Late Summer Colour: Liven Up Your Garden with Long-Lasting Perennials
Summer in the garden can be a long and vibrant season, but keeping your borders looking their best can be a challenge. Don’t despair if your early summer blooms have faded—there are plenty of perennials that will flower all the way through late summer and into autumn, giving your garden a boost of color and interest.
Choosing the Right Plants for Long-Lasting Colour
When choosing plants for late summer colour, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Flowering time: Look for plants that flower from midsummer to late autumn.
- Height and spread: Consider the height and spread of the plants you choose to ensure they fit well in your borders.
- Growing conditions: Make sure the plants you choose are suited to your soil and light conditions.
Top Plants for Late Summer Colour
Here are some of the best perennials for adding a splash of colour to your garden in late summer:
Verbena bonariensis
With its tall, airy stems and clusters of purple flowers, Verbena bonariensis is a favorite among gardeners and pollinators alike. It’s a great choice for adding height and movement to a border.
Rudbeckia fulgida
Also known as black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida produces cheerful yellow flowers from midsummer to autumn. It’s a popular choice for sunny borders and combines well with other late-blooming plants like helenium and Japanese anemones.
Hylotelephium (Sedum)
Sedums are hardy succulents with fleshy leaves and flat-topped clusters of pink, white, or purple flowers. They’re a great choice for adding texture and interest to a border, and their rigid stems last well into winter.
Geranium ‘Rozanne’
Geranium ‘Rozanne’ is a vigorous groundcover with lavender blue flowers that bloom all summer long. It’s a low-maintenance plant that’s perfect for adding colour to the front of a border or spilling over a path.
Salvia yangii (Russian Sage)
Russian sage is a drought-tolerant plant with attractive silver-grey foliage and tall spires of violet blue flowers. It’s a great choice for hot, sunny conditions and will flower for months on end.
Aster pyrenaeus ‘Lutetia’
Asters are a classic late summer bloomer, and Aster pyrenaeus ‘Lutetia’ is a particularly showy variety. It produces masses of lilac-blue daisy-like flowers over several weeks in sun or part shade.
Japanese Anemones
Japanese anemones are shade-loving plants with large, saucer-shaped flowers in a range of colors from white to purple. They bloom from late summer to early autumn and are a great choice for adding a touch of elegance to a shady border.
Astrantia
Astrantias are unusual and beautiful plants with cupped-shaped bracts that surround a cluster of tiny flowers. They flower from early to mid-summer, but if conditions remain cool, they will often produce a second flush of blooms in late summer.
Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’
Heleniums are known for their fiery orange and yellow flowers. ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’ is a particularly early-blooming variety that starts flowering in midsummer and continues until September.
Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’
Catmints are known for their soft, grey-green leaves and spikes of violet blue flowers. ‘Walker’s Low’ is a compact variety that’s perfect for edging a border or spilling over a path.
Planting and Care Tips
- Plant your late-flowering perennials in well-drained soil in a location that receives plenty of sunlight.
- Water your plants regularly, especially during hot, dry weather.
- Deadhead faded flowers to encourage new blooms.
- Cut back your plants in late autumn or early spring to remove any dead or damaged growth.
With a little planning and care, you can enjoy a beautiful and colourful garden all summer long.
