How can I make August more exciting?

Hello!

I'm in my third year of loving a garden, but am noticing that after a very lovely May/June/July, August is looking a little flat, colour-wise.

I've been experimenting with quite 'pedestrian' seed growing (nasturtiums, zinnias, cosmos, marigolds, sweet peas) and have hydrangeas, lavender, buddleia and geums... But none are looking their best now, when the weather is still enticing us to sit outside.

What are you planting to give you a bit of pleasure in August? Is the trick in second sowing so I can replace the more tired examples? I've been deadheading which has definitely forced two, sometimes three flushes of flowers.

Love to you all for keeping me engaged with your chatter.

Disaster x

 

Some plants naturally come later Dahlias or chrysanthemum.
Some roses go on for ever.
Just look around and see what is looking good in other gardens this time of year.

Half hardly annuals should have at least a month or 6 weeks before they start to look past it.

 

Heleniums and Rudbeckias look good in August and beyond. Most ornamental grasses are also now flowering and will give you interest until March next year. Garden centres display what's looking good at the moment so a trip there will help you. I go at least once a month to see if there's anything I've overlooked!

 

I was going to say try bungee jumping, white water kayaking or maybe rock climbing.
However: crocosmia, eryingiums and echinops are busy flowering in my garden; there are also annual climbers like Ipomoea, Ipomoea lobata and Ipomoea quamoclit. Eccremocarpus scaber is easy from seed and flowers well around now. Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower) and Ricinus are looking good at the moment as are nasturtiums.
Have a look at the what's looking good in August thread.

 

Vote for Heleniums here - sunshine on a rainy day.

I have some Strawflowers (xerochrysum bracteatum) which I am loving and will try to grow from seed next year. New favourite.

Dahlias are classic late summer blooms and then the chrysanthemums and sedums (eg. Autumn Joy) next month.

 

The non trailing Biden's that I bought by mistake have been flowering their socks off since I planted them early spring. I'll definitely try some in the ground next year. They grow about a foot high and wide so a nice size. Antirrhinums will flower for a long time. You might be able to pick some up at a garden centre. Hardy fuchsias will continue to flower for a few months yet.
Gladdiola are a PITA. They're going straight on the compost heap as soon as they've finished their efforts at standing up and dying from the bottom up.Lovely blooms that last a couple of days and look stupid when you've deadheaded.

 

Where abouts are you @GardenDisaster as that might help with suggestions? Here, my Cosmos and Nasturtiums are only just getting going and Hydrangeas are coming into their stride.

My Persicaria are usually going strong through August and beyond. Although having said that I find the varieties vary. The best now and in the months ahead are Firetail and another dark one whose name escapes me at the moment. The P.affinis Superba (pale pink) and Alba are flowering well in August but less impactful and they loose their colour quickly once the flowers fade, the redder ones fade much more slowly so give the appearance of flowering for longer.

Rudbeckia are usually good for August onwards, the perennials don’t last long for me and I’ve fallen in love with the annual Gloriosa Daisies, just coming out here (but I do sow late usually around beginning April).

 

You can sow hardy annuals during the summer for a late summer display. Depending on the species 8 weeks from seed to flower is a good guess for most, the seed pack will give a better idea.

I do this for the endless flow of "free seeds with every issue" kind of unplanned seeds and usually get something very nice to look at.

For more permanent August delight, Japanese Anemones are mouthwateringly wonderful Your Hydrangeas should be brilliant too, especially once they are established.

Dahlias are the plants to go for for a touch of drama. There are colours, sizes and shapes to fit all tastes. A nearby house here has a delightful mix of everything, all colours and shapes mixed together, about waist high. They are a sight that makes cars slow down, simply stunning.

 

Our Penstemon Summertime Pinks are flowering now for the second time and the White Phlox is on the cusp of opening. Cosmos and Salvia Royal Bumble have long term flowering season and in full bloom now.

 

I'm surprised at you saying many of those plants aren't at their best @GardenDisaster - sweet peas, buddleias, lavender, cosmos and hydrangeas are all in full flower at this time of year.
As @Butterfly6 says, your location is helpful for advice as there are huge variations in conditions in the UK.
Many annuals are valuable for this time of year, as others have also said, so there's a lot of choice in those, depending on the sites and aspects you have available too. Rudbeckias, dahlias, nicotiana, all flower later on in the year, so you'd get colour from mid/late July onwards, and those can all be grown from seed. Borage is another and flowers for a long time.
Pots are good for some as you can then move them around too, whereas many perennials will be best in the ground.
Sedum spectabile [now called Hylotelephium] is a later flowerer, and excellent for pollinators too. I agree with @Selleri re Jap. anemones, although some people find they can be invasive, so your conditions help dictate that. The whites are great for shady areas. Foxgloves are good for that sort of site, and will seed around when happy too, so no great effort required- which is always a bonus!

Have you got space for more climbers, especially perennials rather than annuals? Clematis, roses etc. Many can be grown up obelisks too, so you don't necessarily need a wall or fence.

 

I'm in Croydon, South London... With a south facing, very hot garden.

Thank you for these recommendations - I'll have a look now.

 

My lavender has totally finished and all my hydrangea flowers have begun the fade, from vibrant to muted tones - which isn't necessarily bad.
The nasturtiums have all gone to seed now and the pods are everywhere! The buddleia is putting on a good show still. My borage gave up weeks ago after flowering in early June.

I'm in Croydon, South London with a south facing, hot garden.

Thank you for your reply!

 

Ha! Thank you for these recommendations. I'll have a look now.