Anyone who thinks that a colourful garden is mainly something for spring and summer has yet to discover the many possibilities offered by late-flowering plants. Even as August slowly comes to an end, borders, terraces and garden beds can still be full of colour. Some plants simply continue flowering for a long time, while others only show their most beautiful flowers later in the season.
With the right combination of plants, there is no need to say goodbye to a colourful garden just yet. These five plants provide eye-catching flowers and give your garden a lively and attractive appearance throughout September.
1. Hydrangea macrophylla ‘The Original’ Endless Summer® – long-lasting colour
Hydrangeas are true garden classics, but some varieties are particularly interesting if you want to enjoy their flowers for as long as possible. Hydrangea macrophylla ‘The Original’ Endless Summer® is listed on Boom & Plant with a long flowering period from June to September. Its large blue flowers provide a striking splash of colour and work well both in a border and in a more sheltered spot in the garden.
What makes this hydrangea especially interesting is that it does not immediately lose its ornamental value when summer starts to come to an end. While other summer-flowering plants gradually produce fewer flowers, this hydrangea can continue to create a lush and colourful garden display. It is therefore a beautiful choice for anyone who wants to keep colour around the home for as long as possible.
2. Rosa ‘Gärtnerfreude’® – a rose that keeps flowering
Roses can also help keep the garden colourful well into the later part of the season. Rosa ‘Gärtnerfreude’® is a Kordes Rigo rose that, according to the product information from Boom & Plant, flowers from June to September. Its red flowers provide a strong colour accent and the plant can be used both as a ground cover and in other types of planting.
The advantage of a repeat-flowering rose is that you are not dependent on a single short flowering period. New flowers appear throughout much of the growing season, giving the garden fresh colour again and again. Combine the rose, for example, with perennials with lighter-coloured flowers or ornamental grasses to create a border with different shapes and textures.
3. Gaura lindheimeri ‘Short Form’ – airy flowers into September
For those who prefer a more subtle and airy appearance, Gaura lindheimeri ‘Short Form’ is an interesting choice. According to Boom & Plant, this gaura flowers from July to September. The delicate flowers move easily in the wind, giving a border a playful and natural character.
Gaura is also a lovely plant for adding height and movement to a border without making the planting look heavy or dense. The white flowers create a calm accent among plants with stronger colours. This allows you to create a very different atmosphere from the one created by large and striking flower heads.
4. Chrysanthemum ‘Clara Curtis’ – colour when other flowers disappear
Chrysanthemum ‘Clara Curtis’ shows that there can still be plenty of flowers later in the season. This perennial flowers from September to October and brings a soft touch of colour to the border. It is suitable for both sunny and partially shaded locations and combines beautifully with other perennials.
Precisely because flowering starts in September, this plant can create a lovely transition between typical summer-flowering plants and those that provide colour later in the season. This helps keep a border interesting even when plants that flowered earlier in summer are gradually coming to an end.
5. Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’ – striking blue in late summer
If you would like to add more colour contrast to your garden, Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’, better known as monkshood, is worth considering. This perennial flowers in September with striking blue flowers and can create a strong focal point among other plants. According to Boom & Plant, this variety grows well in both sun and partial shade and is hardy.
The deep blue colour makes this plant particularly suitable for creating contrast. Combine it, for example, with plants with white, pink or soft yellow flowers to create a border in which the different colours enhance one another. Please note, however, that monkshood is poisonous, so care should be taken when planting and maintaining the plant.
How to keep your garden colourful in September
A colourful garden certainly does not have to come to an end when summer is over. By combining plants with different flowering periods, different varieties can take over from one another throughout the season. One plant may provide colour for several weeks, while another only starts flowering later.
When planning a border, therefore, do not only look at the flower colour or shape of a plant, but also at when it flowers. A combination of early-, summer- and late-flowering plants will keep your garden interesting and colourful for much longer.
And perhaps that is one of the most beautiful things about a well-planted garden: there is never one single moment when everything is at its best at the same time. Each period brings its own colours, flowers and combinations. This allows you to continue enjoying a lively and colourful garden throughout September.