6 best blooms for late summer colour

It's August and in some gardens it can feel as if summer is over. The beautiful blooms of early summer roses have wilted and the sweet peas have ran out of steam...but never fear, here are 6 lovely plants that will brighten up your flower beds in late summer.

Rudbeckia

Rudbeckia add a splash of vivid yellow-gold to your garden from early August, just when you need it most. If you remove the dead flowers, it will continue to flower until the first frost. Rudbeckia are herbaceous perennials, meaning they will come back year after year although the foliage will die back over winter. There are a few different types but two popular ones to look out for are Rudbeckia fulgida var. 'Goldsturm' (pictured here) and Rudbeckia laciniata (a very tall variety up to 2.5m).

Salvia

There are so many beautiful salvias out there, colours range from deep indigo to hot pink and white; size from 30cm to 2m. Although most love the sun, some don't mind a bit of shade. I'm just going to focus on a few favourites that are great for late summer flowers. Salvia 'Hot Lips' is an evergreen perennial which has two tone reddish-pink and white flowers. It will continue to flower until the first frost and if it's not too cold, the leaves will continue all through winter. Salvia 'Amistad' flowers from early summer all the way through with showy deep purple flowers. It grows to just over 1m tall and makes a great contrast to bright orange and yellow flowers. Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' (pictured) is a favourite of mine and works beautifully along side more daisy-like flowers, its tall spikes of purple flowers poking through other greenery.

Cosmos

Cosmos bipinnatus is a tall annual with large, daisy-like flowers in a range of colours. The leaves are delicate but bushy. Generally I would recommend perennials over annuals as they will come back year after year but Cosmos are so cheerful and their large flowers make a big impact in late summer. The variety here is Cosmos bipinnatus 'Purity' and it can easily be grown from seed in spring or bought later on in the year as a young plant.

Crocosmia

If you want the wow factor, Crocosmias have it in spades! The fiery orange, red and yellow flowers are held high by tall arching stems giving them a real impact. They contrast well with purple Salvias and they look great against lush green foliage. Flowering from late July until the first frost, they are worth waiting for!

Verbena bonariensis

These tall (about 2m) perennials are great to disguise fences or sheds but also can be planted throughout a border to give it a softer, more airy look. Being so tall and narrow, they are almost see-through but give a lovely softness and height to other planting. They are easy to grow in a sunny spot and will spread quickly as they drop seed. Although they start flowering earlier in the summer, they really begin to come into their own in late summer.

Scabious

The particular one here is Scabiosa columbaria subsp. ochroleuca which is a beautiful pale yellow colour but scabious are most commonly purple, pinks, mauves and creamy-whites. Scabious are commonly known as the pincushion plant due to their domed flower heads which daintily wave in the breeze on long, thin stems. They make a great addition to a cottage garden style planting but they are also good in other areas where they can be used to soften the look.

To create a garden that has colour and interest all year round is a difficult task but can be achieved with careful planning. If you would like help in making your garden your happy place, I offer a planting design or advice service.