We love our summers here in the Carmel, Indiana area. All we want to do is get outside and soak up the fleeting sunny weather! If we’re really going to make the most of it, we better do it in style. That means filling our backyards with vibrant flowers, plants, and garden accessories! Here are our favorite garden ideas for extending your summer as long as possible.
Flowers for Late Season Color
Mums – A late-season classic. The enchanting petals on these bright flowers are wildly popular as cut flowers or as part of a container garden design. Grow a bouquet in a sunny location and water whenever the top layer of soil dries out. Many mum varieties are hardy to Zone 5, so when the frost does eventually show up, you’ll see them again soon enough.
Coneflower – Coneflower cultivars are derived from a flower native to the Midwest, but today’s neon shades are out of this world! Try the Salsas Red or Adobe Orange varieties, for glowing sunset colored blossoms that butterflies love. Or, try PowWow Wild Berry, with its shocking fuchsia petals and vibrant orange cones.
Pinks (Dianthus) – If you like a flower with options, look no further than pinks. Despite their name, they come in just about every color under the sun. Newer varieties are profuse bloomers, with many that don’t quit blooming until October! They do tend to prefer a sunny location in well-drained, alkaline soil.
Bright and Brilliant Foliage Plants
A well-balanced garden design should incorporate foliage plants as well as flowers. However, that doesn’t mean sticking to shades of green! These foliage plants can add more dimension to your landscape with their wild and wacky colors.
Heuchera (Coral Bells) – While heuchera are technically flowering perennials, but it’s all about the foliage with these plants. The shades they come in are playful and unexpected, like the rich purple of ‘Wildberry’ or the rose gold fronds of ‘Georgia Peach’. They’re a much more colorful alternative to classic hostas!
Purple Fountain Grass – The name really says it all. It’s purple, it’s an ornamental grass, and it grows in a mounding habit that weeps downward in the shape of a fountain. In August, it erupts with fluffy-looking flower plumes that add spectacular texture to your landscape.
Colorful Garden Accessories
Add even more cheer to your late-summer garden with a little outdoor decor! These garden ideas will brighten up your yard while attracting looks, smiles, and even a few friendly pollinators.
Wind Spinners – With kaleidoscopic color combined with wind-powered movement, wind spinners make a hypnotic focal point to watch as you relax on a lounger.
Statuary Accents – Statues are a great way to express your personality in your garden. For added color, look for some fun hand-painted renderings of exotic birds.
Water Bowls – This trendy water feature is a nifty new way to incorporate water into your landscape. A large sculpted bowl acts as a garden pond or water garden, perfect for adding dreamy water lilies or surrounding with flowers. Available in an endless range of styles and materials, water bowls can add a big punch of color to your outdoor space.
Solar Fountains – Turn a water bowl or birdbath into a fountain with these handy portable devices. With a solar-powered pump, the device creates movement in the water — attracting birds and deterring mosquitoes.
While we might already be halfway through summer, it’s not over yet! Adding the right plants and garden accents will keep the summer vibes going until you’re ready to greet the fall. For the yard of your dreams, it’s time to call on the professionals at GreenLawn by Design. Our expert landscapers are ready to work miracles on your lawn. Locally and Family Owned by 20 Year Veteran! Contact us at 317-804-8088 or https://greenlawndesign.com/contact-us/.
