Looking to add vibrant colour and structure to your planting schemes this September? Late-flowering shrubs are a fantastic way to extend seasonal interest, support pollinators, and add year-round appeal to gardens and landscapes. From long-blooming classics like Abelia and Fuchsia to pollinator favourites like Buddleia and Caryopteris, our carefully curated selection includes reliable performers ideal for autumn planting while the soil is still warm. Explore some of our top shrub picks below — all available in a range of sizes to suit your project needs.
Abelia is a semi-evergreen shrub with a long flowering season, offering delicate bell-shaped flowers from summer into autumn. Varieties like ‘Kaleidoscope’ feature striking variegated foliage that shifts in colour as the seasons change, adding interest even when not in bloom. It’s compact, reliable, and ideal for sunny borders or containers.
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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Beloved by pollinators, Buddleia produces long, fragrant flower spikes from midsummer to early autumn. It thrives in full sun and brings height and colour to wildlife-friendly gardens. Varieties range from compact to towering, with blooms in purple, white, pink, and even yellow.
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 late-summer gem, Caryopteris adds bold colour when many other shrubs are winding down. Its aromatic foliage and nectar-rich flowers attract bees and butterflies, making it perfect for sunny, sheltered spots. Compact in form, it’s well-suited for borders and mixed planting schemes.
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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Fuchsias are valued for their profuse, pendulous blooms and long flowering season. These versatile shrubs perform well in both sun and partial shade, bringing vibrant pink, purple, or red flowers to borders or pots. Hardy types like ‘Mrs Popple’ also offer good resilience through cooler months.
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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Hebes are compact, evergreen shrubs with tidy foliage and soft flower spikes that bloom into autumn. Their tidy shape and evergreen presence make them great for structure, while their flowers feed late-season pollinators. Ideal for borders, rockeries, or modern planting schemes.
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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Hydrangeas are bold and dramatic with large flower heads in white, pink, or lime-green depending on variety. They prefer fertile, moist soil and offer great value from summer into early autumn. From climbing forms like petiolaris to bushy varieties like ‘Annabelle’, there’s a Hydrangea for every space.
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, Hypericum offers bright yellow flowers from early summer into autumn, often followed by colourful berries. Compact and reliable, it’s ideal for mass planting, hedging, or informal borders, and adds seasonal flair late into the year.
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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Lavatera, or tree mallow, produces hibiscus-like flowers in shades of pink and white, flowering non-stop through summer and into September. Its airy, upright habit makes it great for filling gaps in sunny borders, especially in cottage or coastal-style gardens.
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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Lavender is a classic shrub for sunny spots, prized for its fragrant purple blooms and grey-green foliage. Flowering from June to early autumn, it’s a pollinator magnet and works beautifully in borders, edging, or pots. Drought-tolerant once established, and great for low-maintenance 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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Potentillas are hardy, low-growing shrubs that flower for months — from May well into October. Their cheerful, simple flowers come in red, yellow, pink, and white, brightening up borders and groundcover areas. Easy to care for, they’re ideal for mass planting or informal schemes.
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)
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Shrub roses offer all the charm of traditional roses with a more relaxed, bushy habit. Blooming from mid-summer into autumn, they’re great for adding fragrance and romance to beds or hedges. Varieties like ‘Rosa Kent’ provide compact form and long-lasting flowers.
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)
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Also known as periwinkle, Vinca is a trailing groundcover shrub that produces star-shaped flowers from spring through early autumn. Its dense foliage helps suppress weeds, making it great for underplanting or covering awkward shady corners.
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 24th Aug 9:43am
