THE BEST PLANTS FOR LATE SUMMER COLOUR IN YOUR GARDEN
You don't need to say goodbye to just summer yet! While the days are getting shorter, the colour of your garden can become even richer in late summer to early autumn depending on the plants you have
Many flowering plants bloom until the first frosts, filling your garden with colour and interest, making it look beautiful for longer. This can be especially welcome during the transition to autumn, where days are getting darker. Plus, it’s a great way to help wildlife and pollinating insects too
There's a wide range of gorgeous looking perennials, shrubs and annual flowers that don't peak until late summer and bloom all the way into fall. So, whether you’re sprucing up your beds or pots, make sure to extend the season in your garden by growing late summer flowering plants. Not sure where to begin? Check out some of our favourites to get started
HEBE
These bushy evergreen shrubs are major sun-lovers and are tolerant to drought, making them perfect additions to suntrap gardens and for any late summer heatwaves. There are two types of hebe – compact types that fit into containers, or larger ones that are perfect for borders or garden hedging. In the summertime and sometimes even into autumn, they provide spikes of purple, pink and white flowers which bees also love. They have glossy green, yellow or purple foliage all year round, and the leaves of some varieties change to different hues when the cooler autumn weather comes
CHRYSANTHEMUM
Also known as mums, these summer bedding favourites bring you garden to life in late summer and autumn. With flowers in a wide variation of rich colours, sizes and shapes – from petal-filled pompoms to open daisies - they brighten borders and containers as temperatures drop. Chrysanthemums make lovely cut flowers too if you’re looking to add a touch of homegrown decor to your interior design
TOP TIP: As the season progresses some plants may die back completely, so fill gaps in your garden as they appear for non-stop colour all year
HYDRANGEA
Much-loved shrubby hydrangeas add long-lasting interest to your borders from mid to late summer. They have showy but delicate ball-shaped blooms in shades of pink, white or blue, however, you need to plant them in acidic soil if you want them to develop a blue hued flower. The foliage of hydrangeas also offers attractive autumn colour
ASTER
Asters are herbaceous flowers of the daisy family, hence their similar appearance. They bloom from late summer to early autumn, making them popular garden plants for those looking to create long-lasting displays. Asters bloom in pretty shades of lilac, deep pink, red, and blue, often with a yellow centre. They’re easy to grow, thrive in almost any soil type and are perfect plants for pollinators. Grow them in mixed borders or add Asters to your cottage style garden, where they’ll fit right in
RUDBECKIA
The gorgeous long-flowering Rudbeckia, also called coneflower, will light up your borders, beds and containers with their bright blooms. The perennial varieties of Rudbeckia are usually yellow flowered, but the annual types come in a wide range of autumnal hues, such as orange, dark red and even brown. They flower between late summer and autumn, and even when they’ve died back their foliage will provide colour and interest through the winter too. An added benefit of Rudbeckia is that their seedheads persist through the cold, providing food for birds and shelter for wildlife
DAHLIAS
Dahlias provide a showy display of colour that boosts your seasonal borders from summer into autumn. Their flowers come in many unique shapes and almost every colour imaginable. Whether you love pretty pastels, blazingly bright shades, tight ball-shaped blooms or dramatic stars, there’s a dahlia variety for you. Not only do these flowers look good in every garden, but they make great cut flowers too. If you keep cutting dahlias, they’ll keep producing flowers, meaning you can have dahlias growing in your garden until the first frosts
CALLUNA
Calluna is a type of evergreen heather that adds colour to your garden from July until November. They have beautiful flowers of either white, pink or purple and various foliage shades too, from green to orange. Calluna are reminiscent of moorlands and other wilderness locations up and down the country. You can grow them in containers, or they make great ground covering plants too. As they revel in the sunshine their honey-like fragrance will attract wildlife, especially bees who love their pollen
HYPERICUM
This evergreen shrub has dark green leaves and bright golden-yellow open flowers. As a dense and busy plant, they’re perfect for borders. However, some are better as ground cover and others can even be grown in pots. Their blooms appear in midsummer and last to late autumn, some species developing brownish red berries as the season changes – making perfect colour for your autumn garden. Hypericum grow large and may look untidy if left to spread, but pruning them will keep you entertained in your garden during the down season