Late Summer Color

As summer transitions into fall, we usually rely on mums and asters to give us color as the growing season wanes. But some other reliable bloomers are our native Culver’s Root, which has the botanical name Veronicastrum Virginicum and a good variety is ‘Fascination’. It is a tall plant, 36-48 inches high and 15 to 24 inches wide, so you need space for it and full sun and well- drained soil. However, it is easy care and does not need to be staked. It is hardy zones 3-9. Hyssops also bloom late, and there are pretty blue flowering ones as well as the lovely sunset hyssop with reddish pink blossoms, hardy zones 5-9, also native to the US. A low growing plant, plumbago, also provides beautiful blue flowers and then red foliage at the finale of the growing season. Let it creep along your driveway or spill over a wall and it will make you happy each fall. Japanese anemones are useful too, although the deer sometimes eat some of mine. I love their pink or pure white flowers on tall wiry stems, and they spread well. If you need an edging plant that blooms late, liriope is useful and produces either blue or white flower spires above strap-like leaves. Cut this plant to the ground with a weed eater either late winter or early spring and fresh leaves will return to charm you.