Plant directly in the ground or enjoy these plants in pots, especially if you're a high rise gardener who grows everything in containers.

The list of top-notch perennials blooming now is a long one. Sweetly fragrant Oriental lilies are very popular, glowing in lovely shades of yellow, pink, red and peach. If your soil isn't well-drained, these lilies will thrive best in pots. They're most fragrant at night.

Another knock-out for high summer is the hardy hibiscus. With flowers nearly as large as a salad plate, these easy perennials will actually thrive is moist clay soil. The flowers are even bigger than those of their tropical cousins, and the blooms may be pink, red or white, often with a darker center.

Other outstanding bloomers include Russian sage - which is putting on a spectacular fluffy lavender show all over the metro area - as well as perennial black-eyed Susan, tall garden phlox, hummingbird mint, mums, Joe Pye weed, purple coneflower and ornamental oregano. For shady spots, don't overlook astilbes, hostas, northern sea oats and coral bells.

Perennials are on sale at many nurseries. If your garden needs a lift, check out the bargains and add some beauty that will return year after year. When you plant, remember to keep the plants moist, especially during hot spells.

Plants shown in this segment are courtesy of Tagawa Gardens.