Some of the Best Late Summer Flowers
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Many of the best late summer flowers are available for planting, but I don’t have many of them planted in my patio garden at this time.
What I have blooming right now are the wild morning glories that are likely weeds that come up all over the place.
I also have the flowers of the allium plant and some of the zinnias I planted from seed. Unfortunately, some of the zinnias have already turned brown and withered away.
Butterflies and bees love the zinnias as much as I do. I’ve also seen hummingbirds out there feasting on them.
If there’s an easier flower to grow than zinnias, I’d like to know what it is. Zinnias are annuals, meaning they go from seed to flower to seed quickly.
Zinnias are native to Mexico and Central America. Because of their colorful flowers, the Aztecs originally called them “plants that are hard on the eyes.”
These hardy flowers have performed best in my patio container garden.
The insects love the allium flowers as well. Above is a bee enjoying itself.
Allium is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants with hundreds of species. These include the cultivated onion, garlic, scallion, shallot, and leek.
Here is what some of my zinnias look like now. They have dried in the sun and turned brown. Still, they are kind of pretty, I think, even in this dried-out state.
This light purple petunia gets more shade than the others, so it is doing better in blooming because the heat hasn’t gotten to it.
And I still have some petunias left. I planted three colors of petunias in the spring. The ones you see above have endured the best and longest.
Petunia is a genus of about 35 species of flowering plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) native to South America.
19 Summer Perennials:
- Anise Hyssop
- Autumn Joy Stonecrop
- Balloon Flower
- Bee Balm
- Black-Eyed Susan
- Blue Cardinal Flower
- Chrysanthemum
- Dahlia
- Echinacea
- Helenium
- Japanese Anemone
- Joe-Pye Weed
- New England Aster
- Asian Lily
- Pincushion Flower
- Red Valerian
- Shasta Daisy
- Showy Goldenrod
- True Blue Gentian
15 of the Best Annuals for Late Summer:
- African Marigold
- Ageratum
- Clary Sage
- Cleome
- Coleus
- Cosmos
- Impatiens
- Jasmine Tobacco
- Mealycup Sage
- Million Bells
- Moss Rose
- Plains Coreopsis
- Petunia
- Rocktrumpet
- Woolflowers
Morning glories are one of September’s birth flowers. The other flower is the aster.
For the last two years, I’ve planted quite a few zinnia and morning glory seeds. I think my morning glory flowers are from a weed family, but at least they are colorful.
Due to the awful heat, I have not seen any of the morning glory seeds I planted bloom. They still have leaves, so I’m hoping I may see different flower colors in September.
We just planted allium in the ground for the first time – it is so hearty and beautiful, that we’re going to plant a bunch more next year. And, the deer don’t eat it! My petunias were the first to expire this year – I blame it on a very rainy summer. The ones under a roof are still blooming. Zinnias remind me of my grandmother – she used to plant them in our backyard. You’ve convinced me to try them next summer!
I don’t put petunias in full sun.
WOW!!! This post is FULL of information. I’ll be referring back to it for a very long time. Thank you for collecting all of these links.
The 2 photos above, the one with the bee the other with the butterfly, are spectacular!
I aim to please.
Brenda:
I gave up on Morning Glories. Although pretty, they re-seed something fierce. For the past three years, I have planted Hyacinth Bean Vine. The hummers and butterflies love it and it is easy come late fall/winter to pick the seeds and replant the next year.
Ann Reynolds
I love hyacinth bean vine too. Watch dogs around it as it is toxic.
Beautiful photography!
Thank you!
The first picture with the butterfly is fabulous. Even one of my trees has struggled this year in the heat. I can’t wait for fall temps.
I lost my butterfly tree to winter as well as my rose. My Japanese maple in the pot is not looking so good, even though it’s in partial shade.
These are such beautiful photos, Brenda. Love each and every one. And the faded zinnia is lovely.
Mary
The faded brown zinnia reminded me of faux fall foliage in the stores.
The best flowers are always the ones that attract butterflies and bees. I think the dried Zinnia is pretty and looks fallish. Have a great week.
I thought the same thing, Kris. It looks fallish.
Lovely photos. You have a real talent for photography.
Thank you! I love photography. And I think what you truly love is usually what you’re good at.