I’m seeing a theme this summer and I’m loving it–brilliant flowers in colours as hot as the summer sun. Forget your romantic pastels and delicate watercolour-esque beds. Bring on the eye-watering brights.

A hot summer flower bed of lilies and bright pink Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria).

I saw a lot of gorgeously clashing blooms on my recent visit to Gananoque, Ontario. Gan, as it’s fondly referred to by the locals, is a gorgeous town on the St. Lawrence River, gateway to the renowned 1000 Islands and home to some very dear friends. There’s a lively and long established horticultural society in Gan (which my friends are very involved with) and their garden tours are not to be missed. If you time your visit right, you can go on other garden tours in the surrounding area as well–a great way to do some countryside sightseeing.

Pink petunias spill out of a bathtub/planter in a garden on the Mallorytown, ON, garden tour.

One of my friends’ gardens was featured in this year’s Gananoque garden tour. Part of her garden is shown in the photos below. (Another friend of mine had her garden featured in last year’s tour.) I have really talented green-thumbed friends, I’m pleased to admit.

A lush bed of bright summer blooms nicely set off by a blue and white garage.

Her Crocosmia and Echinacea are perfectly positioned to A) light up in the summer sun and B) contrast dramatically with the cooling blue of the adjacent garage and her husband’s hand-built white picket fence.

Daisies, Coneflower and Bee Balm bring vibrant colour and texture to a summer garden.

Left: Crocosmia in full bloom. Right: Flowers dancing in the dappled sunlight.

Of course, an entire garden of searing colours would be a bit much. Tucked into the back of this garden is a lovely water feature. Surrounded by greenery, this little oasis in the shade is a refreshingly cool retreat.

A small water feature filled with Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes).

Other gardens on the two tours I went on had their share of flaming flowers as well. It wasn’t just the colours of the flowers themselves that had me riveted. The wild mash-ups of reds, pinks and purples were so fun to see.

Left: A melange of hot pink, red and violet flowers in a built-in patio container. Right: Lobelia cardinalis looks like it’s glowing against a stone wall.

Bright red Monarda clashes vibrantly with pink Echinacea (top) and Phlox (above).

Gorgeous lily blooms the size of luncheon plates in the garden of another of my friends.

I always thought autumn was the season of flaming colours in the garden. This summer has been an eye-opener for me. So glad I took my sunglasses.