Plant these 8 floral varieties in August for striking displays of late summer and autumn hues.
August is a great time to plant flowers for a burst of colour in your garden as the autumn leaves start to fall. Here are some fast-maturing annuals that will thrive in most USDA zones and bring vibrant hues to your beds and borders.
Cosmos are a popular choice, blooming about 50 to 60 days after sowing. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil and are suitable in zones where the first frost is later, usually blooming by September or October.
Zinnias are another excellent option, maturing in roughly 60 to 70 days. They thrive in the heat of late summer, producing vibrant flowers until the first frost. Like cosmos, zinnias grow well in full sun and well-drained soil.
Marigolds are fast bloomers and keep flowering with regular deadheading. They tolerate heat and are adaptable across many zones.
Calendula and snapdragons also provide good late-season color and are quick growers suitable for August planting.
Sunflowers planted in early August can bloom in fall, attracting pollinators. Choose quick-maturing varieties such as 'Lemon Cutie,' 'Zohar,' 'Junior Dwarf,' 'Sunrich Orange,' 'Sunrich Gold Summer' or 'Autumn Beauty.'
Stock and pansies are other good options. Stock seeds, such as Matthiola incana, come in a variety of colors and have a nice, delicate scent. Sow stock seeds in August for a bed full of gorgeous blooms in October. Pansies, on the other hand, are often planted for fall through winter in milder zones.
In cooler zones, it's often recommended to plant seedlings rather than seeds in August to ensure blooms before frost. For perennial options with fall interest, hardy mums and certain shrubs like bluebeard can also be planted in August, but they are not fast annual bloomers.
'Giant Imperial Mixed' stock seeds from Seeds4Planting, available from Amazon, provide a splash of rainbow color. The 'Orange Wonder' seeds from Walmart can be used for growing snapdragons.
Zinnia varieties like 'California Giant' can bloom well into fall with full sun and well-draining soil. Marigolds like 'Triple Treat' or 'Strawberry Blonde' can mature quickly from seed and flower in as little as 50 days from sowing.
When choosing seeds for August sowing, consider the USDA hardiness zone and soil type. Calendula plants require plenty of water and can be heavy feeders, so add compost or fertilizer to poor soil.
Don't forget pansies! Cheery pansies (Viola x wittrockiana) are another fine floral choice for seeding in August in milder and warmer climates. Plant them in an area that gets some shade and protection from the heat of summer, cultivate them in hanging baskets or containers on the patio, or use them to edge garden beds. Deadhead regularly for a sea of flowers. Browse 'Moulin Rouge', 'Raspberry Swirl' and 'Atlas Mix' pansies at Burpee.
So, get planting and enjoy a kaleidoscope of colours in your garden this fall!
Gardening in August provides an excellent opportunity to enhance your home-and-garden lifestyle with bursts of color, as autumn leaves start to fall. Cosmos, Zinnias, Marigolds, Calendula, snapdragons, Sunflowers, stock, and pansies are all suitable choices that will thrive in most USDA zones, helping you bring vibrant hues to your home-and-garden and garden, whether in beds, borders, hanging baskets, or containers on the patio.
