How to Fill Your Garden with Color in August

The time between July and September can be a somewhat uneventful time for your garden. Many annuals aren’t blooming, and you may notice leaves are turning brown in the scorching heat. This can be discouraging, especially at a time of year when your garden could be looking its best.

If your annuals aren’t blooming or if you just want to spice up the look of your garden, there are a number of perennials that will give you some really nice color this time of the year and all season long. The trick is to choose the varieties that will extend your bloom period.

Colorful Perennial Varieties

The first perennial variety you should be growing to boost your garden’s August color is echinacea, also known as coneflower. Echinacea are beautiful right now, and they come in wonderful shades of red, orange, purple, yellow, and white. If you consistently deadhead these flowers, or cut off the flower heads as they fade, your echinacea will bloom for you nonstop into the fall.

If you do not deadhead, the plant’s energy will be spent on making seeds instead of on making new flowers and you won’t see as much growth. This goes for both perennials and annuals in your garden.

Rudbeckia, also in the coneflower family, is another colorful perennial variety. You may have heard this flower referred to as the brown-eyed Susan. At Blomidon, we carry two varieties of rudbeckia including the ever-popular Goldsturm and the newer American Gold Rush.

Be mindful that rudbeckias are typically susceptible to Septoria leaf spot, a fungus that causes small brown spots on the leaves and spreads by splashing water. The American Gold Rush variety, however, is said to be resistant to this disease, which is why many gardeners are opting to use it to brighten up their gardens this year.

If you’re looking for a bold, bright, and white complement or feature in your August Garden, consider planting shasta daisies. These big, beautiful, pure white daisies are in full flower right now.

Hemerocallis, or daylilies, are also in full flower this month. Most varieties of hemerocallis are “rebloomers,” so, like echinacea, they will continue to grow more flowers if you deadhead them. They come in all types of colors, from whites, yellows, and pinks to oranges, purples, and reds.

In addition to daylilies, we offer lilium, also known as the true lily. Lilium is an herbaceous plant that grows from a bulb and boasts large, prominent flowers. At Blomidon, you may opt for Asiatic lilies, which have a seemingly endless variety of colors, or oriental lilies, which have a more limited selection of colors but emit an intoxicating scent that will enhance your garden’s allure. You can usually smell oriental lilies before you see them.

For colder tones, you might try planting salvia, a spiky, long-lasting rebloomer that comes in shades of blue and purple, or the similar veronica, which has smaller flowers and a more defined top. Nepeta, or catmint, also has blue spikes with small flowers, but with a softer feel. All of these varieties are rebloomers.

Warmer tones can be achieved by planting flowers like crocosmia. Also called copper tips and falling stars, crocosmia are bulb flowers that come in rich shades of red and orange. The flowers are tubular in shape and the hummingbirds love them.

If you’re in a shady area but still want to add color to your garden this August, consider planting hostas, heuchera know as coral bells. These will give you some rich foliage and stunning shades of purples, apricots, and ambers. Brunnera and pulmonaria are two other great options. Even when shade plants aren’t in bloom, the foliage is very interesting to look at.

Finally, the season for ornamental grasses is just starting. You can grow ornamental grasses from now right up until the snow covers them. At Blomidon, our selection of ornamental grasses ranges all the way from 1-foot little dwarf bunny grass to 10-foot giganteus, so we’re sure to have something to suit your tastes if you’re looking to add some grass to your summer blooms.

A Couple of Reminders…

Before you jump into gardening perennials this month, don’t forget to cut back your annuals if they are stretched or “leggy.” This means they are growing weaker and longer-than-usual stems and often happens when plants are lacking in nutrients or spending too much time in the shade. You can avoid this unhealthy type of growth by regularly fertilizing your annual plants and ensuring they are receiving an adequate amount of sunlight.

At this time of year, you should be fertilizing your plants every other time that you water them for the most desirable results. Remember that most of your plants are reaching their peak size right now, which means they need more nutrients than usual. If you keep fertilizing your plants and keep them well watered, it should take them right into September looking their best.

If you need help choosing the right fertilizer for your garden or are looking for some tips on adding or restoring color, I invite you to come visit us at Blomidon. One of our experienced and knowledgeable staff members would be happy to help you find what you need.