Aug. 6 - I often hear gardeners say their gardens are looking tired, worn, or rough as the weeks go by in August. And that's often true. In spring we tend to rush to buy plants, excited by the promise of green growth and flowers after a long winter.
But the summer heat affected the new crop. Incumbents also look tired. The flowers have given way to flower heads that lack the color and charm of spring flowers. Either way, save those seeds for next year or share them with friends and neighbors. But consider the different plants that will start appearing as the previous flowers fade.
I asked Cristina Salvador, director of operations at the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, to name which late-summer gardens visitors to the garden enjoy. He named it Gallardia puchella, otherwise known as the blanket flower. There are several varieties of Gallardia. Some are annuals, such as G. puchella, which transplant freely; others are perennials, such as G. aristata, that flower in their second year if planted from seed, but will flower in their first year if grown as a spring plant in your garden. They do well in rocky soil with a little water, and if you clean up any dead flowers, gallardias will flower well in the fall.
Salvador also mentions the Engelmann daisy, which made me happy because I planted it for the first time last year and it is now blooming in my garden. Plant Select, an organization dedicated to finding and testing the best plants for our climate and soils, is one of the most adaptable plants to grow in shallow water perennial borders or pollinator gardens in the Rocky Mountain region. You can learn more about Plant Select® at plantelect.org.
There are other late summer flowers that fall into the yellow to orange range: sunflowers, black-eyed susans (rudbeckias), sedges (Eriogonum umbellatum), and echinacea (Echinacaea), just to name a few. But there are cooler colors that will liven up your garden in late summer as well.
Blues and purples mixed with autumnal yellows and oranges make for a spectacular combination. The late David Salmon, expert on water gardening and plants for western climates, said: 'Asters should be a mainstay in the garden in late summer and autumn; they are easy to grow and are a valuable source of nectar for all kinds of native bees and butterflies. ..” He really likes the Aster laevis Bluebird. Asters range from white to pink to deep purple and are native to all over the United States. I have found that Aster laevis is a hardy plant that does not like the sudden downpours that Santa Fe brings in late summer.
There are many options that call for additional color in your garden. I recommend going to the Santa Fe Botanical Garden or the Santa Fe Native Plant Demonstration Garden. See what blooms this month and what you like. Southwest Santa Fe Nursery has an inspiring catalog and desert seed blend to fit all your needs. Our local bookstore has wonderful books on native plants.
Search, imagine, and then add new seeds or plants next year to surprise yourself when you think your garden will be ready for the year.
Experienced Gardeners: Perennial gardens in late summer
