Larkspur is beautiful. It starts to bloom in June and continues until the end of July. You have to sow them at intervals to get a succession of blooms.
Monarda blooms in June and continues into July.
Echinacea and Rudbeckia hirta also begin to bloom around the last week of June.
My Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' usually begins to bloom the first week of July.
A few Dahlias also opened up at the beginning of July.
You'll have to take a risk because the warming trend has been affecting blooming time in my garden. Everything started to bloom earlier last season. It'll probably be early next season too.

These lilies were in bloom last July:
A yellow trumpet Lily on July 3, 2007:

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ÂKing Pete on July 3, 2007:
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ÂSilk Road on July 15, 2007:

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ÂSilk Road close up:

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Several mail order suppliers do mail out lily bulbs in early spring. They will bloom the first season if the bulbs are large. Trumpet lilies do bloom the first year, but grow larger and taller every year afterwards.

I do agree with Pitmani-
Lilies are a very affordable solution for July blooms- especially the big box stores Asiatic mixes- they are easy early big bloom that doesn't take up much space.

Looking back on my photos from first year plantings in bloom in the garden in July- most are of lilies at this time of the year (I really like lilies though)- I have many Rudbeckias in bloom as well- but they were started early indoors- Annual Phlox, Dwarf sunflowers, Hibiscus tronium, Amaranthus, A few Dianthus, and a few Gaillardia showing their blooms- Cosmos- Calendulas- Salpiglosis- But you are a whole zone warmer than I- so these should be well into bloom for you!
Congratulations on so many happy years together!

Julie

How about some Malvas? Like Zebrina or Mystic Merlin? They tend to bloom twice for me, early summer and late summer (with some in between).
I used them for a cut flower arrangement this year, by accident-- A stem was broken by the lawn mower or something. It turned out to be quite a beauty in a vase in the center of other flowers. And you can manipulate the height of them by cutting off more of the stem or striping off some of the flowers.
Linda

Hi

thanks for your responses. Those lilies are beautiful - I'll have to browse the catalogues that are rolling in to find some. I also like the Malvas.
I have cosmos that reseed themselves - but they will not be blooming in July - maybe I'll try WS and see if they will come on a bit earlier.
sunflowers might be cool to fill up corners or to set off the bar or food tables.

thanks for all of your suggestions - I have written them all down and will order my seeds soon.

cheers

Looking at my photos from July 4th, these are some I had in bloom. All were wintersown.
zinnias, allysum, nicotiana, larkspur, salvia coral nymph, nasturtium, hollyhock, gaillardia goblin, rudbeckia hirta, cosmos, and melampodium.
These were all new first year wintersown plants.

Also some older established perennials like coneflowers, hibiscus, gaillardia, butterfly weed, coreopsis moonbeam, and a few others.

Karen