Grow your own ... what to plant now for late summer

Green-fingered Brits wanting to keep gardens fresh and blooming throughout the late summer are being urged to get planting now.  

The outdoors experts at GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk have rounded up a list of the best plants and veggies to sow in UK gardens right now, in time for the late summer.  

Even as the end of summer begins to creep up, there’s no reason to abandon summery plants and colours just yet.  

For Brits wanting to make the most of the summer’s end, there are plenty of bright flowers and delicious foods to start planting right now, which will grow into the late summer.  

A spokesperson for GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk said: “Now is the perfect time to begin sowing a variety of plants and foods which will be ready in time for a late summer display and a fresh garden harvest. 

“This list is full of the best flowers which will be in bloom at the end of the season, as well as the finest foods in preparation for the last of fresh summer dining.” 

GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk’s top picks to grow now for late summer  

Veggies for end of summer salads  

Now is a perfect time to plant lots of vegetables ready for salads when catching the last few weeks of the summer. Fill planters with a mix of beetroots, spring onions, green beans, and rashishes for a colourful and crunchy salad bowl. These late summer veggies will be ready to harvest between 4-8 weeks time.  

Salad leaves  

To finish off those late summer salads, plant speedy and productive salad leaves now. Choose to sow “cut and come again” lettuces, such as Red Cos and Green Bataria, to be ready for harvest as baby leaves in just a few weeks. Create delicious home grown salads for a fresh end to the summer.  

Border flowers  

Bring garden borders to life towards the end of summer. Sow flowers now for them to quickly grow into a colourful array of late summer blooms: plant nigella seeds, tulbaghia, and phlox paniculata. These border flowers are low maintenance yet produce an attractive display.  

Late summer flowers  

There are several flowers to plant now to inject more colour into gardens during the late summer. For this end of summer bloom, sow in plants such as crocosmia, Californian lilac, and ceanothus, for a spectacular, no fuss, end of season flowering.  

Strawberries 

Summer isn’t complete without fresh strawberries. Purchase potted strawberry plants now and sow them into the soil straight away. It will only take around 8 weeks of regular feeding and watering before the red, juicy fruits will be ready to eat - delicious on their own or with fresh cream.