One of the key guiding principles for our Dig Instant Beds, and indeed the Bespoke Designs we produce in our Dig Studio, is ensuring that Dig gardens provide colour and interest all year round. This might mean structural interest, and it could also mean textures and subtler colours, from foliage and berries (especially in the colder months) but the most important element is, of course, beautiful blooms. As we approach late summer, it might feel like a lot of blooms are coming to an end and beginning to die back but there are plenty of colourful garden heroes that come into their own at this time of year. Here are a few summer stalwarts to introduce into your garden for late season colour, and which of our themes they each work nicely with.
Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterflies’
A beautiful plant for mid-level airy height and great for pollinators, Gaura lindheimeri (we like the ‘Whirling Butterflies’ variety) is a brilliant addition to any Mediterranean or Classic-look garden. It’s a mainstay in our Mediterranean theme and occasionally makes an appearance in others and why we like it so much is because of its flower-producing power. Gaura will chuck out flower after flower after flower through the summer months, giving you a glimmering white flutter of blooms from knee to waist height.
Flowers: Summer through to autumn
Works best with: The Mediterranean and The Classic
Kniphofia or ‘Red Hot Pokers’
Kniphofia, with its iconic red, orange and yellow flowers resembling fiery brands after which they get their colloquial name, is a superb late summer flower for any brightly coloured, exotic garden. We use Kniphofia in our vibrant and joyful theme The Adventure, which we’ve designed specifically for children and the young at heart. These eye-catching blooms will bring vivacity and life to any outdoor but work particularly well lively colour schemes. We love them because they are really easy to look after and flower, wait for it, from March to November!
Flowers: March to November
Works best with: The Adventure, and The Jungle if you’re feeling particularly colourful
Agastache
Beautifully scented with aromatic aniseed notes, Agastache is a late summer hero for Cottage themed gardens. It works beautifully alongside Dahlias and grasses, and although originally a N. American plant, blends beautifully with many native plants to give sweltering latter-season Cottage gardens a spark of colour. It’s also beloved by pollinators. So, from the scent, to the gentle purple tones, to the bee-magnet flowers, Agastache is our pick for any garden looking to bring a traditional, colourful countryside look to their garden from late summer through to autumn.
Flowers: Summer and Autumn
Works best with: The Cottage
Hydrangea ‘Little Lime’
This slightly more dwarven variety of Hydrangea nonetheless packs a bunch when it comes to late season blooms. The bright lime coloured flowers are reminiscent of its bigger relative ‘Limelight’ (a good option for gardens with a bit more space) and will produce rounds of flowers through the summer. Hydrangeas are perennials and so will die back in the autumn but another beautiful advantage to this plant is that the blooms will, with the right conditions, dry beautifully and can be presented in vases for winter interest – or indeed left on the plant for nesting insectlife. It works well in the ground but also does nicely in big pots so very easy to introduce to your outdoor space, even if you don’t have an obvious gap. With its bright green leaves and darker foliage, the verdant appeal of this plant works superbly with The Classic.
Flowers: August and September
Works best with: The Classic
Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’
Coming in at about 70cm tall, Echinacea are a beautiful mid-height option for a subtler garden. The ‘White Swan’ variety has delicate white petals with a blended green and yellow centre. The white petals provide a pop of light during the day and can also give gardens an evening glimmer too. With their delicate nature, and their natural clump-forming growth that slowly builds, they are a great plant to introduce if you want to increase your crop over time as they will benefit from being divided every few years. Alongside the soft grasses, delicate ferns and other white and lighter coloured flowering plants, this gentle option works perfectly with our theme The Nordic.
Flowers: Summer through to autumn
Works best with: The Nordic, and also goes nicely with The Classic too
Rudbeckia
Another member of the plant family that includes the Echinacea above, Rudbeckia are a much bolder, brighter version and one that guaranteeably brings late summer colour to a vibrant, lively outdoor space. Rudbeckia will chuck flowers out throughout the late summer and autumn. Their eye-catching yellow petals and dark brown almost black centre are a true showstopper and, once the flowering has finished, they also provide beautiful structural interest through the winter – not to mention a habitat for insects and birds. With the rich yellow tones, and plenty of varieties to choose from to give you varying heights, Rudbeckia are extremely reliable at this time of year. As for the theme… bright pops of colour such as these are core tenets of our themes The Jungle and The Adventure.
Flowers: Summer through to autumn
Works best with: The Jungle and The Adventure
