Late-season displays

HIBISCUS SYRIACUS

Who can resist such an easygoing blast of garden colour from late summer? These hardy shrubs are simply swarmed with frilly, large pink, purple or blue blooms. Puts on foliage from June.

PLUS POINTS: When everything’s looking tired, this late performer shows itself off well. Choose from a host of doubles and singles for an easy-grow shrubby border of exotic-looking blooms.

SITING: Alkaline to neutral, well-drained, fertile soil in full sun.

PRUNING: Prune in late winter or early spring if needed. Only needed to keep it the size you want.

LAVATERA

Tree mallows – those shrubs botanically named L. maritima, L. arborea and L. clementii – are fully hardy with gorgeous, hollyhock-like flowers and need a bit of space to spread out as they grow quite quickly.

PLUS POINTS: Makes a good-sized plant in one season and flowers from midsummer to autumn. ‘Barnsley’ has lovely white-pink blooms, its offshoot ‘Barnsley Baby’ is perfect for pots. ‘Rosea’ is vivid cerise.

SITING: All soils that are well-drained in sun.

PRUNING: Cut back hard in mid-spring to 30cm from ground level, then mulch.

Blooms light up gardens as summer starts to fade

‘Barnsley Baby’ is a variety that’s ideal for pots

Hibiscus is an exotic beauty

‘Rosea’ has pink flowers that last well into September