Late summer is an ideal time to refresh your outdoor space with colorful and vibrant planters. As the heat begins to mellow and the evenings grow cooler, it’s the perfect opportunity to breathe new life into your garden or patio with beautiful window boxes, hanging baskets, and large planters. Whether you love the classic look of geraniums or want to try a unique heather display, late summer planters can make a stunning statement in your outdoor space. Here’s how to create some beautiful planter arrangements with my planter ideas for late summer and how to care for them as the season winds down.
Window Box: Geraniums, Lavender, Salvia, Blue Brachycome Daisies, Convolvulus Sabatius, and Pink Alyssum
One of the most eye-catching late summer displays comes from a window box filled with a combination of colorful flowers and foliage. A mix of geraniums, lavender, salvia, blue brachycome daisies, convolvulus sabatius, and pink alyssum can create a lively and vibrant planter that brightens up any windowsill.
Start by preparing your window box with high-quality potting soil that has good drainage. This mixture will help prevent root rot, which is especially important for geraniums and lavender, which prefer well-drained soil. Geraniums bring bright pops of color, while lavender adds a fragrant touch to the arrangement. Salvia, with its striking purple or blue spikes, provides vertical interest and attracts pollinators, which can keep your garden lively.
Blue brachycome daisies, also known as Swan River daisies, and convolvulus sabatius offer a softer blue tone that contrasts beautifully with the bold colors of geraniums and salvia. Pink alyssum, with its delicate, trailing blooms, adds a soft pink accent to round out the color scheme.
Make sure your window box receives plenty of sunlight. Geraniums, lavender, and salvia all thrive in full sun, which means they need at least 6 hours of sunlight each day. Water the plants deeply but allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Overwatering can cause root issues, particularly for lavender and convolvulus. Fertilize your planter every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer to keep the blooms going strong through late summer.
Hanging Basket: Pansies, Variegated Ivy, Euonymus, and Dahlias
For a hanging basket that brings late summer color to your porch or patio, try combining pansies, variegated ivy, euonymus, and dahlias. Pansies, often associated with cooler weather, can still thrive in late summer and add cheerful splashes of color to the arrangement.
Begin by filling the basket with potting soil that retains moisture but allows for adequate drainage. Pansies are known for their bright faces and come in a variety of colors, making them an easy choice for a hanging basket. They’ll continue to bloom as long as temperatures don’t rise too high.
Variegated ivy brings a lush, trailing element to the arrangement. Its green and white foliage contrasts nicely with the colorful flowers and adds texture to the basket. Euonymus provides a unique twist with its evergreen nature, making sure your hanging basket looks fresh even as summer turns into fall.
Dahlias offer bold, large blooms that draw attention to the hanging basket. Choose dwarf varieties for your basket, as they won’t grow too tall and overwhelm the other plants. Dahlias bloom best in full sun, so make sure your basket gets enough light. Like the window box, water deeply but allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. To promote continuous blooming, remove spent dahlia and pansy flowers by deadheading.
Heather Window Box
Heather, a hardy and resilient plant, makes for an excellent choice in a late summer window box. A variety of heathers can be used to create a layered, textured look that lasts well into fall. Some popular options include Calluna vulgaris (common heather) and Erica carnea (winter heath).
Start with a large window box and use a soil mix that is slightly acidic, as heathers prefer acidic conditions. You can add peat moss or pine needles to your potting mix to create the right pH balance. Heather loves full sun to partial shade, so place your window box where it will get at least four to six hours of direct sunlight per day.
Water heather regularly, especially during hot, dry spells, but be sure not to overwater, as this can lead to root rot. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between watering sessions. Heather doesn’t require much fertilization, but you can apply an acidic fertilizer once in late summer to promote healthy growth.
A heather window box brings texture, color, and low-maintenance beauty to your late summer garden, making it a perfect choice if you’re looking for a longer-lasting display.
Large Planter of Pansies
If you love the idea of a simple but striking display, a large planter filled entirely with pansies can be an excellent option. Pansies are cool-weather favorites, and as the late summer temperatures drop, they will thrive.
Start by filling your large planter with a high-quality, well-draining potting mix. Pansies come in a wide variety of colors, allowing you to create a planter that matches your aesthetic. You can plant pansies close together, but be sure to give them enough space for air circulation.
Place the planter in a spot where it will receive full sun to partial shade. Pansies need about 6 hours of sunlight each day to bloom their best. Water your planter consistently, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged. Pansies are heavy feeders, so applying a balanced fertilizer every couple of weeks will keep them blooming profusely.
Deadheading pansies regularly will encourage new blooms and keep the planter looking tidy. By removing spent flowers, you’ll prevent the plant from putting energy into seed production and instead focus on creating more flowers.
Unique Planter Full of Different Types of Heather
If you want something a little more unique for your late summer display, consider creating a large planter filled with different varieties of heather. Mixing Calluna and Erica species creates a diverse planter with varying bloom times and foliage colors.
Choose a planter that has good drainage, as heather does not like to sit in soggy soil. Use an acidic potting mix, and place the planter in a sunny spot. Heather is a tough plant that requires minimal watering once established, but during late summer, you’ll want to keep an eye on soil moisture and water when the top inch of soil feels dry.
To keep your heather planter looking its best, trim back any leggy growth in late summer. This encourages the plant to stay compact and full. Heather plants tend to thrive in slightly cooler temperatures, so as summer fades, your planter will continue to look fresh and vibrant.
Happy Gardening!
By choosing the right plants and giving them proper care, you can create stunning late summer planters that bring life and color to your outdoor space well into fall.
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