In need of some late-flowering shrubs for your August garden projects? Whether you’re looking to extend your borders with rich, seasonal colour or fill containers with eye-catching blooms, these standout shrubs are ideal for bringing texture, interest, and pollinator value to your garden as summer shifts into autumn. From compact, fragrant performers to bold architectural foliage, our hand-picked selection features favourites from Abelia to Vinca.
A graceful, semi-evergreen shrub with arching branches and small, fragrant tubular flowers in shades of white or pale pink. Flowering from mid-summer through to autumn, Abelia adds delicate movement and scent to borders. Its glossy leaves take on bronze or purple tints in cooler weather, offering extra seasonal interest. Ideal for mixed borders or low hedging, it also attracts bees and butterflies.
Flowers: June – October (depending on the variety)
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 1.5m (depending on the variety)
Soil: Well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 10L + (subject to availability)
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Often referred to as the butterfly bush, Buddleia is a sun-loving, fast-growing shrub with long, conical spikes of fragrant flowers in shades of purple, white, or pink. Flowering from July to September, it is a magnet for pollinators and makes an excellent choice for wildlife gardens. With both large and compact cultivars available, Buddleia suits a range of garden sizes.
Flowers: July – September
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 4m
Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 10L + (subject to availability)
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A compact, deciduous shrub that bursts into bloom in late summer with clouds of small, electric blue flowers. Also known as bluebeard, it thrives in sunny, well-drained spots and is drought-tolerant once established. Its aromatic, grey-green foliage provides a lovely contrast to late-season flowering perennials, and its blooms are loved by bees.
Flowers: July – September
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 1m
Soil: Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, (subject to availability)
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This dramatic shrub is known for its bold, rounded leaves in shades of deep purple, red, or golden green, depending on the variety. In summer, it produces wispy, smoke-like flower plumes that give it its common name, smoke bush. Cotinus brings structure, colour, and contrast to borders and looks especially striking when paired with grasses and bold perennials.
Flowers: July – August
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 5m (depending on variety)
Soil: Moderately fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 10L (subject to availability)
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Fuchsias provide continuous colour from midsummer through to the first frosts. Their pendant, two-tone flowers come in a wide range of colours, including purples, pinks, reds, and whites. Ideal for shadier borders, containers, or hanging baskets, they attract bees and can be grown as either compact shrubs or larger bushy forms depending on the variety.
Flowers: June-October
Position: Full sun or partial shade
Height: Up to 1m (depending on variety)
Soil: Fertile, moist well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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A low-growing, sun-loving evergreen that thrives in dry, well-drained soils, especially in coastal or Mediterranean-style gardens. It produces bright yellow, rock rose-like flowers in late spring to early summer. While the flowering window is relatively short, Halimium makes up for it with year-round foliage and resilience in hot, dry locations.
Flowers: June-August
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 0.5m
Soil: Well-drained soil
Pot size: 3L,10L (subject to availability)
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These evergreen shrubs range from compact cushion forms to medium-sized mounds, all featuring glossy green or variegated foliage. Hebes flower from summer into autumn with spikes of purple, pink, or white blooms. Their tidy shape and versatility make them ideal for borders, containers, and coastal gardens, and they are loved by pollinators.
Flowers: July-September (depending on the variety)
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 1m (depending on the variety)
Soil: poor or moderately fertile, moist, well-drained neutral to slightly alkaline soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 10L (subject to availability)
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Offering some of the showiest blooms in the summer garden, Hydrangeas flower from mid-summer into autumn with large heads of pink, blue, white or lime green, depending on soil type and variety. They thrive in both sun and shade and are excellent for adding volume and impact to borders or woodland-style plantings.
Flowers: June-September (depending on variety)
Position: Full sun – partial shade (depending on variety)
Height: Up to 1.5m (depending on variety)
Soil: Moist, well-drained soil, fertile soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 7.5L, 10L + (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Also known as St. John’s Wort, this adaptable shrub blooms from summer into early autumn with bright yellow, star-shaped flowers followed by ornamental berries. It performs well in a range of soils and conditions and is especially useful for groundcover or informal hedging. Its long flowering season makes it a reliable performer.
Flowers: June-October (depending on variety)
Position: Full sun – partial shade (depending on variety)
Height: Up to 1m (depending on variety)
Soil: Moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 10L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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A tall, fast-growing shrub with large, hibiscus-like flowers in shades of soft pink or white. Blooming throughout summer, Lavatera adds height and movement to borders. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil and is perfect for adding a cottage garden feel with minimal maintenance.
Flowers: June-September
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 2m
Soil: Fertile -well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Known for its aromatic silver-grey foliage and spikes of fragrant purple flowers, Lavender is a staple for sunny, well-drained gardens. Flowering in mid to late summer, it attracts bees and butterflies while also providing a useful culinary and craft herb. Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, it also works well in gravel or Mediterranean gardens.
Flowers: June-September
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 0.6m
Soil: Fertile -well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 7.5L, 10L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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These low-growing, deciduous shrubs flower from late spring right through to autumn, offering masses of simple, cheerful blooms in yellow, pink, white or red. Ideal for rockeries, front-of-border planting, or mixed shrub beds, Potentilla thrives in sun and is tolerant of poorer soils, making it an excellent fuss-free option.
Flowers: May – October
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 1m depending on the variety
Soil: moderately fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 7.5L, 10L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
With a huge variety of flower forms, fragrances, and growth habits, modern repeat-flowering roses can bloom from June until the first frosts. Shrub and groundcover types are ideal for mixed borders, while climbers and ramblers can be trained over arches and walls. Look for disease-resistant varieties for lower maintenance.
Flowers: July – September
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 1.5m depending on the variety
Soil: fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 7.5L, 10L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
A compact, deciduous shrub that provides both flower and foliage interest. Flowering from early to midsummer in white or pink clusters, many varieties also offer vibrant autumn foliage in reds and oranges. Spiraea is easy to care for, tolerates a range of soils, and is great for low hedges or mass planting.
Flowers: July – August (depending on variety)
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 2m + (depending on variety)
Soil: moderately fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 7.5L, 10L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Commonly known as periwinkle, Vinca is a low-growing, evergreen groundcover with glossy leaves and small violet, blue, or white flowers that bloom from spring through summer. It’s perfect for underplanting in tricky spots, including dry shade, and helps suppress weeds while providing a soft carpet of greenery and colour.
Flowers: April – September
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 0.45m depending on the variety
Soil: any but very dry soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Posted 1st Aug 10:55am
