As summer begins to wind down, your garden can still play an important role in supporting pollinators. In fact, late summer is one of the busiest times of year for bees and butterflies as they gather nectar and pollen before the seasons change.
By adding a few pollinator-friendly blooms to your landscape, you’ll enjoy weeks of vibrant color while helping support the wildlife that keeps our gardens thriving. Here are three of our favorite late-summer flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators throughout Hampton Roads
1. Coneflower (Echinacea)
Coneflowers are one of the hardest-working perennials in the late-summer garden. Their large, daisy-like blooms provide an easy landing pad for butterflies, while native bees and honeybees flock to the pollen-rich centers.
Available in shades of purple, pink, white, orange, yellow, and even red, coneflowers fit beautifully into cottage gardens, pollinator beds, and mixed perennial borders.
Why you’ll love them:
- Bloom from midsummer into fall
- Drought tolerant once established
- Excellent for cut flowers
- Seed heads provide food for birds in autumn
Growing Tips:
- Full sun
- Well-drained soil
- USDA Zones 3-9
2. Salvia
If you’re looking for nonstop blooms and constant pollinator activity, salvia is hard to beat. The colorful flower spikes are packed with nectar, making them a favorite stop for butterflies, bumblebees, and even hummingbirds.
Many varieties continue blooming well into fall, especially when spent flowers are removed throughout the season. Their upright habit also adds great vertical interest to flower beds and containers.
Why you’ll love them:
- Long blooming season
- Heat and drought tolerant
- Deer resistant
- Great for containers and landscape beds
Growing Tips:
- Full sun
- Well-drained soil
- Deadhead for continued flowering
3. Lantana
When Virginia’s summer heat is at its peak, lantana is just getting started. Its clusters of bright flowers bloom continuously through late summer and are absolute magnets for butterflies.
The colorful blooms often feature multiple shades of yellow, orange, pink, red, or purple on a single plant, creating a vibrant display that lasts until frost.
Why you’ll love them:
- Blooms continuously in hot weather
- Excellent for butterflies and bees
- Perfect for containers, hanging baskets, and landscape beds
- Extremely heat tolerant
Growing Tips:
- Full sun
- Allow soil to dry slightly between watering
- Thrives during Virginia’s hottest months
Create a Pollinator Paradise
The best pollinator gardens offer blooms from spring through fall, ensuring bees and butterflies always have a reliable food source. By planting coneflowers, salvias, and lantanas together, you’ll create a colorful display that keeps your garden buzzing with life during the final stretch of summer.
To make your garden even more inviting, consider adding:
- A shallow water source with stones for insects to land on
- Native shrubs and trees for shelter
- Host plants where butterflies can lay their eggs
- Avoiding insecticides whenever possible to protect beneficial insects
Looking to add more pollinator-friendly plants to your landscape? Our team can help you choose the best late-summer bloomers for your garden and growing conditions here in Hampton Roads.
Stop by either of our Virginia Beach locations to explore our selection of flowering perennials, annuals, and pollinator favorites. To stay inspired and grow with us online, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok to explore more gardening tips and ideas. To stay inspired and grow with us online, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok to explore more gardening tips and ideas.
