Some of our favorite perennial flowers like columbine, peonies and lupine are finished blooming for the season. While these popular perennials are no longer in their prime, gardeners can keep the colors going with these late season bloomers:
Yarrow: We love the colorful choices of this super tough plant. Available in sunset colors, pinks and white, yarrow is also deer and vole resistant and makes a long-lasting cut flower.
Echinacea: Also known as coneflower, Echinacea is typically purple or white, but newer varieties of orange and yellow are beginning to become popular. Echinacea is an excellent cut flower and attracts butterflies.
Ornamental Grasses: August is the time ornamental grasses really start to shine. Their seed heads shimmer in the golden sunlight and the gentle sway of their stems add a magical element to any landscape.
Sedum: There are a wide variety of sedums, most begin to bloom late summer. Bloom colors vary from pink to yellow and white. Use sedums as ground covers, in rock gardens or try them in a container. Taller varieties like ‘autumn joy’ really pack a late season color punch, especially when planted in masses. Pollinating insects love sedums as a late-season pollen source.
Russian Sage: Drifts of soft purple spikes and grey foliage make Russian Sage a late summer standout. It thrives in hot sun and is drought tolerant once established.
Helenium: Featuring daisy-like flowers in warm tones of red, orange, and yellow, helenium can be anywhere from 1-3 feet tall. Its long stems make it a wonderful flower for cutting.
