Last week’s blog looked at some ideas for plants that would give you a flower bomb August garden, and tips for dealing with bindweed when it threatens your planting scheme. This week I’ll look at more plants to bloom in your late summer garden; including planning for next year and a few ‘cheats’ for this year’s borders.
Planting Ideas for a flower bomb August garden
To improve the chances of having a flower bomb August garden, use a range of plants and techniques.
If you’re short on time, look for flowering shrubs and herbaceous perennials that will continue to flower even if you forget to deadhead. Salvias will happily keep on flowering, as will Penstemons.
Cistus are definitely ‘flower bomb’ shrubs for a sunny spot, but may be on their last bloom by August, unless you were able to dead head.
By contrast, Hydrangea paniculata ‘vanille fraise’ is looking magnificent, with white flowers aging to pink and a delicate scent. In a recent planting design I married this Hydrangea with Lobelia ‘Queen Victoria’, a good mid-late summer flowering herbaceous perennial. The dark purple/ red stems and rich red flowers of the Lobelia contrasting well with the soft froth of ‘vanille fraise’.
The flower bomb in question is a wedding gown and in keeping with the wedding theme, Nemesia ‘confetti’ is a delicious froth of pale pink, lightly scented flowers that bloom from May to October. An herbaceous perennial, this will grow happily in borders or containers and seem to cope with both the sun and showers that a British summer brings.
Another subtle yet exuberant shrub for the late summer months is Teuchrium fruticans, also known as Azure tree germander. This evergreen shrub has leaves which are glossy green above and silver white on the underside. The blue flowers bloom throughout the summer months in more sheltered areas.
Teuchrium fruticans has a lax habit with soft branches arching lazily over other plants. I like to mix it with ground cover herbaceous perennials such as a dark leaved Heuchera or bright pink flowered Geranium sanguineum. In the late summer and early autumn it can have a different feel by planting Helianthemum ‘lemon queen’ to grow through and above.
Planning for a flower bomb August garden
Forward planning is useful if your garden normally looks flower-less by August. Taking some time in May to ‘Chelsea chop’ some of your border plants is one habit worth getting into. This technique is where you cut back emerging flower buds and growth from some of your herbaceous perennials, Geraniums and Nepeta (catmint), for example. By putting back their flowering period you can enjoy the blooms later in the year – August rather than June.
And of course there is always the ‘quick fix’ method – popping out to your local plant nursery or garden centre. But before you rush out the door, have a walk around your garden. Ask yourself – Where are the gaps? Where do I need a splash of bright colour? Or do I want a foam of soft flowers? And most importantly – remember this is a quick fix; look for bargains – trays of bedding plants, like Petunias and Pelargoniums; summer flowering bulbs and tubers such as Dahlias. But also be sure to check the plant bargain for health before you buy – this blog has some useful tips.
As for me, I’m going to sit in the garden and plan some more designs for flower borders and raised bed gardens. One will be a flower bomb August garden next year, another a new take on a rose garden, and a third will be a rain garden. Love my job!
Related Gardening articles you may enjoy from our Award Winning Blog
‘Flower bomb’ – August gardens
Rose gardens – the scent of Paradise
How not to buy plants
Planting ideas for colourful Autumn borders
