Flower & plant growing guide for August

August is a great time to get planting in the garden, not only because the weather is meant to be warmer, but a lot of people spend  more time in their gardens during the summer months. There may be several reasons that people want to get planting in their gardens or their outdoor spaces, one of these is to add colour to their spaces, colour can instantly improve mood and provoke positivity.

For those with limited mobility who may require aids like stairlifts, then getting out in the garden and taking some time for yourself to enjoy your outdoor space can be a great way to improve mood and wellbeing. Keep reading to find some planting recommendations for the month of August, as well as some recommendations from avid gardeners and gardening bloggers.

Becky Groves, Nursery Manager at Groves Nurseries spoke about her recommendations for those looking to add to their gardens in August: “August is a time when many of us have a bit of time off to enjoy sitting in our gardens and maybe entertaining family and friends. So if your garden is lacking in colour, here is Groves top 5 easy plants to give your garden a colour boost in late summer (they are also great for pollinating insects too!)”

Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm’

Rudbeckia or ‘Goldstrum’ as it is also known is commonly described as the yellow daisy with its distinctive brown centre and long yellow leaves. They are ideal for planting from August to October due to their hardy nature, they are also perfect for putting between other more delicate plants as protection. They are easy to maintain and don’t require a lot of pruning or maintenance, as Becky explains: “These cheery yellow daisy-like flowers are happy growing in sun or part shade.”

Whether you have a large garden or a small balcony or outdoor space then Rudbeckia is great because they can survive in direct sunlight or in the shade, so they are suitable for all sorts of spaces.

Sedums 

Plants that are perfect for attracting bees and wildlife to your garden are Sedums. Their flat flower heads are stunning in borders along with other mature plants, The website Gardeners World explains about the flowers on their website: “Border sedums look great from spring onwards, as their fleshy green-grey foliage (purple on some varieties) is attractive in its own right. The flowerheads are green in spring, gradually taking on tinges of pink before flowering fully from August onwards. The dead flower heads are worth keeping on the plants – covered in frosts they look spectacular. You can snip them and display them for months in a vase, too.”

Becky also recommended this plant and comments on it a little further: “There are many varieties and heights to choose from, they like a sunny position and have good drought tolerance.”

Salvia Greggii

A bush shrub that is perfect for the colder months due to its hardy exterior, Salvia Greggii comes in a variety of colours and can survive through the summer months, into autumn and to the first frost. They like to fill the front and middle of garden borders due to their smaller size and bright colours.

“There are hundreds of varieties to choose from, some of our favourites being 'Hotlips', 'Neon' and 'Blue Note' and they all have an extremely long flowering period”, Becky explains.

Parahebe 'Summer Cloud’

This dainty and beautiful white flower is called Parahebe or Summer Cloud and is another flower that is perfect for the late summer months due to its small size and spiked leaves. The RHS website explains a little more about the Summer Cloud: “'Snow Clouds' is a dwarf, mat-forming, evergreen shrub producing upright sprays of small, white flowers with a pinky-purple centre in late spring and early summer and again in autumn”

The flower is perfect too as it gives off a bright colour all year round, as Becky explains; “This fantastic little shrub is long flowering and evergreen so gives colour all year round.”

Geranium Rozanne 

“It's hard to beat good old hardy geraniums but this variety is extremely long flowering and has fantastic bright blue flowers,” Becky explains.

Geranium Rozanne is the perfect flower for those looking for an easy-care shrub that still offers stunning colours and fills borders and pots to the max.

“Geranium ‘Rozanne’ bears striking deep purple flowers in contrast with mid-green foliage, for months on end. It’s perfect for using as ground cover at the front of borders. Easy to grow, Geranium ‘Rozanne’ is tolerant of most conditions except waterlogged soil. Suitable for sun or shade. Deadhead spent blooms regularly to prolong flowering.” The website at Gardeners World reports.

Mature plants 

Mature shrubs are easy to maintain bushes and plants that don’t often flower but can still make a great addition to any flower bed, this makes them great for the late summer months and into the colder months of the year. They don’t require direct sunlight so can be planted in most outdoor spaces as long as they are watered regularly.

Alexandra, blogger and gardener at the Middle Sized Garden, said: “I’d suggest buying a mature plant or two at a garden centre, in big pots and simply wedging them into a gap in the border. The foliage of the other plants will cover up the plastic sides of the pot and you’ll fill a gap without disturbing other plants. Don’t forget that plants in pots need regular watering and they’ll also need a liquid feed once every week or so, too.”

If you’re looking to get your garden sorted for the end of summer, then hopefully some of these flowers and plants have given you a few ideas for your own outdoor spaces.