August is an important month in terms of seasonal garden plants as it marks a major transitional period in the garden. Plants are a good barometer of seasonal changes in your garden, because there is an internal clock inside of plants which triggers autumn flowering and is an indication of the approach of fall.

The cardinal flower, for example, provides a good indication of when summer is peaking. The brilliant red flower grows in wet marshlands and new mountain streams in the wild. It is a favorite of hummingbirds, which makes it a natural favorite of many gardeners as well. These plants can make an attractive addition to larger gardens, and the same goes for asters which add fantastic color to late summer gardens but tend to spread out and hog a lot of space.

New garden plant hybrids are introduced every year, and some of these gain great popularity while others don't. Some more unusual than others as well. For example, the black petunias and pansies that were introduced for this season are definitely unusual.

The 'Black Velvet' petunia is nearly black with a thin yellow strip, while the 'Pinstripe' petunia is also a deep burgundy-black with a more pronounced stripe. Two types of viola pansies, called 'Halloween' and 'Sorbet Black Delight' also have nearly-black flowers. These dark flowers need to be carefully planted in order to show them off to best effect. So that they don't get lost in your garden, it is best to pair them with bright chartreuse foliage such as the golden sweet potato vine, or bright yellow flowers like marigolds or zinnias.

Researchers have discovered that some flowering plants draw bats to themselves by harnessing sound which creates an echo and helps the nocturnal fliers get to the plants. The research was carried out by Ralph Simon who is a biologist at the University of Ulm in Germany.
The study found that some flowering plants draw bats for the purpose of pollination by harnessing sound. While most plants use colors and designs to attract birds and insects to the nectar during daytime, the bats are nocturnal and navigate using sound echoes from their high pitched cries.
While some plants have some peculiar echo signature which draws the bats certain plants present their flowers on extended stems or make their petals strongly reflective. The test was made on the Marcgravia evenia which had a few deep bowled leaves compared to other leaves and the curved surface of which could reflect the sound hitting it and thus becoming visible to the bats.
The bats took half the time to find the nectar when the plants had the deep bowled leaves to reflect their cries which are useful for them as their nectar needs are only satisfied by a number of plants.