By late summer, gardens can start to look a little tired. Spring-planted annuals may be past their peak, a few perennials have finished blooming, and containers that looked spectacular in June might be ready for a refresh. Fortunately, there's still plenty of time to bring fresh color back to your garden with colorful annuals.
Give Tired Containers a Refresh
You don't necessarily need to start over. Take a look at your existing containers and remove any plants that have become overgrown, faded, or stressed by the summer heat. Keep anything that's still looking good, then fill the open spaces with fresh annuals.
Even replacing one or two plants can completely transform a container. Look for annuals with plenty of buds and combine different flower colors, foliage textures, and plant heights to give your pots a fresh new look.
Window boxes, hanging baskets, and containers around patios and entryways are especially easy places to make a quick late-season update. If you're looking for ideas, check out our Container Gardening guide for tips on choosing plants and putting together a successful combination.
Fill Gaps in the Garden
Late-season annuals aren't just for containers. They're also an easy way to fill bare spots in garden beds where earlier-blooming plants have finished for the year.
Tucking a few colorful annuals between shrubs and perennials can instantly brighten the landscape without making major changes to your garden. They're also useful around walkways, mailboxes, entrances, and other areas where you want an extra splash of color.
If you're adding new annuals to your garden beds, our How to Plant Annuals guide has helpful tips for planting, watering, and getting them established.
Enjoy Color Well Into Fall
Late summer still offers plenty of growing time. With regular watering, occasional feeding, and the removal of spent flowers, many annuals will continue putting on a show for weeks.
As temperatures gradually cool, conditions can become especially pleasant for both gardeners and plants. Keep an eye on watering needs - particularly for containers - since warm, sunny days can still dry them out quickly.
Annuals are heavy bloomers, so a little extra nutrition can also help keep them looking their best. Learn more in our guide to Fertilizing Your Annuals.
Make the Most of the Season
There's no reason to give up on summer color just because fall is approaching. A few fresh annuals can revive a tired container, fill an empty spot in the garden, or simply give your outdoor spaces a new look for the weeks ahead.
Browse our selection of annuals online or stop by Estabrook's to find colorful options for a late-season refresh and enjoy every last bit of the growing season.