Summer often brings to mind events like graduations, long weekends, pool parties, and barbecues. Chances are, you’re using your backyard (and hot tub) quite a bit during the sunny season—and so are your friends and family. Impress your guests by creating a floral paradise surrounding your hot tub that will come to life in the summer months.

SWEET ALYSSUM

This is a great groundcover annual for cooler climates. Sweet alyssum prefers partial shade and is a prolific bloomer all through summer with highly scented, small white, pink, or blue flowers. These delicate flowers will add a splash of color to your yard, giving your hot tub a bright backdrop.

ANGELONIA
Add some natural aromatherapy to your hot tub session with the sweet snapdragon’s aroma. It comes in a variety of colors and grows up to three feet tall, making it a good choice to add height and dimension to your backyard designs. Naturally occurring in arid and semi-arid climates, this plant needs large amounts of sunlight and is perfect for the Southwestern region.

ORNAMENTAL PEPPERS (CAPSICUM)

These are a fun, colorful addition to the area around your hot tub—and a conversation piece! Grown throughout the United States, ornamental peppers can be used to add a tropical feel to nontropical climates. They do have “edible” fruit, but beware—most people don’t find them enjoyable. Instead of picking them, simply let them brighten up the flower beds around your hot tub.

HELIOTROPE
This another plant that can add a tropical feel to your backyard paradise, in appearance as well as with its wonderful, unique scent. Plant this tall, low-maintenance annual in clusters that will be reached by full sun and get ready to inhale sweet summertime as you soak in your spa.

BIDENS AND CALIBRACHOA

These work well in window boxes and hanging baskets. Bidens have happy yellow blooms that will creep nicely over a planter or across a patio. Calibrachoa flowers prolifically, providing a cascade of bright color.

COLEUS
Coleus comes in an amazing variety of colors, sizes, and leaf shapes, and is very easy to grow (for those who may not have the greenest thumb). It also prefers shade, providing an unexpected pop of color in the darker regions of your backyard, or perhaps under a gazebo that also covers your hot tub.

GERBERA DAISIES
These daisies really speak for themselves. Who doesn’t love their big bright blooms? Stunning, yet easy-to-grow, these daisies are great for potting in large containers to provide colorful accents throughout the yard. Gerbera daisies are also an excellent drought-resistant option for those in dry climates.

Any of the above plants could be perennials in warm climates (zone 9 or higher). In cooler regions, plants such as bananas, mandevilla, hibiscus, and bougainvillea can be grown in the summer as annuals to add a lush, tropical flair to your backyard space around your spa.

See our post on “Most Attractive Types of Greenery to Surround Your Hot Tub” for more backyard ideas. With our tips, you’ll have fun and success creating an attractive backdrop for all of the summer memories you’ll have in your spa.