The Late Summer Garden: Plants Worth Sweating For

This time of the year I usually experience a case of the garden blahs. Being out in the sticky, hot weather while watering thirsty plants can be a real pain. After the glorious bulbs of spring, the floriferous roses in May, and the colorful hydrangeas of June, it seems as though late summer has little to offer in the way of garden excitement. Many plants seem to be struggling to stay alive, and they just appear tired. One day recently I was taking a break from my garden chores and walked around my landscape to see if anything caught my eye. To my surprise, I saw some plants that were worthy of photos.

Crossvine (Bignonia 'Tangerine Beauty') is robust, but does not spread aggressively like many vines. It blooms in the spring, and then, fortunately, will often re-bloom in late summer into fall. It is easy to grow in full sun, and does not appear to be bothered by insects or diseases.

Purple Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi) is another re-blooming perennial that blooms in the spring and again in late summer. It appreciates hot weather, and is a standout trailing over rocks or stone walls. 'Homestead purple' verbena grows happily behind it.

Nothing says late summer wow like Sedums, particularly Sedum spectabile. I particularly like the variety 'Matrona', whose leaves are a little darker than those of favorite 'Autumn Joy'. I love the dark pink masses of blooms. Both make great additions to the late summer/fall garden, and are very tolerant of drought. In the background are roses, verbena, clematis, and salvia.

Crepe myrtles are the star trees of summer, and the red blooms of these in my landscape make a statement. I do not know the variety of these. When looking for crepe myrtles for your landscape, it is best to buy a named variety, rather than buying one labeled "pink" or "red" crepe myrtle. Although these are less expensive, they are more prone to getting powdery mildew than the named varieties.

Buddha seems happy being surrounded by Blue Mist Shrub. (Caryopteris x clandonensis). Also known commonly as Bluebeard, this small shrub blooms almost non-stop throughout the summer until fall. It seems to thrive in hot conditions with very little care. This shrub is a good substitute for the more commonly used butterfly bush, since it does not spread so aggressively.

Begonias, fuschias, and tropical plants are also great plants for the hottest part of the summer. Begonias are beautiful but tough, and require much less water than most people realize.They are also very easy to bring inside and overwinter. Fuschias do appreciate moisture, but thrive for me in mostly shady conditions, so constant watering is not necessary. 

So my garden stroll did reveal a number of lovely gems for the late summer garden. Including at least a few of these plants in your garden will insure that you have interest during this part of the summer, and even going into early fall. I guess I will continue to dig and sweat in the 90 degree heat after all!