August wedding

17 years ago

I have a friend who's son is getting married in August. They are having the wedding in her backyard and I have been giving her some of my extra plants. As I look around my beds and look back at my pics from last year...I'm trying to find plants that will have some bloom color in August. So far I know that some of my malvas and hibs should have flowers along with a few salvias....and dwarf cannas....lantana?? My Aug pics are few and far between...guess cause it's sooooo hot....lol. Anyone out there have any ideas?? and hopefully I'll have some to share from my gardens?? I gave her a water feature and letting her use my firefly lights but she would like to have a splash of color to liven up the backyard.

Thanks

Evelyn

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Comments (9)

lynnencfan
17 years ago
I got married last summer on July 9th in my backyard and was afraid of the 'color' factor. I started over 80 containers of all different kinds of caladiums and figured if there were no flowers at least the caladium leaves would have color. We did have pretty color but the caladiums really pulled everything together. The guest had their choice of what caladiums they wanted to take home with them.

As for August - definitely lantana. Cosmos, zinnias, vinca, any of the annuals will be in full bloom. Have her do several containers and keep them in a more shady spot and then use them to fill in bare spots in the landscape. As for perennials - the blackeyes susans, rudbeckias, salvias, hibiscus will all be in bloom then....

Lynne
rootdiggernc
17 years ago
Hi Ev!
Sounds like a good excuse for a BB trip!

I love the caldium idea! How about some sun coleus? Also dahlias, glads (stagger the plantings), asters, obediant plant, homestead verbena, geraniums, osteopernum, painted daisy, lobelia, garden phlox, some of the toadlilies bloom in late August.... lamium, doesn't bloom when it's that hot, but the variegated foliage is nice if she has a shady area.

Maybe some fast growing climbing vines like thunbergia (black eyed susan vine), cardinal vine, cypress vine, hyacinth bean, sweet potato vine . The thunbergia will cover any structure you give it.

One of the most beautiful weddings I've ever seen used nothing but huge ferns, but I love all the color for an outdoor wedding.

I grow moonflowers and cardinal vine together. The cardinal vine was open during the day and as it closed in the evening the moonflowers would be opening. Made for a nice mix. A nice bonus were the visits from the hummers during the day and the hummingbird moths in the evening.
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Timing on these things is always an issue - too early and many annuals will have bloomed out and gotten lanky by August. Having done a number of wedding containers projects (including a few fast jobs only a week before the big day!), I'd recommend you wait a bit before planting, like around Mother's Day. This will give you time to start from seed if you wish or wait and get starts at the nursery. As to plants to include, you want to consider how they will fill in and and how long they will bloom. And you want a range of heights and textures, just as you would in any seasonal container planting. Million Bells (Calibrachoa) are very long bloomers, are self cleaning(don't need to be deadheaded) and come in a range of colors, including various shades of pink - they'd make a great filler plant. You might want to include cosmos, another very reliable annual, but stick to the compact forms - many will get too tall for your purposes. Geraniums are always good and will bloom until frost. And consider other colors besides pink - white is a great accent or pale blue or even a more intense magenta pink. Lobelia, salvia and petunias will all be in this color palatte and also offer a long period of bloom. And don't forget foliage effects - maybe coleus or creeping charlie or variegated ivy to trail over and soften the edge. If you get them now and pot them up in gallon containers, Stargazer or Casa Blanca lilies will typically bloom in August and will add fragrance and dramatic impact to your containers - just slip the lily, pot and all, into the center of your container and plant the fluffy stuff around them. And I recommend overplanting a bit to make sure your containers are full and lush - nothing looks worse than a stingy presentation. Use a quality, well draining potting soil, add some slow release fertilizer (osmocote) when you are potting and use a dilute liquid fertilizer frequently during the season. And keep up with the watering and grooming so they look their best for the big event. I've found that keeping these containers in only part sun will allow them to develop well and fill in fully without blooming too early. Then several weeks before the wedding, move them to where they receive full sun to prompt a full flush of bloom.
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nancyofnc
17 years ago
I got married the end of a summer on my hilly acre of grass (really just mowed weeds). Knowing the house would be on the market to sell quite soon after, I did not want to spend any more than I had to to make it festive and I had already potted up the "good stuff" which was at our new place - leaving huge gaps in the landscape. I bought a dozen seed packets each of zinnias, cosmos, strawflowers, forget-me-nots, and marigolds - the common ordinary old-fashioned but dependable flowers. Sown in the veggie garden in June, I transplanted them out as soon as they started budding with flowers and seeded around them with baby's breath and sweet alyssum. Under the trees and around the greens of iris and low shrubs already in place, there were bursts of color everywhere. Everyone commented on how romantic it was. So, it is not neccessary to spend a fortune on flowers for a special event - just a little planning, diligent watering, plus a day for transplanting. The same thing could be done using pots or flats set out on the lawn or driveway if you don't have garden space to sow the seeds. To our advantage also was that the house sold in 4 days - because the vibrant colors caught the eye of the buyers who remembered the house because of the flowers.

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Lavoie Boho
17 years ago
The above reply sounded just perfect! I'd say do exactly what she did and you'd be all set. Now, that was one savy lady gardener. I keep a garden journal of dates each time another flower blooms. According to last year's flowers for August: hardy Begonia, hardy Hibiscus, purple Hyacinth Bean, Moon Vine, Morning Glory 'Heavenly Blue', Turtlehead. Most of July's flowers were still in bloom: Tithonia/Mexican Sunflower 'Torch', Datura, Oriental Lily, Sunflower 'Mammoth', white Yarrow, Crocosmia, Nicotiana Langsdorfii, Texas Star Hibiscus, Mint, blue Corn Flower, Cockscomb, Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate. Robin in zone 7 NC. Do you want flowers for full sun, shade or both?
efine50
Original Author
17 years ago
Robin
I have quite a few of the plants you listed. Her backyard is mainly full sun with a few shady spots.
Thank you for that great list of plants!
byrdlady
17 years ago
For August I get a lot of color from my tall phlox and butterfly bushes as a back drop.
alicia7b
17 years ago
Salvias are dependable in August -- especially Brazilian Blue Sage and (the usually annual but worth it) Salvia "Purple Majesty". Formosa lily (looks like a tall Easter lily, very fragrant) blooms in August too.
rootdiggernc
17 years ago
Ev, if you need some hardy begonia I already have some of it dug. It was meant for a swap I'm not going to be able to make it to.
efine50
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you for the offer of hardy begonia.
Did you get my direct email?

August wedding

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lynnencfan

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August wedding

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lynnencfan

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Lavoie Boho

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