The heat’s gone, mostly – cooler evenings and shorter days. Yellows predominate in gardens with Rudbeckias and their cousins. But the best blooms for this transition include pinks, purples, blues and waving grass plumes.
Angelica gigas Giant angelica. One of our very most favorites with its deep purple-magenta umbels and purple stems.
Angelica sylvestris Wild angelica. Mauve to dusty pink umbels with purple stems.
Buddleja davidii Butterfly bush. Fragrant, arching, lilac spikes bring on the butterflies.
Gentiana dahurica Siberian gentian. An easy grow Gentian with deep true blue trumpets and white throats.
Lobelica siphilitica Blue cardinal flower. Reliable, easy to grow, blue spikes.
Pennisetum orientale Fountain grass. White plumes wave in the wind.