Hard to believe, but the dog days of summer are here! My goodness, time flies when you’re having fun – and hopefully everyone has been having a lot of summertime fun!
We here at Glover Nursery never stop, and that includes planting and enjoying the flowers that also just won’t stop this time of year. There are so many to choose from, and as ever, ask a plant expert what their favorite late summer blooms are and you get a list longer than your arm! Still, we did a little survey of our team and came up with 10 End of Summer Blooms that we just can’t live without.
- Coneflower – Oh the gorgeous Coneflower, how we love this one! Botanical name Echinacea, this pretty plant serves multiple functions. It blooms throughout the summer and will keep going right through fall. Coneflower is one of the plants that pollinators can’t stay away from so if you are looking to attract bees and butterflies, this is the plant for you. It comes in a wide variety of colors and it is also known for its medicinal properties – Echinacea tea is often used to combat colds. What a powerhouse of a plant!
Coneflower
- Hibiscus – Also called Rose Mallow or Swamp Rose, Hibiscus is a great plant to add for a unique, almost tropical, texture. Though they look delicate, they can withstand cold climates and bloom year after year. One of our favorites this year is the tree form Rose of Sharon, which you can read more about here.
Hibiscus (Rose of Sharon)
- Sage – Also known as Salvia, these flowers are extremely popular for many reasons, the main one being that there are so many varieties! This popular plant comes in every color of the rainbow and blooms through the fall making it a great addition to any landscape. Sage (Salvia) comes in both annual and perennial varietals, each having their own benefits depending on your gardening goals. It is another that the butterflies love, so if that is a goal for your garden, be sure to add this amazing plant to your list.
Sage (Salvia)
- Desert Four O’Clocks – This Utah native is the plant that won’t stop, but in a very welcome way. It is a perennial, so you know it’s coming back next year. It’s native to Utah, so it does extremely well in our climate. It blooms abundantly until the cold sets in. And, once it is established, it is naturally water-wise. Plus, the blooms are a beautiful magenta color making it a great accent piece.
Desert Four O’Clocks
- Hydrangea – We have written about of these bonanza of blooms in other blogs, but they just keep blooming, and we just keep loving. Read about why Rod Glover puts them in his top 5 here.
Hydrangea
- Black-eyed Susan – This daisy-like flower is a winner year after year. The bright petals against the dark ‘eyes’ really stand out in both gardens and floral bouquets. They bloom until hard freeze hits, and they bloom abundantly. Black-eyed Susan is part of the Rudbeckia family, which has a number of varieties with different sizes and colors. This is a great addition to any yard, but as it is heat and drought tolerant, if you are seeking water-wise flowers, grab some today.
Black-eyed Susan
- Butterfly Bush – The beloved Butterfly Bush, known to some as Summer Lilac, is a gorgeous blooming shrub that we can’t get enough of! They come in blue, purple, white, pink, magenta and have a delicious fragrance that you will enjoy throughout the season. And, they are called Butterfly Bush for a reason, butterflies love them almost as much as we do! These are shrubs so will get to be a bit larger (between 4-15’ depending on the variety), which make them a great way to fill in a larger area in your yard. They do need a bit of dead-heading to keep the blooms going strong.
Black Knight Butterfly Bush
- Bluebeard – Deer resistant, drought tolerant, blooms through fall, attracts birds and butterflies, comes back year after year….what more could we ask of a plant? These fragrant flowers have light bluish/purple blooms with a unique shape that catches the eye. In addition, the foliage itself lends the plant much distinction as it can range from bluish/green to gray/silver.
Dark Knight Bluebeard
- Daylilies – Yes, we know we already shared daylilies as a favorite earlier this year (click here to read), but these gorgeous blooms capture our hearts and we had to put them on the list. There are so many day lilies out there, from reds to purple to two-toned colors. They bloom and bloom and bloom and are easy to split as they grow. They thrive in Utah soil, they come back year after year, they make great cut flowers and, well, they are just amazing flowers.
Daylily
- Tiger Eyes Sumac – Um, ok. This isn’t a flower. BUT, we are putting it on our top 10 end of summer blooms blog for a reason – it is just SO pretty! The leaves on this little tree go head-to-head against any bloom. New growth is a vibrant chartreuse which quickly changes to yellow as they grow. Combine those bright colors with the rosy-pink leaf stems and you will think you may have found a secret gardeners delight – which, you have! The branches angle upward but the lacy leaves drape down giving this plant a sweet yet dramatic presence. They get to be about 6’ at their largest so make for a great fill in a larger area. And, they are a good choice for water-wise gardens (once they are established).
Tiger Eyes Sumac
So, there they are, our top 10 picks for end of summer blooms. Narrowing this down was a Herculean task, but it makes for a great start if you are wondering what to add for some new texture, color and shape this time of year. But, if none of them tickle your fancy, come on down and see us. We will be delighted to show you the dozens and dozens of plants that are on our back up list! As you know, we love talking about our favorites and love sharing them even more.
We still have an amazing selection and will keep our beautiful 10-acres filled to the brim, so you can keep your garden growing all season long.
