Long-lived colour
Q Can you recommend anything good to plant to get summer colour from May to September? A Herbaceous perennials are the best plants for summer colour, many will flower over long periods and will do so over for years. It’s best to use a variety of different perennials to give you a long and colourful summer season. Many geraniums start to flower in late spring until autumn. Salvia and nepeta will also flower over a long period and attract butterflies and bees. As will the Buddlejas, particularly Buddleja davidii and its many colour forms and cultivars. By pruning them in stages, say a third at a time, you can prolong their flowering up to three months. Finally, Rudbeckia ‘Goldstrum’ will light up an area until October.