Must-Have Plants That Will Be Twice the Price Come Spring – Add Them to Your Yard Now and Save Yourself a Fortune

Once summer’s peak is over, the price of plants plummets and there are some great deals to be had. You see, most folk simply don’t want to buy summer bloomers once they’re done blooming, because of the long wait till next year to be rewarded for their outlay. Consequently, nurseries are stuck with lots of pots to overwinter, so many slash prices to clear them out.

Add in some extra Labor Day plant deals, and we're talking big savings. And you, dear gardener, have the patience to capitalize on this summer-bloom bonanza. Buy these perennial plants and shrubs now and you’ll not only save a heap of money in your yard but getting them into the ground in late summer or early fall means they’ll grow bigger and better. Planting summer bloomers at this time of the year brings a magical combination of warm soil and regular moisture, and plants will use their energy to grow a supportive root system rather than flowers. By the time they’re ready to flower next year, they’ll be far stronger plants than if you had planted them in spring, so are better able to deal with heat- and drought-stress.

Just choose perennial plants that are cold-hardy for your zone, get them into the ground as soon as possible, and keep them watered through fall if it doesn’t rain. To give them a little extra insulation over winter, it’s a smart move to lay a duvet of mulch over the soil, using homemade compost or an organic mulch such as Back to the Roots Premium Mulch, available from Amazon. As a gardening editor for over a decade, I think all these plants are a must for every garden on account of their easy-going nature, beautiful flowers, foliage or fruit, and reliable performance year after year.

1. Lavender Phenomenal

If you want to save money on plants, start your journey right here. An exceptionally tough lavender, Lavandula ‘Phenomenal’ thrives harsh winters and hot or humid summers alike in zones 5 to 9, and brings vibrant violet-blue flowers atop a neat, rounded evergreen mound of silver-green foliage. Though it’s a lavender hybrid, which usually have a sharper, more camphorous scent than true lavender, its fragrance is beautifully sweet and can be harvested to dry. Phenomenal also blooms for significantly longer than standard English lavenders, often throwing out a repeat flush of flowers in fall.

2. Jolly Good Clematis

If ever I’m stuck for a present for a friend, whether they’re a gardener or not, I buy them a Jolly Good clematis. It’s one of the most easy-going clematis vines to grow, and is a hybrid of the already incredibly dependable Clematis ‘Jackmanii’. With lavender blooms from June to September, it’s happy in a pot or the ground in zones 4 to 9 and happily scrambles up a fence, trellis or post. It only grows to 6-7 feet high and 2-3 feet wide, though, so stays a tidy size. It’s a Group 3 clematis which means it's super-easy to prune – it blooms on new wood so you simply chop all the stems to around 2 feet from the ground in early spring, and let it scramble off all over again.

3. Kansas Peony

A gold medal winner from the American Peony Society, Paeonia lactiflora ‘Kansas’ is a peach of a peony. It boasts globe-shaped buds which open into ruffles of carmine-red petals that don’t fade, its stems are extremely strong and its scent is simply dreamy, drawing in bees and butterflies from all around. Flowering in mid to late spring, this perfect peony kickstarts your garden year, then the glossy dark green foliage remains a good foil for other blooms. Kansas peony can live up to 50 years in zones 3 to 8 so consider it a fabulous investment!

4. Star Jasmine

Is there a plant with a more divine fragrance than star jasmine? I don’t think so. Trachelospermum jasminoides, also known as confederate jasmine, is a versatile vine that thrives in sun and shade and its tiny white pinwheel flowers can fill a whole yard with their sweet, honey-like scent in late spring and summer. What’s more, star jasmine’s blooms open in the early evening and release the strongest fragrance just at the point of the day when you should be relaxing on your patio with a sundowner! Hardy in zones 8 to 11, its glossy green leaves are evergreen so the plant looks good year-round.

5. PowWow Echinacea

Because they’re such reliable, abundant bloomers, PowWow coneflowers can command a high pricetag. So if you're wondering what to plant in September, deals on these reliable bloomers shouldn't be missed. PowWow is a compact, award-winning series bred from the native Echinacea purpurea, retaining their resilient nature but with more branching for lots more flowers and sturdier, shorter stems that don’t need staking. Requiring no deadheading, drought-resistant once established and growing well in zones 3 through 9, these no-fuss flowers are a must-have for any sunny border.

6. Meyer Lemon Tree

Does every garden deserve a lemon tree? If you’ve got room to overwinter it indoors then the answer is a resounding yes. Citrus x meyeri ‘Improved’, more commonly called the Meyer lemon tree, is a cross between a tart lemon and a sweet orange, producing fruit that’s delightful in desserts and juices. You won’t have to wait long, either, as it’s quick to bear fruit in 1-2 years. Grow this pretty lemon tree outdoors year-round in zones 9-11 and overwinter it indoors in zones 3-8.

7. East Friesland Salvia

Salvia nemorosa ‘Ostfriesland’ is a real favorite among landscape designers for its intensely purple flower spikes that bloom all summer long from June through September. Color-drenching is a big landscaping trend at the moment, as is using a purple palette, and East Friesland Salvia is perfect for both. Drought-tolerant and so easy to grow, this salvia is a naturally neat, compact plant growing 2 feet high and wide without flopping in zones 4 to 8. Pop it alongside a path or at the front of a border as its wrinkly leaves release a fresh herbal scent when brushed.

8. Dark Lavender Chiffon Rose of Sharon

This variety has far more impressive flowers in a richer shade than the original Lavender Chiffon rose of Sharon – and that was pretty lovely to begin with! Don’t be beguiled by the beauty of this plant because it’s one tough cookie and copes with heat, humidity, drought, clay soil and even salt-laden winds. As a Proven Winners variety, I don’t need to tell you that it’s a reliable bloomer, and pollinators appreciate this summer-long source of nectar. Start this shrub off in a patio pot to enjoy those flowers up close then transplant into the ground as it can grow to 8-12 feet tall, though is easily kept smaller by pruning.

9. Summerlong Coral Agastache

If you love to share your garden with wildlife then Agastache mexicana ‘Balsumlora’, more commonly known as Summerlong Coral Agastache is a must. Living up to its name, it brings vibrant coral colors from April or May throughout summer into September in zones 7 to 10, which in turn attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Unlike most other agastache, this variety has a tidy habit, growing in a neat mound with a dense volume of flowering stems reaching just 22 inches high. This resilient drought-tolerant perennial has foliage with a gentle, pleasant scent, too.

10. Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea

Why anyone grows azaleas other than the Encore series, I don’t know! Bred to bloom from spring, all through summer into fall, this shrub couldn’t be easier to grow and it rewards your efforts richly with beautifully vibrant flowers month and month. Growing to 4-5 feet high and 4 feet wide in zones 6 to 10, the reblooming Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea is a fabulously low-maintenance choice for a front yard.

If You Need More Planting Space…