August can feel like an odd time in the garden. The borders are full, the weather is warm, and a lot of gardeners assume the planting season is winding down. It isn't. This is one of the productive months to get plants in the ground and seeds in the soil, as long as you pick the right ones and keep the watering can close.
If you have been wondering what to plant in August in the UK, the short answer is plenty. You can sow salad leaves for autumn picking, start hardy annuals that will flower next spring, plant late-summer shrubs for instant colour, and buy your spring bulbs while the choice is still good.
This guide walks through flowers and bulbs, vegetables and herbs, perennials and shrubs, and a set of practical tips to set your garden up for the months ahead. Whether you garden in a few pots or a full plot, there is something here worth doing this month.
Key Takeaways
- August is a planting month, not a quiet one. There is plenty to sow and plant before the season turns.
- Sow now, flower earlier. Hardy annuals and biennials started in August bloom weeks ahead of a spring sowing.
- Keep the kitchen garden going. Salad leaves, spinach, chard and winter-hardy crops all do well when sown in August.
- Late-summer shrubs add instant colour. Caryopteris, hibiscus and abelia bring blooms just as other plants fade.
- Buy spring bulbs now, plant them later. Ordering in August gets you the best choice, even though most go in from autumn.
- Water is the main job. Anything freshly planted needs a deep, regular soak in dry August weather.
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Hold most fruit and trees back. They settle far better in the cooler, damper weather of autumn.
Flowers and Bulbs to Plant in August
August is the month to think ahead. The bedding plants you put in now settle before the cold sets in, and it is the right time to buy your spring bulbs while the full range is in stock.
Autumn and winter bedding plants give you colour through the cooler months and into spring. Slot them into pots, baskets or gaps in the border as your summer flowers tire out.
- Violas and pansies: Overwintering types planted now flower through autumn, pause in the hardest spells, then pick up again in spring.
- Wallflowers: Plant young wallflowers in late summer for scented colour next spring and early summer.
- Primroses and polyanthus: A reliable pick for early spring colour in pots and beds, ready to go in as the season cools.
On the bulb front, this is prime time. Autumn-flowering bulbs like colchicum can go in straight away for blooms within weeks. More usefully, August is when the best spring bulbs land in stock. You plant most of them from autumn onwards, but buying early means first pick of daffodils, tulips, and alliums before the popular varieties sell out.Get Your Own
Shop Spring Bulbs Now
August is the best month to buy spring bulbs while the full range is in stock. Reserve your favourites now and plant them from autumn for the earliest blooms of next year. Browse the spring bulb collection or the wider flower bulb range to get started.
Vegetables to Plant in August
You do not need to sow from seed to keep the kitchen garden going this month. August is a good time to get a few crops in that you plant rather than start from scratch, with some ready to harvest by Christmas and others sitting through winter for next year.
Potatoes for Christmas
Second-crop seed potatoes are the standout job for August. Plant them from August into early September, and they crop in time for the festive table.
- Plant in large pots or bags of fresh compost and keep them somewhere frost-free as the nights cool.
- Earth them up as they grow, the same as a spring crop.
- Move containers under cover before the first frosts to protect the tubers.
Browse seed potatoes and get them started while there is still time before Christmas.
Onions and Garlic for Overwintering
Autumn-planting onion sets and garlic are worth buying now. Both sit quietly through winter and crop the following summer, which gives you an earlier harvest than spring-planted types.
- Onion sets: Autumn-hardy varieties go in from early autumn for a crop next summer. Pick a sunny, well-drained spot.
- Garlic: Garlic needs a cold spell to bulb up well, so autumn planting suits it. Split the bulb into cloves and plant each one pointed end up.
Buying your onion sets and garlic early means you get the varieties you want before they sell out.
Herbs to Keep Going
If you grow herbs, potted plants can be moved somewhere bright and sheltered as the nights draw in, so you keep picking later into the year. Hardy types like rosemary, thyme, and mint carry on with little fuss. Top up your collection from the herb plants range.
Perennials and Shrubs to Plant in August
August planting works for perennials and shrubs, though the warm, dry weather asks for a bit more care. Water well and often, and most things will get their roots down before autumn.
Shrubs are a strong choice this month. Whether you want late-summer flowers or evergreen structure, a container-grown shrub planted now will settle before autumn.
- Pieris japonica 'Mountain Fire': An evergreen shrub grown for its fiery red young leaves and sprays of white spring flowers. It likes a sheltered spot with acidic soil and earns its place all year round.
- Hibiscus: A low-fuss shrub for a sunny, well-drained spot, with big flowers in lilac, pink, and white.
This is also a good time to take semi-ripe cuttings from shrubs and woody herbs. Lavender, rosemary, and hydrangea all root well from cuttings taken now, giving you free plants for next year.
Container-grown perennial plants can go in this month as long as you keep them watered. The soil can dry out quickly in August, so anything you plant will need regular watering while it establishes. A deep soak two or three times a week beats a daily splash.
Useful Tips for August Gardening
Some of the best August gardening is not about planting at all. It is about looking after what you have put in and getting set for the busy autumn ahead.
Looking After New Plantings
Warm, dry weather is the main thing working against you this month, so a little care goes a long way.
- Water deeply, not lightly: A good soak two or three times a week sends roots down further than a daily sprinkle. Water early in the morning or in the evening so that less water is lost to the heat.
- Protect young leaves: Slugs and cabbage white butterflies are still busy. Cover brassicas and salad rows with fine netting, and keep a cloche or fleece handy for when nights turn cool.
- Lock in moisture: A layer of mulch around new plants keeps the soil damp for longer and cuts down on watering.
- Keep borders going: Deadhead the faded flowers and feed your pots so the colour carries on later into the season.
What to Order and Plan Now
A little forward planning in August saves a scramble later on.
- Order spring bulbs early: Spring bulbs sell out fast once they arrive. Buying now means you plant the colours and types you actually wanted, not the leftovers.
- Plan your autumn and spring beds: Think about autumn bedding and spring bedding now, so the gaps get filled the moment your summer plants tire out.
What to Hold Back until Autumn
Not everything is best planted in the August heat.
- Most fruit and trees: Fruit bushes and young trees settle far better in the cooler, wetter weather of September and October. Pot-grown strawberry plants are the exception and can go in now to root before winter.
- New hedges: Bare-root hedging takes more easily once autumn rain arrives, so it is worth holding off a few weeks.
Set Your Garden Up for the Year Ahead
August is not the end of anything. It is a head start. The salad you sow now feeds you in autumn, the annuals you scatter flower next spring, and the bulbs you buy this month turn into the earliest colour of the new year. A little effort now pays off for months.
If you are stocking up, spring bulbs are the place to begin, with daffodils, tulips and alliums ready to reserve before the favourites go. Browse the full Carbeth Plants store for everything else, and get in touch if you would like a hand choosing what suits your garden.
Frequently Asked Questions
What flowers can I plant in August in the UK?
August suits hardy annuals and biennials more than instant summer flowers. Sow calendula, cornflowers and California poppies now, and they will flower early next spring. Biennials such as forget-me-nots, sweet williams and wallflowers sown this month bloom the following summer. For colour straight away, late-summer shrubs like caryopteris and hibiscus do well in a sunny spot. You can also plant autumn-flowering bulbs like colchicum for blooms within weeks. August is the right time to buy spring bulbs too, ready to plant daffodils and tulips from autumn onwards.
What vegetables can I plant in August?
August suits crops you plant rather than sow from seed. Second-crop seed potatoes go in from August into early September and crop in time for Christmas, as long as you keep the containers frost-free as the weather turns. It is also the season to buy autumn-planting onion sets and garlic, both of which sit through winter and crop the following summer. Many growers order these early to be sure of the varieties they want. Keep newly planted potatoes watered while they settle, and choose a sunny, well-drained spot for your onions and garlic.
Is August too late to plant anything in the garden?
Not at all. August is a working month, not a closing one. You can sow autumn and winter vegetables, start flowers for next year, take cuttings from shrubs and herbs, and plant container-grown perennials and late-summer shrubs. The main thing to watch is water. The soil dries out fast in August, so newly planted things need regular, deep watering until they get established. The one group worth holding back is most fruit bushes and trees, which prefer the cooler, wetter conditions of autumn. Strawberries are happy to go in now, though.
When should I plant spring bulbs in the UK?
You buy them in August, but you plant most of them a little later. Daffodils and other narcissi go in from September, alliums and crocus through autumn, and tulips last of all, usually in November once the soil has cooled. The reason to shop early is choice. Popular varieties sell out by mid-autumn, so ordering in August means you get the colours and types you want rather than what is left. Store your bulbs somewhere cool, dark and dry until planting time, and check them over for any soft or mouldy ones first.
Do plants put in during August need extra care?
Yes, mostly around watering. August is often warm and dry, and the soil can lose moisture quickly, so anything freshly planted or sown will rely on you for moisture. A deep soak two or three times a week helps roots take hold better than a light daily sprinkle. Water in the early morning or evening so less water evaporates in the heat. A mulch around new plants holds moisture in, too. In a heatwave or drought, it is fine to delay sowing seeds until rain returns, rather than fighting to keep dry soil damp.
