Late-ish summer borders...

Janie B

... are not looking too bad, with Japanese anemones, cosmos and echinacea supplying colour for now, and cobaea and nerines yet to come. However, the lupins that looked lovely earlier on are now very tired and scruffy. Any ideas for plants that could hide their tatty leaves, and add some colour. Either annuals or perennials, blues or pinks, please. TIA

Lyn

I cut my Lupins down to the ground when I can’t stand them anymore. 
You could see what’s on offer in supermarkets or garden centres and the you could start preparing for next year by looking at seeds to sow yourself. 
I’m about to plant out Zinnias, Cleome, Antirrhinums, Salvias and a few other odd bits and pieces from spring sown seeds. 

Janie B

Thanks, @Lyn, I’ll definitely have a look at seeds to sow now for next year... also, can I cut lupins right back, even if the leaves are still green...? And they’ll come back again next year...? 

Lyn

I cut any stalks and dead leaves off, if there’s some nice fresh green I leave it, it fills a space.