Plant These Blooms Now for a Spectacular Late-Summer Blossom Display
Late-Summer Garden Blossoms: A Spectacle of Late-Blooming Flowers
For garden enthusiasts, the enchantment of late-summer blooms provides a verdant display when many flowers begin to wane. Whether to introduce fresh spaces or refresh tired beds, planning now ensures a magnificent, colourful finale that outshines others. To achieve this mesmerizing finish, consider these 25 striking flower choices for their wide array of colours, sizes, and forms, dusting gardens with life as the season winds down.
Zinnias
Speedy growers with blooms emerging within two months, zinnias boast vibrant hues ranging from deep red to luminous lime and sunny yellow. These flowers flourish under full sun and continue to blossom up until the first frost. Their tall stems attract bees and butterflies, making them fitting for pollinator-friendly gardens. Moreover, zinnias prove great for cut flower arrangements due to their long stems.
Cosmos
Graceful and ethereal, cosmos showcase tall stems and fluttery blooms, lending an airy elegance to garden beds. They come in shades of pink, white, and burgundy, and grow effortlessly in typical soil. These heat-loving flowers reproduce readily through self-seeding and thrive with minimal care. From mid-summer through fall, cosmos come into bloom, offering contrast against bolder blossoms. Furthermore, butterflies and beneficial insects are drawn to them.
Sunflowers (Dwarf and Branching Types)
Not all sunflowers tower over gardens. Dwarf and branching variants bloom earlier, continuing to flower into late summer, and grow multiple heads per plant, providing weeks of cheery colour. These varieties adapt well to both garden beds and containers. Sunflowers move to follow the sun and attract numerous pollinators. Their bright faces add height and cheer to any corner of the garden.
Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
Native wildflowers, rudbeckia bloom in warm, inviting tones of gold and orange. Their dark centres create contrast and drama in any flower bed. These hardy perennials flower from mid-summer through fall, tolerating heat and drought well, making them ideal for low-maintenance landscapes. Moreover, rudbeckia resist deer and pests, contributing to the allure of their warm, welcoming appearance which brightens borders and wildflower meadows.
Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower)
Tithonia delivers fiery orange blooms on tall stems that can reach six feet. The flowers are denser and more compact compared to regular sunflowers. These plants thrive in heat and are drought-tolerant once they are well-established. Moreover, they attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies in droves. Tithonia serves an impressive backdrop for sunny beds, imbuing energy with its vibrant flames of colour.
Cleome (Spider Flower)
Cleome adds architectural height with its pink, lavender, and white spidery blooms. The unique flower structure creates movement and drama. Cleome is easy to grow, thriving in hot weather and full sun, requiring minimal care once established. Position them in the middle or back of borders, where their scent also deters deer and rabbits.
Verbena bonariensis
Verbena bonariensis offers clusters of fleeting purple flowers, the plants seeming to float above the rest of the garden due to their tall, thin stems. They provide an airy texture, offering relief from densely planted beds. Flowering from summer through frost, they are dependable performers. The plants are attractive to butterflies, making them a lovely choice for cut flowers. They do well in both borders and containers.
Salvia (Annual Types such as 'Mystic Spires')
Annual salvias like 'Mystic Spires' offer profuse blooms in striking blues and purples. These flowers are heat and drought-tolerant, making them suitable for summer planting. Their upright spikes offer vertical interest in garden beds. Salvia is a favourite of hummingbirds and bees. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, with regular deadheading encouraging more blooms through the season.
Coreopsis (Tickseed)
Coreopsis radiates cheerful, daisy-like blooms in golden yellow and soft pink tones. These hardy perennials bloom without respite from summer through early fall. Easy to grow, they tolerate poor soil and drought. Flower beds and rock gardens light up with their cheery blooms. Their self-seeding nature also makes each growing year a little bigger.
Amaranthus (Love-Lies-Bleeding or Upright Types)
Amaranthus brings texture with its draping or upright flower spikes in hues of red, green, and gold. Both love-lies-bleeding, which showcases dramatic cascades of red tassels, and upright types, with vibrant green or burgundy blooms, thrive in heat and full sun. Their foliage adds colour with red, gold, and chartreuse tones. Amaranthus pairs well with bold annuals and grasses, gracefully filling garden spaces.
Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena)
Globe amaranth showcases round, clover-like blooms that come in bright magenta, purple, or white. Their flowers last well when dried. Gomphrena flourishes in hot, dry conditions and poor soil, offering colour and life until frost without fading. Their low, mounding shape makes them a fitting choice for borders' edges. Furthermore, they are ideal for pollinator gardens.
Nicotiana (Flowering Tobacco)
Nicotiana produces trumpet-shaped flowers in white, pink, and green hues. Their sweet fragrance intensifies at night, providing a wonderful aroma for tinted twilight gardens. These annuals bloom from mid-summer until frost, thriving in partial shade or sun. Their tall, elegant stems complement other plants in mixed borders. Their scent acts as a deterrent against some pests.
Marigolds (French and African Types)
Marigolds are traditional favourites for their radiant yellows and oranges. French types are compact and bushy, while African types are taller and fuller. Both varieties bloom from summer through fall. Marigolds help repel nematodes and other pests. They tolerate heat well and require minimal maintenance. These brilliant flowers brighten gardens with their cheerful colour and scent.
Ageratum
Ageratum captivates with delicate clusters of tiny purple flowers on tall, thin stems. These flowers float above surrounding blooms, lending an airy quality to sunny areas. These compact plants bloom reliably until frost, thriving in cooler regions and tolerating partial sun. Borders and rock gardens benefit from their light touch, though ageratum also looks elegant as a filler in mixed plantings. Moreover, their blooms attract butterflies while resisting deer.
Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)
Scabiosa appeals with fluffy, frilled blooms with soft centres in lavender, pink, and white shades. These perennials start blooming in early summer and continue throughout fall. Their distinct shapes create interest in bouquets and flower beds. Scabiosa welcomes butterflies and bees to enjoy their pretty flowers. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil, with their slender stems making them an attractive choice for cutting.
Celosia (Cockscomb and Plume Types)
Celosia delivers eye-catching colour and form with flame-like plumes or wavy cockscomb blooms. These annuals bloom from mid-summer through fall, with cockscomb types presenting intricate brain-like textures, while plume types resemble fluffy fireworks. Celosia thrives in hot temperatures, tolerating dry conditions. Its bold colours range from reds, golds, to purples, making it an eye-catching addition to containers or garden focal points.
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
Gaillardia displays bright, daisy-like blooms with red, orange, and yellow tones. These perennials bloom from early summer through fall, adoring heat and thriving in poor, sandy soil. Gaillardia's long bloom period and vibrant colours make it a garden favourite. It attracts numerous butterflies and bees and fits gracefully in borders, due to its compact shape.
Heliotrope
Heliotrope mesmerizes with deep violet flower clusters and a delightful vanilla scent. These annuals bloom from summer through fall and are best grown in containers or sunny garden beds. They enjoy rich soil and regular watering. Their alluring fragrance intensifies in the heat. The flowers serve as a charming touch to garden spaces, attracting butterflies.
Lantana
Lantana brings bright clusters of pink, yellow, orange, and red blooms. These sun-loving plants flower from spring to frost. Once established, they adapt well to poor soil, resisting drought and thriving in hot temperatures. Lantana's trailing or mounding shape suits borders and containers. Their flowers change colour as they mature, making them a consistent source of visual interest. Butterflies and hummingbirds visit them.
Dahlia
Dahlias bloom in assorted shapes and sizes, from petite pom-poms to dinner-plate forms. Planting tubers now ensures late-summer delight until the first frost. Dahlias enjoy rich soil and regular watering. Their bold colours and textures create drama, making them fitting as focal points or in cutting gardens.
Snapdragons
Snapdragons bloom best in cooler weather but offer a late-summer flush in mild regions. Their spiky blooms come in every colour except blue. These flowers prefer full sun and rich soil, with taller variants serving as striking additions to garden beds' backs. Snapdragons draw bees and hummingbirds to their flowers, and deadheading encourages repeat blooms.
Four O'Clocks
Four o'clocks bloom late in the afternoon and into the evening. Their trumpet-shaped flowers come in pink, white, red, and yellow. These annuals self-seed easily and thrive in full sun. Their scents are strongest at night and serve to attract beneficial insects. They are ideal for evening-view gardens, as their tuberous roots allow them to survive hot weather and drought.
Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
Calibrachoa presents mini petunia-like flowers in tumbling mounds. These flowers remain in bloom from spring through frost. They do best in containers or hanging baskets, preferring excellent drainage. Regular feeding ensures continued brilliance. Their tiny flowers come in solid and bicolour shades, making them ideal for filling gaps in displays.
Cuphea (Cigar Plant or Bat-Faced)
Cuphea produces abundant, tubular pink, red, and white flowers, shaped like tiny cigars or bat faces. These heat-tolerant annuals bloom from midsummer to frost. They are drought-resistant and develop a strong appeal for hummingbirds. Cuphea adds whimsical charm to containers and borders, their distinctive blooms serving as edge highlights against more common flowers. They require minimal care.
Petunias
Petunias remain enduring favourites, known for their bountiful, full blooms and spreading habit. Wave and SuperTunia varieties bloom continuously without deadheading, thriving in full sun and well-drained soil. Petunias come in nearly every colour and pattern, serving as an attractive, full finish to garden beds. They adapt well to containers, window boxes, and garden areas.
Incorporating zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, rudbeckia, tithonia, cleome, verbena bonariensis, salvia, coreopsis, amaranthus, globe amaranth, nicotiana, marigolds, ageratum, scabiosa, celosia, gaillardia, heliotrope, lantana, dahlias, snapdragons, four o'clocks, calibrachoa, cuphea, and petunias in your home-and-garden landscape can enrich your lifestyle by providing a spectacular home-and-garden display, particularly in late summer and fall. These blooms offer a variety of colors, sizes, and forms, ensuring vivid beauty across your garden, borders, and containers.
