Down to Earth: Keep your garden colourful this summer

A well-planted garden should provide colour all summer long, right through August and into September, writes Cambridge designer Robert Barker

As we move into August, the last month of summer, it is easy to think that the garden has already performed its last hurrah before the colder weather comes - but this is not the case.

August is arguably when we are in our gardens the most, so there should still be lots to enjoy. This is the heyday for late-summer flowering plants and hopefully it will be warm enough to sit outside and enjoy them (I say this with trepidation after having one of the wettest years on record thus far).

That said, depending what the year has thrown at us, most gardens can look stressed by August. A well-designed garden, though, should provide interest throughout the year and certain plants - that, until now, have been working hard behind the scenes - are patiently getting ready to shine.

There are the obvious August star players, such as Rudbeckia and Echinacea, but most Astrantias also look amazing this time of year (‘Roma’, ‘Rubra’), along with Hylotelephium (Sedums to you and me), Liriope muscari, Agapanthus (africanus, ‘Albus’), Erigeron karvinskianus (delicate-looking but bombproof), Thalicatrum ‘Splendidie white’ and Verbena.

A particular favourite late-flowering summer plant of mine is Ceratostigma willmottianum ‘Forest Blue’. This is technically a shrub which has a lovely loose dome shape to it, but in August and all through September it has spectacular clusters of bright light blue flowers.

Most Hydrangeas have been flowering for a while now, but August is the last month to really enjoy them before they start to fade and turn that coppery colour (which is still lovely). I am a massive Hydrangea fan and use them in most of my gardens.

The classic Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ works well almost anywhere but ‘Limelight’ is also lovely, as well as Hydrangea quercifolia.

So, in August please don’t focus on the warm months coming to an end; step outside into your gardens with a cold drink and bask in the glory of the late-flowering summer plants.

* See robertbarkerdesign.com for more.