering in a cottage garden, tending to window boxes, or simply admiring the wildflowers on a walk, July is bursting with colour, fragrance, and inspiration.

At A P Flowers, we take a lot of inspiration from the changing seasons, and summer gardens are among our favourite sources of fresh ideas for arrangements and bouquets. Here’s what you can expect from your garden in July—and how to make the most of it.

A Month of Peak Bloom

July is often considered the height of the gardening year. Many of the plants and flowers you’ve nurtured through spring are now in full bloom, with borders brimming with colour and texture. Roses are still going strong, alongside summer favourites like lavender, hydrangeas, dahlias, delphiniums, cosmos, and sweet peas.

In the vegetable patch, July brings abundance too: courgettes, runner beans, tomatoes, and herbs like basil and mint are thriving in the heat, offering both beauty and bounty. It’s a wonderful time to snip a few fresh herbs for the kitchen or gather a posy of flowers for the table.

Top Flowers in Bloom This Month

While every garden is different, here are some of the key stars of July you might spot or grow:

Lavender – Fragrant and full of nectar, loved by bees and perfect for drying.
Dahlias – Bold, vibrant, and endlessly varied in colour and shape.
Hydrangeas – Especially beautiful in partial shade with their large, clustered blooms.
Roses – Many varieties will continue blooming if deadheaded regularly.
Echinacea and Rudbeckia – Bright, daisy-like blooms that also attract pollinators.

Many of these flowers inspire our hand-tied summer bouquets at A P Flowers, where we echo garden-style abundance with seasonal colour palettes.

Wildlife Wonders

July is not just a treat for the eyes—your garden will be alive with sound and movement too. Birds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects are at their busiest. If you’ve planted pollinator-friendly flowers (think open, single blooms like cosmos or scabious), you’ll be rewarded with a constant hum of activity.

Keep a shallow dish of water topped up for birds and bees during dry spells—it’s a simple way to support local wildlife and makes for charming garden-watching throughout the day.

Garden Jobs for July

Although summer is a time to relax and enjoy your garden, there are a few key tasks this month to keep things looking their best:

Water wisely: Early mornings or evenings are best. Focus on the roots, not the leaves.
Deadhead flowers: Removing faded blooms encourages more flowering.
Feed plants: Especially pots and hanging baskets, which dry out and deplete nutrients faster.
Trim hedges: Now’s a good time for shaping and tidying.
Harvest veg: Pick regularly to encourage more production.

If you grow your own flowers, this is also a lovely time to start cutting and arranging them indoors. Even a single stem in a bud vase can bring a little garden magic to your kitchen windowsill.

Bringing the Outdoors In

July gardens offer endless inspiration for home florals. Think loose, natural arrangements with a meadow-like feel. A hand-tied bouquet of garden-style flowers—whether picked from your plot or bought fresh from your local florist—captures the relaxed beauty of summer perfectly.

At A P Flowers, we love creating bouquets that mirror what’s happening outside: soft pastel tones for serene spaces, or bold, vibrant blooms that make a summer statement. Adding herbs like rosemary or mint can also bring a gorgeous scent and rustic charm.

Not sure where to start? Try these garden-inspired bouquet ideas:

The Cottage Garden: Soft pinks, lilacs, creams, and plenty of greenery.
The Summer Meadow: Wild-style blooms in yellow, white, and blue.
Bold & Bright: A punchy mix of hot pinks, oranges, and purples—perfect for parties or a centrepiece.

Sustainable Gardening Tips

As the sun beats down in July, it’s also a good time to think sustainably. Collect rainwater where possible, mulch around plants to retain moisture, and consider planting drought-tolerant species if your garden tends to dry out quickly.

Using garden waste to make your own compost also reduces waste and feeds your soil for seasons to come. And of course, shopping locally for your flowers helps support small businesses and reduces transport emissions—something we’re proud to stand for at A P Flowers.

Inspiration for Floral Gifting

If someone you love has a July birthday or celebration, why not take inspiration from the garden and give a gift that reflects the season? A vibrant summer bouquet full of fresh flowers in bloom can say “happy birthday,” “thank you,” or simply “I’m thinking of you” in the most natural way.

Looking for something extra thoughtful? Our seasonal hand-tied bouquets are made fresh to order, with flowers that reflect the month—many inspired by English gardens in full bloom. You can even pair your bouquet with a handwritten message or a small gift for a personal touch.

Final Thoughts

July in the garden is all about life, colour, and connection. It’s a time to enjoy what nature has to offer, tend gently to what’s growing, and find joy in the details—from the first tomato to the last rosebud.

Whether you’re arranging garden-picked flowers in your home or gifting a loved one something bright and beautiful, summer is best shared through blooms.

At A P Flowers, we’re here to help you celebrate the season—one bouquet at a time.