It may be too hot to sip cocktails on the patio just yet, but August and September are ideal months for desert flora to enjoy a nice drink. “The plants are ready and needing the moisture from the monsoons,” says landscape designer Bennett McGregor. “The heat cycle is starting to break, and the nights are cooling off.” Here, McGregor shares with us late-summer’s most beguiling bloomers for adding splashes of color to your desert landscape.

SCARLET SAGE
(Salvia coccinea)
Similar to desert marigold, red salvia reseeds and spreads on its own. “As a designer it’s a welcome layer that will continue to duplicate itself and create a denser and larger grouping,” McGregor observes. This crimson perennial makes an excellent ornamental grower in beds, borders or containers.

PLANT FACTS

SIZE: 2′-3′ tall and wide
BLOOMS: Lush, brilliant spikes of bright red from spring to fall
WATER NEEDS: Moderate
ELEVATION: All USDA zones
ATTRACTS: Butterflies; hummingbirds
SOIL: Fertile, moist and well-drained
LIGHT: Filtered light/shade
MAINTENANCE: Although this plant can live for an indefinite number of years, it is often grown as an annual, so reseeding each year may be necessary.

MEXICAN BLUE SAGE
(Salvia chamaedryoides) 
“The blue sage has electric-blue flowers with a silver leaf—ethereal is how I would describe it,” McGregor explains. Considered a gardener’s dream for its ease of care and bright, beautiful display across a very long season, this prolific desert shrub is extremely low-maintenance and both cold- and heat-hardy.

PLANT FACTS

SIZE: 1′-2′ tall
BLOOMS: Dense clusters of tubular bluish-purple petals throughout summer
WATER NEEDS: Low
ELEVATION: USDA Zones 5-9
ATTRACTS: Bees; butterflies; moths and hummingbirds
SOIL: Well-drained, sandy or gravelly
LIGHT: Full sun, part or filtered shade
MAINTENANCE: Very little; deadhead as necessary

MEALYCUP SAGE 
(Salvia farinacea) 
Like other sage varieties, this mound-forming perennial herb is known for its showy displays of hue and texture. “Both the mealycup and red salvias move with the breeze—creating a flowing vibe through the landscape that soothes the eye,” McGregor says. Use cuttings in dried arrangements for a lovely flush of purple indoors.

PLANT FACTS

SIZE: 1′-2′ tall and wide
BLOOMS: These clusters of purple/blue with white stripes on the lower lips bud year-round.
WATER NEEDS: Moderate to regular. Water weekly when temperatures are above 85 degrees.
ELEVATION: USDA Zones 7B-11
ATTRACTS: Butterflies; hummingbirds
SOIL: Well-drained, dry to slightly moist, low in organic content
LIGHT: Full sun in cool months; up to three-quarters shade in the hottest months of the year
MAINTENANCE: Minimal. Trim expired blossoms, when needed, to promote new growth.

DESERT MARIGOLD
(Baileya multiradiata) 
These bright, lemon-hued plants self-seed and therefore grow with the same explosiveness as wildflowers. “The desert marigold is a durable and resilient performer,” McGregor muses. “Silver leaves are a great contrast in the garden palette. The yellow blooms are a bright and solid form in a landscape of smaller flowers.” Though short-lived, they provide a sense of visual pageantry when combined with other desert perennials.

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PLANT FACTS

SIZE: 1′-2’H by 2’W
BLOOMS: Bright, showy, daisylike yellow blossoms, March through November
WATER NEEDS: Little to none, if enough winter rainfall occurs
ELEVATION: USDA Zones 9-10
ATTRACTS: Bees; butterflies
SOIL: Well-drained
LIGHT: Full sun
MAINTENANCE: Prune, if desired, to remove spent flowers