Jeff Sibley, Nursery Manager at Red's Garden Center, Northbrook

Elizabeth Hoffman, General Manager, West End Florist & Garden Center, Evanston

"Go to your local garden center and pick up some 6 to 8-inch containers of annuals such as the 'Wave' petunias and drop them into the garden bed or place them in a large pot on your terrace for some instant color. You can also buy some perennials that are in bloom at this time such as black-eyed Susans or veronicas. Also, keep up with your regular maintenance of perennials. Deadhead your roses, perennial salvia and Shasta daisies and you'll get another flush of bloom."

Jeanette Goodlow, Perennial Manager at The Growing Place, Naperville

"My all-time favorite for mid-summer is tall phlox. There are several varieties available, and I especially like the new 'David's Lavender'. Lots of other plants begin blooming then as well--Helenium, Helianthus, Silphium, Sedum, Liatris, blackberry lily (Belamcanda), and Boltonia (the short lavender 'Nana'--the tall white one comes on later). Blue mist shrub (Caryopteris) and hardy hibiscus start blooming now and go into fall."