Late Blooming Plants for Summer Color

By Kerry Ann Mendez

It's fair to say that by mid-August, many gardens are looking spent. Summer heat and humidity can sap even the hardiest plants and your garden just doesn't have the same vibrancy as earlier in the season.

Thankfully, there are some dazzling "late bloomers" that hit full stride in late summer. These colorful magnets not only draw the eye of appreciative gardeners, but also attract grateful pollinators. Here are a few of our favorites:

Perennials

• Japanese Anemone
• Hibiscus
• Helenium
• Daylily 'Chicago Apache'
• Ceratostigma

Flowering Shrubs

• Butterfly Bush
• Caryopteris
• Rose of Sharon

And don't worry that it is too late to plant! Fall is an ideal time to plant. Even though the air temperature is cooler, the soil remains warm for much longer, allowing roots to anchor in for the winter ahead. There is also typically more rain in fall.