As the summer days start to wind down, your garden is likely bursting with color, texture, and activity in August. While you may be busy watering, deadheading, and admiring the blooms, it’s never too early to start planning for next year’s displays. By taking proactive steps this month, you can set the stage for a spectacular garden in the coming seasons.
One way to enhance your garden for next year is by sowing hardy annuals and biennials in August. These plants will provide earlier displays of blooms next spring, extending the flowering season and filling your garden with vibrant colors for many months. Here are seven flowers that you can plant this month to kickstart your garden transformation:
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Antirrhinum (Snapdragon): Antirrhinums, also known as snapdragons, are hardy annuals that can withstand winter cold. Sow seeds indoors late in August for strong plants that will bloom in May. With a wide range of colors available, these cottage garden favorites will add a touch of whimsy to your garden.
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Larkspur: Larkspur produces tall flowering stems in shades of blue, pink, white, and red, attracting bees with their nectar-rich blooms. Sow seeds outdoors in late August, ensuring a period of cold stratification for optimal growth. These cottage garden darlings will add elegance and charm to your flower beds.
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Nigella: Nigella, also known as Love-in-a-Mist, is a fast-growing annual that will happily reseed around your garden. Sow seeds directly into the soil in August for blooms starting in May next year. With shades of red, white, and blue, these delicate flowers will add a touch of whimsy to your garden.
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Lunaria (Honesty): Lunaria, a very hardy biennial plant, can be established from a sowing in August to flower in the following spring and summer. With white or purple flowers and fabulous seedheads, this plant will continue to impress even after flowering.
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Queen Anne’s Lace: Also known as wild carrot, Queen Anne’s Lace is a biennial plant that can be grown like a hardy annual. Sow seeds in August for blooms in the following spring, adding a touch of wild beauty to your garden.
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Ammi majus (Bishop’s Flower): Known for its lace-like white flowers, Ammi majus is a hardy annual perfect for white garden ideas. Sow seeds in late August for bigger and stronger flowers than those sown in spring, adding a touch of elegance to your garden.
- Calendula: An easy-to-grow annual flower, calendula can provide late summer blooms from an early summer sowing and flowers for spring from a late summer sowing. Sow seeds in late August for bright, low-maintenance blooms from May to July.
In addition to flowers, you can also sow vegetables in August to enjoy delicious homegrown produce throughout fall and winter. Whether you choose fast-growing vegetables like lettuce or cabbages for winter crops, August is the perfect time to start planning for a bountiful garden in the coming seasons.
By taking the time to sow these hardy annuals and biennials in August, you can set the stage for a garden filled with early blooms and vibrant colors next spring. Start planning now to ensure a stunning display that will delight both you and your garden visitors for months to come.