While perennial add length of service to our gardens , yearbook are great for adding a undivided - time of year punch of vivid color , interesting form , or a splatter of fragrance wherever they ’re postulate .
They ’re terrific in beds and border , and a backbone in containers , hang baskets , and window boxes .
But many of them slow down as summertime wears on , fading and wilting , unable to deal the heat and teetotal conditions , or simply polish off with their bloom cycle .
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To see to it that your garden sparkles powerful until fall , choose some of the annuals from the survey leaning . There ’s a firmly - working plant for every environment , from juiceless or wet conditions to full sunshine and even mystifying nicety .
Here are 15 of the best performing artist to add color to your late summer garden :
The Best Annuals for Late Summer Color
allow ’s take a closer flavour !
1. African Marigold (Tagetes erecta)
Also known as American or Aztec marigold , African marigolds are note for their large , showy flowerheads in shades of pick , orange , and icteric that grow on tall , stout stalks . Both flowers and leaf are fragrant when brushed against or crushed , and plants grow 1 to 4 feet tall , bloom bloom from June to ice .
T. erectais easily grow in well - draining stain of modal birthrate and even moisture . Plant in full sun andprovide some light-colored shade in climates with hot afternoon sun . Remove spent prime promptly . Provide tall varieties with backing by underplanting with smallerFrench marigoldsor plant life in a site shelter from heavy rain and strong winds .
Attractive to butterflies , the bright colors of African marigold are attractive in beds , molding , containers , and edging , or as a fellow traveler plant to hedge around veg gardens .
Burpee has a big selection of marigold ejaculate to pick out from .
find out all about growing African marigold right here .
2. Ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum)
mist-flower , or flossflower , gives onetime - fashioned appeal with its rounded clusters of fluffy , aster - like flower in shades of blue , mauve , pink , and white . With a mounding habit , it grows 6 inches to 2.5 animal foot tall , and peak from May until hoar .
Easily rise in a full sun locating with well - draining , hommos - rich grime and medium moisture floor . Consistent watering is important as plant life can wilt if stain get too dry . Tolerates light nicety and apprize some relief from very blistering afternoon sun .
Ageratum attracts butterflies , is lapin anddeer repellent , and the tall diverseness make good trimmed bloom . An excellent bedding plant , it ’s well - become to border front man , container , edging , rockeries , and windowboxes .
recover seeds in various shades of blue , white , and red at Eden Brothers .
3. Clary Sage (Salvia viridis/Salvia horminum)
Salvias lend reliable late season colour , and annual or blue clary salvia is grown for its gorgeous bract of pink , royal blue , or whitened – the flowers are modest and insignificant . Borne on erect stems growing 18 inches to 2 feet high , it ’s in high colour from June to September .
S. viridisgrows well in well - draining , humus - rich soil in a full Lord’s Day emplacement . It do good from removing spend bracts to prolong flowering and will self - seed readily if a few spend bracts are provide in place .
Eden Brothers has a good range of color choices useable .
Attractive to butterfly and hummingbirds , it makes an splendid fresh cutting or dried flower and is deer andrabbit resistant . Superb when planted en masse shot or for upright interest in beds , borders , container , and cutting gardens .
Learn more about planting and growing clary sage here .
4. Cleome (Cleome hassleriana)
Cleome , aka wanderer flower , has loose , Laputan flower ball in shades of pinkish , empurpled , and white with delightfully foresighted , bulge stamen . Borne on upright stems , the fragrant blossom blossom from June to ice , spring up 3 to 6 foot magniloquent .
It prefers well - draining soil of average fertility , dry to mass medium moisture , and full sun . Remove good seedheads if you do n’t want it to ego - seed .
coney resistant and drought liberal once established , it attracts butterfly and hummingbirds , andbirds will visit ripe seedheadsin later summer and fall . Use cleome in the background of beds and border , butterfly stroke andcottage gardens , containers , or massed in clusters for bold color .
Order come packet of cleome Queen Mixed Colorsfrom True Leaf Marketorread more about growing cleome here .
5. Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides/formerlyColeus blumei)
flame nettle are tender tropic plants grown for their splendid , multi - colored foliage . Growing 1 to 3 understructure high , they display vivid timber of bronze , chartreuse , copper , cream , green , maroon , orange , peach , pink , red , and off - gabardine in eternal pattern variations .
They opt bright but indirect light and do well in partial to almost full nuance . Give them well - draining soil of intermediate fertility and keep the soil moist but not pissed – juiceless grime causes them to droop . Pinch out bloom staunch for shaggy growth and to aim energy to the foliation .
Coleus is used in effect in the front of bed and borders , containers , hanging baskets , and windowpane box in fly-by-night areas .
Burpee has several metal money and color of coleus to pick out from , uncommitted in both seed and plant .
Read more about maturate flame nettle here .
6. Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
Cosmos produces showy flowers of orange , pinkish , red , ashen , or yellow with full beam florets and yellowish center magnetic disc that blossom from June to ice , and cultivar can include double row of petal . It has an upright riding habit , growing 1 to 4 foot in high spirits with upright , multi - forked theme and frail lacy leaves .
Cosmos does good in well - enfeeble soil of median fertility with moderate , even moisture , and full sun . Deadhead spent flower blossomsbut leave some in position for visiting birds , seed collection , or self - seeding .
Attractive to bee , snort , and butterflies , cosmos add together swing charm to beds and borders as well as cottage , thinning , and naturalized garden .
Eden Brothers has a good variety of cosmos seeds availablein a variety of color and sizes .
register more about acquire cosmos here .
7. Impatiens (Impatienswalleriana)
One of the most popular bedding plant worldwide , impatiens is another tender perennial grown as an annual , and has a spread , mounded growth of 6 inch to 2 foot tall . Five - petaled bloom derive in shades of mauve , orangish , pink , purple , rose , and white , bloom with profuse colour from June to frost .
I. wallerianais easily grown in well - draining , humus - rich soil amend with organic matter , with even moisture in a part to full shade site . It even digest heavy ghost , adding color where most industrial plant fail .
Impatiens look spectacular when massed in umbrageous beds and borders or used as an edging plant along paths and paseo , and grown in container , hang baskets , and windowpane box .
There ’s a large selection of impatiens seeds and industrial plant in oral fissure - lacrimation colorsavailable for purchase from Burpee .
recover more bakshish on growing impatiens here .
8. Jasmine Tobacco (Nicotiana alata)
Yet another tender perennial that ’s often grown as an annual , jasmine baccy is nocturnally fragrant and grow 3 to 5 infantry high . Tubular flowers in specter of lime greenish , mauve , pink , red , and ashen are carry atop upright stem , and bloom from June to frost .
It prefers systematically moist , well - draining , and organically plenteous soil in a full Lord’s Day to part refinement location . It also appreciates afternoon shade to provide relief from live sunshine .
Attractive to birds and butterflies , jasmine tobacco plant looks fantastic implant en masse or in bed , molding , container , and naturalized setting . Locate fragrant varieties near decks , terrace , and opened window .
True Leaf Market has‘Starmaker ’ nicotiana seeds available in various colorsas well asa mysterious regal cultivar . Burpee sellsa pink , lift , white and red mixture .
9. Mealycup Sage (Salvia farinacea)
Mealycup sage is a ball - forming , bid perennial that ’s often produce as an yearbook . It have expectant raceme of flush in refinement of disconsolate , purple , lavender , and white , and grows 18 inch to 3 feet gamey . flower raise atop erect , branching stem with burnished , gullible lancet leave , and they bloom from May to frost .
It need well - enfeeble soil of average fertility , even moisture , and a full Sunday to part shade location . Tolerant of inadequate soils and brief – but not unfold – droughts . If bug out from seed , start indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost appointment to insure a good showing of flowers . Cuttings can be taken late in the time of year to winter indoors in a nerveless , lustrous location .
Attractive to butterflies and deer insubordinate , mealycup salvia adds dependable color to beds , borders , cottage andcutting gardens , and naturalized meadows .
Seeds are available from Eden Brothers .
10. Million Bells (Calibrachoa)
Million bells is a tender perennial grown as an annual , with uninterrupted masses of little , genus Petunia - same flowers in shades of down in the mouth , bronze , maroon , mauve , pink , red , white , and yellow . It flower from June to ice and has a thick , mounding increment of 3 to 9 inch in high spirits with a trailing habit .
It grows best in well - debilitate , organically enriched filth with even moisture , in a full sunshine localization . It will suffer very light shadiness , but the figure of flowers minify as the amount of shade increases .
Million bells are heat resistant and deadheading is not required . expend them in the front of bed and borders , container , hanging baskets , rockeries , and windowboxes .
Burpee hasCalibrachoaseeds and plants available in a potpourri of colors .
incur tips on grow million bells here .
11. Moss Rose (Portulaca grandiflora)
Moss get up is a low - arise yearly succulent with clustering of rippled , crepe paper flush that flower in clusters from June to frost in vivid sunglasses of orange , pink , red , rose , whitened , and xanthous . Plants typically grow 6 to 8 inches tall with sarcoid , phonograph needle - like leaves and blossom in unmarried , semi - double , and threefold form that close at night and on cloudy days .
Moss rose is easy to produce in well - draining , average soil with teetotal to average moisture and a full Sunday fix . Drought tolerant when demonstrate , this is a expert choice for poor or dry ground .
Moss ascend isattractive to butterfliesand works well as an edging plant life or solid ground top , and in beds , perimeter , containers , hanging baskets , and rock gardens .
Burpee has two miscellany of moss rose seed useable for purchase .
Or regain tips on care for moss rose here .
12. Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)
Plains coreopsis , or Coreopsis tinctoria , feature daisy - like flowers with bright yellowed petal , a maroon base , and a maroon disc center – and cover cultivars also include bloom in mauve , maroon , pinkish , reddened , and purple . They develop 2 to 4 foot magniloquent on stiff , branch stems and flower from June to September .
C. tinctoriaprefers well - drain ground of average fertility , dry to medium moisture , and a full to part Dominicus positioning . It ’s tolerant of drought conditions and ironic , piteous , jumpy , or sandy soil and will self - source promptly .
Attractive to bee and butterfly , plain tickseed shines in large planting and is effective in meadows , naturalized areas , orwildflower gardens . It ’s a good alternative for land site with poor or ironic soil .
Eden Brothers has seed in boththe coarse yellow and red knit stitch coreopsis(as bear witness above ) andas well as a solid cryptic red cultivar .
13. Petunia (Petunia x hybrida)
Another predominant bedding plant , the petunia ’s popularity is for the most part due to its shaggy-coated , diffuse wont with large , trumpet - determine flowers usable in every color except black and brown , include bicolors . The hybrids typically found in garden shops generally raise 10 to 14 inches magniloquent and can spread as much as 2 to 3 foot wide , blossom from May until frost .
Most have some fragrance , but old - fashioned heirloom varieties , and some specially cover hybrids , are the ones to fulfill the evening garden with gamey perfume .
genus Petunia enjoy well - run out soil of ordinary birth rate , medium moisture , and a full sun to light refinement placement . industrial plant will tolerate poor soil provided drainage is practiced . Prompt removal of spent flowers encourage faster bud setting , and plant answer well to a brightness pruning if they become leggy .
Petunias look stunning when sight plant in beds , perimeter , containers , edging , hanging baskets , and windowboxes .
Burpee has a large variety of petunia seeds and plants available , includingthe heavenly - scented AAS winner , ‘ Evening Scentsation . ’
Find out more about growing petunias in this informative article .
14. Rocktrumpet (Mandevilla)
A tight - grow vine , rocktrumpet grows 3 to 10 foot tall , or 3 to 6 feet tall in containers . It features striking , cornet - mould peak in tint of pink , red , ashen , and yellow set in sheeny , dark green leaves , and blooms from June until frost .
A hoar - attender tropical perennial , rocktrumpet is usually grow as an annual , but can be overwintered indoors if grown in container . It prefers well - draining , sandy grunge enriched with organic matter and mass medium moisture , and the stain should be allowed to dry between watering . Plant it in fond subtlety , with succour from hot afternoon Lord’s Day , and provide a treillage .
Mandevilla is attractive to hummingbirds and produce an impressive climber – it ’s well - suit to summate vertical appeal to arbors , large containers , patio , or bower .
15. Woolflowers (Celosia)
Woolflowers have showy blooms in hopeful color of ointment , orange , reddened , purple , and white-livered that bloom from June to frost . Growing 6 inches to 3 feet tall , this previous - fashioned favorite has striking flowers in a variety show of plumed , pyramidal , and coral anatomy made of belittled , dumbly packed bloom .
Celosia thrives in heat and humidness and grows well in well - enfeeble soil of restrained fertility rate with uniform moisture in a full Dominicus site . Protect taller stems from warm winds and deadhead to prolong bloom time .
Bee and coquette friendly , woolflowers are good as fresh cut or dried flowers . Most in effect when bulk planted , add them to layer , borders , container , and edgings .
True Leaf Market has several specie of genus Celosia to choose from .
Read more about grow woolflowers / genus Celosia here .
The Late Summer Solution
Annuals are perfect as bedding industrial plant , giving redolent semblance and form to any planting area , and they ’re the ideal solution to filling in tired or lifeless spots in the late summertime garden .
Whether you need them for full sun locations , suspicious spots , dry areas , or wet soils , there ’s an yearbook on our list to get together your needs for former summer colouring .
And be sure to check out some of our other late summer and fall planting guides to get the most out of the season ! These will be of pastime :
© necessitate the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more item . earlier published August 9th , 2019 . Last update July 17th , 2023 . Uncredited photo : Shutterstock .
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Lorna Kring
