9 Flowers That Thrive on a Little Neglect in August – and Bloom Better for It
Discover these low-maintenance plants that continue to flower with very little intervention
August can be a busy month, whether it's work, childcare, or going on vacation, and gardening tasks often end up at the bottom of the to-do list or are missed entirely. Thankfully, there are some flowers that actually bloom better when you leave them alone in August.
Chosen for their ability to thrive with minimal input, these flowers require little, if any, care during late summer and often benefit from being left to develop a more naturalistic appearance for you to enjoy.
However, if you have a gap in a border, container, or your vegetable patch, there is still time to plant flowers and crops this August. But with the ground often baked hard, planting can be hard work. With its pointed tip and narrow profile, the Nisaku hori hori, available from Amazon, can help make light work of any digging or planting
Flowers to Leave Alone in August
Over my nearly 20-year horticultural career, I’ve spent many Augusts busily harvesting, tidying and watering private and commercial gardens, whether for clients to enjoy during their vacations or in preparation for a garden wedding or a public open day. Consequently, I have discovered which flowers are best left alone at this time of year and actually do better as a result.
However, to gain further insight, I contacted certified Florida Master Naturalist Kiamesha Wray, the founder and owner of Living Spaces Gardening, whose team focuses on ‘native landscaping, often designing for a very minimalistic approach to maintenance.’
From drought-tolerant perennials to those that do not require deadheading, these flowering plants will look after themselves this August, leaving you more time to enjoy other things.
Kiamesha Wray is the founder and owner of Living Spaces Gardening, a Florida-based garden design and landscaping company. She is passionate about natural landscaping that utilizes native plants to create resilient ecosystems that support the local environment.
Turkish Sage
For time-poor gardeners, low-maintenance plants that require little input can help make a garden feel less like a burden and more enjoyable. One such perennial that I can vouch for, which is not only drought-tolerant but also does not require deadheading in August, is Phlomis russeliana, commonly known as Turkish sage.
Producing weed-smothering foliage and erect stems with rings of yellow flowers, it is best left alone in August so its seedheads can develop and provide winter structure and interest.
Suitable for growing in USDA zones 5-9, Phlomis russeliana starter plants are available to purchase on Amazon.
Pineland Heliotrope
For something more unusual, ‘Pineland heliotrope is a wonderful sprawler that blooms year-round with minimal trimming and is exceptionally drought-tolerant once established,’ suggests Kiamesha.
Botanically named Euploca polyphylla, this low-growing native perennial wildflower, endemic to Florida, is tough and flourishes in full sun. Preferring a well-drained soil, it produces yellow or white flowers and is a low-maintenance option that you can forget about in August.
Known for its pollinator-friendly attributes, it is ideal for growing to attract butterflies and other small pollinators.
However, for a mixture of flowers, why not consider a pollinator-friendly seed mix to create a meadow instead of a lawn? For a low-maintenance blend of wildflowers, you can purchase the EcoEase flowering mix seed shaker from Botanical Interests.
Coneflower
Coneflowers, or Echinacea as they are also called, are another flower that you can neglect this time of year. Thriving in full sun, these native perennials can tolerate periods of drought and are ideal for a dry garden.
Grown for their pollinator-friendly purple blooms (Echinacea purpurea), you can deadhead the flowers early in the season, but come August you can put the pruners away and wait for its seedheads to develop and stand over winter.
With more time to enjoy your outdoor space, you will want a comfy spot such as this outdoor wicker sofa or wooden swing chair, available from Walmart, to appreciate your (lack of) hard work.
Hydrangea
Although sometimes thought of as old-fashioned, hydrangeas are as popular as they ever were due to their large, colorful blooms. Although not drought-tolerant, hydrangeas do not need much care, other than the odd deep watering in August.
With the advice being to leave hydrangea flowers to fade and stand over winter, delivering winter interest and protection to the buds underneath, you need not worry about pruning or deadheading.
Requiring shade rather than full sun, hydrangeas are available as both bushes and climbers. One of my favorite, tried-and-tested, climbers for a tricky north-facing wall or fence is the climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris). Growing up to 50 feet tall, this climber needs room to thrive, but once established, it needs little ongoing care other than annual pruning. Cold-hardy down to USDA zone 4, climbing hydrangeas are available from Nature Hills.
Sedum
Sedums can generally be divided into two groups: smaller, early-flowering rock garden plants and larger, herbaceous border plants. This latter group is ideal for delivering late-season color as their pink or white flat flower heads open above fleshy green foliage.
Perfect if you hate deadheading, Sedum 'Autumn Joy' (Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude') thrives on neglect, meaning you do not need to worry about any watering, fertilizing or pruning in August. It produces pink blooms that, when left to their own devices, turn rust-brown and darken as winter approaches.
Thriving in gravel gardens or dry borders, it is also ideal for a container, as it reaches a maximum height and width of 2 feet. Furthermore, being hardy down to USDA zone 3, it can tolerate colder parts. You can purchase Autumn Joy stonecrop from Plant Addicts.
Blazing Star
Blazing star (Liatris gracilis) is an elegant, native perennial to the southeastern United States. It produces purple-pink flowers from mid-summer on top of narrow stems that can reach 3-4 feet tall.
‘One of my favorite features that embraces a minimalistic approach to maintenance is meadow designs using Liatris gracilis for its year-round gorgeous structure,’ says Kiamesha.
Even though blazing star can cope with dry periods, occasional watering may be required if August is continually hot and dry. However, if you leave the flowers to fade in August, you can enjoy the upright seedheads throughout the fall that attract local birds.
Thriving in USDA zones 3-8, the dwarf cultivar, blazing star ‘Kobold’, is available to purchase from Nature Hills.
Honesty
Another flower that requires little to no care and can be left alone in August is honesty (Lunaria annua). It produces vivid purple flowers from around May to June, but its seed pods are what really steal the show.
Once the flowers fade and are not deadheaded, they develop oval green seed pods that, come the fall, lose their outer casings to reveal translucent, papery discs that shimmer at golden hour in the low evening sun.
With a final height of 2-3 feet, honesty is well-suited to the middle or front of a border, but it can also be particularly effective when grown in a large container such as a Corten steel planter box, available from Amazon.
Anise Hyssop
One of the easiest perennials to grow, anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) is an unusual herb that develops scented foliage and spires of lavender-blue flowers. It grows to around 3-4 feet tall and is a magnet for pollinators.
Flowering from mid-summer onwards, you can deadhead it early in the season, but come late summer you can let it be to produce attractive seedheads and food for local wildlife.
As a drought-resilient perennial when established, anise hyssop is a great choice for a dry garden or for xeriscaping. Thriving in full sun and in USDA zones 4 and above, you can purchase anise hyssop from Nature Hills.
Nigella
Grown for its delicate blue, white or pink flowers, Nigella damascena, or Love-in-a-Mist as it is affectionately known, is a fast-growing annual that flourishes on neglect.
Tougher and hardier than it looks, nigella flowers from early summer onwards before developing balloon-shaped seedheads that you can leave to stand over winter or collect seed from. In August you do not have to think about watering or deadheading it as it looks its best when left to its own devices.
Producing striking, dual-colored blue and white flowers, love-in-a-mist ‘Delft Blue’ is available to purchase from Botanical Interests.
Forming the backbone of a garden, shrubs provide structure, interest and screening. Furthermore, depending on the variety, they can also provide essential wildlife habitats and protect your backyard from harsh winds.
That being said, shrubs can prove time-consuming to grow and care for, with irrigation, fertilization, and pruning often part of their ongoing maintenance. However, for time-poor gardeners, including some plant-and-forget shrubs in your garden can help free up some time to focus on other things.
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