Looking for a plant that flowers all summer long?

Your mother probably means there's no perennial that flowers from May to September.

Annuals on the other hand, flower all summer season long. Some like full sun, some like partial sun and some like shade. It's really important to plant them according to their sun or shade requirements, otherwise you won't get flowers. They need to be planted in good quality bedding soil to grow quickly and they need water everyday if it's a hot and dry summer. Avoid watering the flower, instead water directly into the soil to avoid flower petal rot.

There are also many tropical plants that flower and have beautiful fragrance like the stephanotis.

Remember though, annuals won't come back next year.

Annuals like zinnias often do best by “succession planting”, just like the veggies.

You can get continuous blooms, but most plants give periodic "flushes" of blooms, and it's always easiest to just plant a new row every few weeks.

I really like dune sunflower for a continuous bloomer:

http://www.google.com/search?q=helianthus+debilis

And four 0'clock, datura wrightii, various salvias like Salvia guaranitica, http://www.stonethegardener.com/sun/bluesalvia.htm... & "hot lips" http://www.paghat.com/salviahotlips.html

Agree with Bob, petunia, a few others:

Zinnia (full sun)

Impatiens (shade)

Begonia (shade)

Here's your hardiness zone: http://www.wisconline.com/almanac/gardening/hardin...

There are various annuals that will do the job as long as you faithfully deadhead them - snap off old flowers before they set seed. Once they've produced seeds, their life imperative is over. Ask at yopur local nursery for best varieties for your area.

How about a petunia, or a bed of petunias? Easy to grow. Good container plant also. They Iike lots of sun.

coreopsis always look good in the summer. huge amount of yellow flowers. super easy too.

need sun

check them out.