Our Prime Picks for Late Summer Plants
The latter stages of summer are a delightful period in Hertfordshire, with gardens bursting into a rich tapestry of colour and lushness. To fully enjoy the splendour of this season and the final bursts of colour it brings, picking the right plants is crucial.
Whether you’re a seasoned horticulturist or an enthusiastic gardener, understanding which plants flourish in this period can elevate your outdoor spaces.
Late-summer plants might not be the conventional choice, but some remarkable species flourish during this season and make a great option for your garden to provide several more months of lush vibrancy.
In this blog post, we are going to share the cream of the crop for late-summer gardens, helping you to end the season in style.
The Importance of Late-Summer Plants
Late summer offers a unique blend of challenges and opportunities. As the blistering heat of mid-summer wanes and autumn’s whispers begin, picking resilient plants is paramount to maintaining a lively, attractive garden.
Late-summer plants not only provide instant vibrancy to your landscape but also ensure that your garden stays vibrant and appealing even as the season changes. Late-summer plants come in various shapes and sizes, fitting perfectly in gardens, public parks, and landscapes in and around Hertfordshire.
At Heath Landscapes & Garden Design, we provide exceptional landscaping services, armed with local expertise to help a host of outdoor environments flourish across the county. We can help you maximise your garden’s potential all year round, savouring months of splendour regardless of the weather.
If you do want to make the most out of this season and keep the appeal of your garden into the last months of the summer, then consider implementing these late-summer plants:
Perennial Powerhouses
As we shift from summer’s heat to autumn’s cooler, calmer days now is the ideal period to infuse your garden with the vibrant life and stunning hues of perennial plants.
Whether you’re a veteran or a novice gardener, our comprehensive guide to these kinds of late-summer plants will inspire you to select the right perennials to help your garden flourish season after season.
Here are the top perennial plants for late-summer blooms:
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Known as Coneflower, Echinacea is a must-have for any late-summer garden. These hardy perennials are famous for their striking daisy-like flowers and resistance to drought.
They flourish in well-drained soil and full sun, making them a great choice for various landscapes.
Advantages of These Late Summer Plants:
- Long flowering period
- Draws pollinators like bees and butterflies
- Low maintenance
Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
Another perennial star, Rudbeckia, delivers bright yellow blooms with dark centres that last well into autumn. These remarkably adaptable plants can thrive in both full sun and partial shade.
They are also known for their drought resistance and ability to draw wildlife, making them an asset across landscapes in the region.
Advantages of These Late Summer Plants:
- Extended flowering period
- Attracts beneficial insects
- Tolerates poor soil conditions
Annual All-Stars
Annual plants grow from seeds, bloom, produce seeds, and die all within one year. This unique lifecycle makes them an excellent choice for late summer planting.
Annual plants can bring vibrant colours and fresh scents as they bloom in a breathtaking display, even when other plants start fading. This ensures your garden continues to look fascinating even at the season’s tail end.
The resilience and beauty of annual plants make them a great addition to any garden looking for a seasonal burst of life.
Some excellent examples of annual late summer plants include:
Zinnia
Zinnias are a fantastic choice for adding a burst of colour to your late-summer garden. These annuals come in a wide range of colours and are known for their long-lasting blooms.
Zinnias prefer full sun and well-drained soil, and they fit well in beds, borders, or as cut flowers to spread colour around your home.
Advantages of These Late Summer Plants:
- Vibrant and diverse colour palette
- Excellent for cutting and arranging
- Easy to grow from seed
Cosmos
Cosmos are another annual that thrives in late summer and are ideal for all kinds of landscapes, as they are easy to grow. Cosmos can reach impressive heights, creating a stunning visual impact in all outdoor spaces and bringing a unique appearance to the landscape.
With its delicate, fern-like foliage and vibrant flowers, cosmos is perfect for adding an elegant touch to any garden.
Advantages of These Late Summer Plants:
- Low maintenance
- Attracts butterflies and pollinators like bees
- Extended blooming period
Shrubs and Bushes
Shrubs and bushes are a perfect choice for late summer plants. As summer starts to fade and early fall’s temperate weather sets in, these hearty plants continue to thrive; adding life to your garden beyond many other species’ lifespan.
Beyond the aesthetics, these late summer plants provide structural strength to your landscape design. Some shrubs and bush species even bear fruit, adding a functional aspect to their aesthetic appeal and sparking new life in your garden.
The resilience and adaptability of shrubs and bushes make them an excellent choice for late summer plants, ensuring a green and blooming garden even as the seasons shift.
Hydrangea
A classic choice for late summer planting, Hydrangeas offer large, showy blooms that last deep into late summer. They like partial shade and well-drained soil, making them suitable for various landscapes across the region.
Hydrangeas come in various colours, depending on the soil pH, making them a flexible addition to any garden design.
Advantages of These Late Summer Plants:
- Long flowering season
- Available in a variety of colours and types
- Suitable for different garden designs
Buddleja (Butterfly Bush)
Known as the butterfly bush, Buddleja is a must-have for attracting pollinators and adds beauty to all kinds of gardens. These shrubs produce large, fragrant flower spikes that bloom from summer through autumn.
Buddlejas prefer full sun and well-drained soil, making them excellent for Hertfordshire’s late summer climate.
Advantages of These Late Summer Plants:
- Attracts butterflies and other pollinators
- Fragrant, beautiful flowers
- Low maintenance
Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses offer a splendid showcase of texture, form, and colour and are ideal late-summer plants. These plants are not just aesthetically pleasing but also thrive in the later summer part, helping keep your garden vibrant and lively even as the season ends.
Their resilience to changing weather conditions and minimal maintenance requirements make ornamental grasses a fantastic choice for those looking to extend their garden’s display into the autumn season.
Miscanthus (Maiden Grass)
Miscanthus is an ornamental grass that adds texture and movement to your garden. It thrives in full sun and accommodates a variety of soil conditions, making it perfect for all outdoor spaces.
The tall plumes that emerge in late summer provide an elegant backdrop for other flowering plants, adding that final touch to any garden design.
Advantages of These Late Summer Plants:
- Adds texture and height
- Drought-resistant and suitable for various soil types
- Minimal maintenance
Pennisetum (Fountain Grass)
Pennisetum, or fountain grass, is another excellent choice for late summer, as it looks great in various gardens. This grass produces graceful, arching stems topped with fluffy seed heads that catch light gracefully, adding a soft, ethereal quality to your garden.
Advantages of These Late Summer Plants:
- Attractive seed heads
- Versatile in different garden settings
- Low water requirement
Late-Summer Bloomers
Late summer bloomers are selected specifically for their ability to thrive and blossom during the late summer period.
When many other flowers start to fade, these late-summer bloomers come alive, providing unexpected colour and life to your garden even as the season starts to wind down.
These late summer plants are not only known for their resilience in lingering warm temperatures, but they also help extend your garden’s beauty into the changing seasons.
They are an excellent choice for late summer planting, ensuring your outdoor space stays vibrant and attractive.
Sedum (Stonecrop)
Sedum is a late-summer bloomer known for its succulent leaves and vibrant flower clusters. These plants are incredibly hardy and can thrive in poor soil conditions. They prefer full sun, making them ideal for all types of gardens.
Sedum is excellent for adding colour and texture to rock gardens or borders.
Advantages of These Late Summer Plants:
- Drought resistant
- Attracts pollinators, like bees
- Low maintenance
Aster
Asters are a favourite in all kinds of gardens. They successfully extend the blooming season into late summer and autumn. These perennials produce masses of small, daisy-like flowers in shades of purple, pink, and white, making them highly attractive in various locations.
Asters prefer full sun and well-drained soil, so they require a bit more care compared to other late-summer blooms.
Advantages of These Late Summer Plants:
- Extended blooming period
- Attracts bees and butterflies
- Adds late-season colour to all gardens
Crucial Advice for Late-Summer Gardening
If you’re interested in injecting more life and colour into your garden design this month, then you’ll find the following top advice to make the most out of late summer planting useful:
- Preparation: Make sure your soil is well-drained and rich in organic matter before later summer planting. Compost or well-rotted manure can enhance your soil’s structure and fertility.
- Watering: Late summer can still have hot and dry periods. Hence, frequent watering is crucial.
- Mulching: Applying a layer of organic mulch around your new plants helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and maintain consistent soil temperatures. This practice is particularly beneficial as temperatures begin to fluctuate in the approaching autumn months.
- Plant Selection: When choosing late summer plants, select species that complement your existing garden layout. Consider height, colour, and bloom time to create a cohesive design that draws the eye throughout your outdoor space. For instance, combining tall asters with low-growing sedums can create dynamic visual interest while ensuring all plants receive adequate sunlight.
- Fertilisation: While many late summer plants are hardy and low maintenance, a light application of a balanced fertiliser can provide the necessary nutrients to support growth and flowering. Be sure to follow the product guidelines carefully to avoid over-fertilisation, which can harm your plants.
- Pest Control: Keep a watchful eye out for pests and diseases, since late summer often sees a surge in infestations. Either organic or chemical solutions can be applied to ensure your late summer plants remain in prime condition.
By implementing these practices and selecting the right plants, you can ensure that your garden remains an oasis of colour and life well into the cooler months, bringing beauty and vibrancy to your surroundings as nature prepares for the change of seasons.
Conclusion
Constructing a captivating late-summer garden in Hertfordshire hinges on selecting the perfect plants and providing the care they need.
By selecting a variety of perennials, annuals, shrubs, and grasses, you can fashion a garden that stays lively and appealing even as the seasons shift.
At Heath Landscapes & Garden Design, we offer a range of landscaping services to help you bring the most out of your garden all year long. With our expert advice and support, you can prolong the beauty of your garden past the summer heat.
Just because we’re nearing the end of the season, it doesn’t mean that your garden should falter. You can make the most of the beautiful weather by incorporating some late-summer plants.
Get in Touch Today
Ready for a garden transformation? Our expert team at Heath Landscapes & Garden Design is on hand to assist you.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and start designing your dream garden.
