I must confess that I am already counting the days until fall. But my late summer garden is always beautiful. Years ago I discovered the American Beautyberry. I first learned about this interesting plant when Neal and I were seated at a lovely table in a café where a small branch of the shrub was in a small vase. The gorgeous purple cluster of berries intrigued me. I could hardly eat my lunch before inquiring about the identity of this lovely cutting.
I soon learned that the delicate branch was from an American Beautyberry. The shrub grows green all summer, and when autumn is approaching, a gorgeous show of bright purple berries appears. I planted one right outside the door of my potting shed, and I cannot wait to see those violet hues emerge!
Another one of my favorite late-blooming flowers is a Spider Lily. It amazes me that the bloom shoots out of the ground and afterward the foliage comes up. My mom had these in her garden, and I always adored them. I have planted several in my garden, and last year one bloomed. So this year I planted more, realizing the squirrels had Spider Lily dinner one evening. This flower should be called the “surprise lily” as it seems to appear out of nowhere.
The lingering heat of August and September bring wonderful colors to my garden.
What is your favorite late-summer flower?