It can be difficult to find plants whose blooms still look amazing in August, but we have a plethora of them at the garden center currently! Here are just a few of several that will add color and interest to your garden at the tail-end of summer:
'Francis Mason' Abelia: a beautiful shrub that reaches 4'x4' and loves full to part sun locations. Its blooms begin in spring and it blooms several times through summer into early fall. An added bonus: leaves turn a deep burgundy in the fall!
'Barbara Karst' Bougainvillea: this acts as an annual in our area and should be brought indoors before frosts occur (usually in mid-October). As shown above, bougainvillea boasts clusters of vividly colored flowers and grows to be a vine that beautifully covers a trellis or fence during warmer months. Unlike many annual-type flowers that look spent by August, bougainvillea continues to look fresh and healthy for several more weeks outdoors.
'Goldsturm' Black Eyed Susan: a sunny yellow/orange perennial that grows to be 3' tall and makes a wonderful addition to a full sun gardening bed. This plant performs beautifully in heat and looks amazing all the way until early fall. Its flowers make excellent additions to fresh-cut floral arrangements.
'Kismet White' Coneflower: one of many varieties of coneflower that continues to bloom from early summer well into September. Coneflowers pair beautifully with Black Eyed Susans and other perennials that love full sun locations.
'Sioux' Crape Myrtle: Crape Myrtles typically do not begin blooming profusely until mid-July, so they are still just getting started by the time August rolls in! These popular trees are known for their wide variety of colors and sizes. You can purchase shrub-form crape myrtles, and also purchase trees that will become 20' and up! There is practically every size in between, as well.
'Penny Mac' Hydrangeas: By August, most hydrangeas are still going strong. There are many varieties of this shrub and some prefer full sun, while others desperately need shade locations. Be sure to know what kind of hydrangea you are purchasing so you can know where to plant it for optimal sun requirements. Many hydrangeas stay around 4' tall, but there are also several that reach 6-8' tall and wide, such as this one, 'Penny Mac'. This particular variety, 'Penny Mac', prefers morning sun with afternoon shade.
'The Blues' Bluestem Ornamental grass: Although they do not bloom, per say, ornamnental grasses begin to steal the show in late summer. They come in many sizes and colors, with foliage that ranges from light green, variegated, to blues and purples. They are pretty drought-tolerant and love full sun locations.
'Easy on the Eyes' Rose: Roses continue to bloom until September or early October in our region. In between flushes of blooms, take a few moments to cut off the spent blooms. It will instantly clean up the look of your rose and also encourage it to bloom more profusely the next time it flowers.
'White Pillar' Rose of Sharon: Also known as hardy hibiscus, rose of Sharon (shown above) provides tropical-looking flowers late in the summer. They begin to bloom in mid-July and continue thru to September. They are a wonderful shrub to have in your garden because they look fresh and vibrant at the end of the summer when many shrubs have already finished blooming or look spent. White Pillar, as well as Purple Pillar, are special varieties, as they only grow to be 3-4' wide (10-15' tall), making them both exceptional varieties for smaller spaces also.
There are several other plants that provide amazing color at the end of summer- what are some of your favorites? Share below, and we look forward to seeing you soon at the nursery!