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Welcoming Summer Back in the Garden and Beating Garden Burns
As the days begin to get shorter and the intense summer heat begins to subside, late summer offers a unique and often overlooked time in the gardening calendar.
It’s the time when your garden can really shine, with late-growing plants, vibrant blooms, and the first hints of fall foliage creating a tapestry of color and texture. (I can see the leaves turning red on my Dogwoods!)
However, it is also a time when many gardeners experience burnout, feeling overwhelmed by the demands of tending to their garden during the hottest months.
Here’s how to welcome late summer into your garden while keeping burnout at bay or winning.
1. Enjoy the Beauty of Late Blooming Plants
Celebrate Late-Bloomers:
Plants such as rudbeckia, echinacea, sedum, and Russian sage are at their best in late summer. Roses get a second wind and put out another petal.
Their bright colors and amazing forms can revitalize your garden, providing a new perspective and a burst of energy just when you need it most.
Add grass:
Ornamental grass like miscanthus, panicagain pennisum add movement and texture to your garden.
As they begin to decay, they capture light well, creating a dynamic backdrop for late-season flowers.
2. Practice Mindful Care
Simplify Your Cycle:
Instead of spending hours on intensive care, focus on small, manageable tasks. Deadhead shed flowers to encourage new growth, but don’t stress all the details. A garden is meant to be enjoyed, not a source of stress.
Mulch Wisely:
Applying a new layer of mulch not only helps conserve moisture during the hot days of late summer but also reduces the need for weeding. This can greatly reduce the time you need to spend on maintenance.
15+ Types of Garden Mulch
3. Revitalize Your Garden Spaces
Add Color Effects:
Late-season annuals such as zinnias, marigolds, and cosmos can be planted now to fill in any gaps and add bold color. These low-maintenance plants thrive in hot weather and will keep your garden looking fresh.
Consider a Container Garden:
If you feel overwhelmed by a large garden, switch your focus to containers. They require little maintenance and can be easily moved to highlight the best spots in your garden.
I like to have pots that I planted earlier in the season ready to go out into the empty spaces created when other flowers have wilted and finished. This is an easy way to make new blooms in an empty space.
4. Prepare for the Fall Transition
Fall crops:
Start thinking about your fall garden now. Vegetables such as kale, spinach, lettuce, and radishes can be sown in late summer for fall harvest.
The act of planning and planting something new can rekindle your enthusiasm for gardening.
Clean Smartly:
Rather than trying to tackle the entire garden, focus on the areas that will change soon.
Trim back perennials, remove any plants that have passed their prime, and start thinking about how you want your garden to look as the seasons change.
5. Fighting Garden Burns
Submit them:
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when there’s so much to do. Children may be back in school and that brings more activities and appointments.
Break tasks into small, manageable steps and spread them over several days or weeks.
Take breaks:
Don’t forget to step back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Set aside time to simply sit in your garden with a cool drink, listen to the sounds of nature, and appreciate the beauty around you.
Ask for Help:
If you feel overwhelmed, it’s okay to ask for help. Whether it’s enlisting family members to help with the weeding or hiring a professional for a one-time cleaning, delegating tasks can provide much-needed relief.
I have working young nieces and nephews who are great workers, it’s amazing how much I can do when I ask for their help. Usually, a pizza dinner is reward enough but they could do it for free if I needed.
Embrace Imperfection:
Gardens are living, ever-changing places, and it’s important to remember that perfection is not the goal. Embrace imperfections and view them as part of the natural beauty of your garden.
I often preach that on my YouTube channel. Perfection is limited and can only be achieved if you have the budget to hire landscapers regularly.
Keep it real and learn to enjoy the journey. This is about the love of plants and gardening, not a show garden.
6. Visit Community Gardens for Inspiration
Seek New Ideas:
If you’re feeling uninspired or tired of gardening, a visit to a community garden can provide a refreshing change of scenery and spark new ideas.
Seeing how these gardens handle late summer blooms, plant combinations, and seasonal changes can give new ideas to your space.
You may find new plants, new unique design elements, or creative solutions to common garden challenges. Also, being immersed in a well-chosen garden can rekindle your passion and remind you of the joy that brought you to gardening in the first place.
The end of summer is a time of change, both for the garden and for the farmer. By focusing on the beauty of the season, simplifying your maintenance schedule, and taking steps to prevent burnout, you can continue to enjoy your garden without feeling overwhelmed.
Make a mental note of what you would like to do next year to keep things simple throughout the season and avoid potential overwhelm. Write it down and as you start planning for the next growing season you can prepare yourself.
I would highly recommend photographing and recording your garden every week or so over the summer to see how it is changing and what you can use and when.
I would say this year I kept a video journal of my garden every week and it helps me keep track better than relying on my memory. I intend to revisit it in the dead of winter to plan a more organized and effective approach to my garden.
Remember, gardening is a journey, not a race, and late summer is a great time to slow down, enjoy the moment, and reconnect with the joy of your outdoor space.
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