Gardeners tend to get excited about spring, excited about trying out new plants and perhaps even making a big move and shifting their landscapes. And in summer there is the delight of the garden in full bloom, and many fruit trees and vegetable gardens produce abundantly. From September, however, even the most avid gardener is able to begin to feel worn out, and also the best-tended garden can begin to look a little tired.
That’s too bad, because gardening in the autumn can be delightful. The weather is generally cooler than in summer (except in places like San Francisco), however the garden does not need as much maintenance as in the spring .
Milieu Design
To rejuvenate both your garden and your own gardening excitement, why not plant some fall-blooming annuals and perennials? The annuals may be short lived if you’ve got an early frost, but they will surely brighten things up till afterward. The perennials could also be low manufacturers this first fall, but think what you are going to have to look forward to in future decades.
Those who live in mild-winter or desert climates have it even better; many of these plants will continue blooming into winter.
A number of the crops listed below bloom only in fall. Others may start their bloom season earlier in the year. And some of the annuals which are normally considered spring blossoms will flourish in the cooler autumn weather, even if only for a short moment.
Rikki Snyder
Classic Chrysanthemum
Mums, especially florists’ or garden mums, have become the go-to plants for a fall garden. You can go with the standard yellow-, orange- and – red-flowered mums or locate varieties with flower colors ranging from white to purple. As a bonus, the flower shapes are incredibly varied; you can discover quill-like petals, daisy shapes and pom-pom forms. To make the choice even more interesting, heights can range from 1 foot to 6 feet.
Common names: Florists’ chrysanthemum, garden mommy
Botanical name: Chrysanthemum x grandiflorum
USDA zones: 4 to 10 (find your zone)
Water necessity: Regular
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 1 foot to 5 feet
Growing tips: Plant flowering varieties in autumn in well-draining soil about a month before the first frost for fast color. Then cut them back to about 8 inches above the ground when they finish flowering. Cover with sand, sawdust or even a noncomposting mulch if you’d like. If your land is very moist through winter or you live in a really cold weather, you may want to dig the plants up and overwinter them aboveground. Divide every few years.
Barbara Pintozzi
The New York Botanical Garden
Sturdy Aster
Following closely on the heels of mums in popularity are the asters. There is a reason these perennials are favorites: Their pink, blue and purple flowers (generally with a bright yellow center) offer a cool contrast to the warmer autumn colors of the changing leaves and grasses. They’re also hardy in virtually every climate. Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’ and ‘Wonder of Strafa’ bloom from summer to well into fall, and even through winter in the mildest regions, but they do not always live so long as some other species. Even the New England aster varieties are notable because of their range of colours and their adaptability to wet soils. The same New York aster, sometimes called a Michaelmas daisy, can range in size from under a foot to 4 feet tall.
Common names: Aster, New England aster, New York aster, Michaelmas Daisy
Botanical names: Aster x frikartii, A. novae-angliae, A. novi-belgii
USDA zones: 3 to 10
Water necessity: Regular
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 1 foot to 5 feet
Growing tips: Quite tolerant, but grow best in fertile soil. The taller asters may require staking and you may have problems with mold. Divide if plants become tender or woody.
Rocco Fiore & Sons, Inc
Cosmetic Flowering Cabbage and Kale
What were formerly underappreciated vegetables have found their niche as stars of their ornamental autumn and winter garden.Their oversize rosette or leafy heads in colors of cream, white, crimson and purple look like transplants from a giant’s garden. Grow them as you would their edible cousins, either in the garden or in containers, and do not stress as the colder weather approaches. They simply look better with a touch of frost, as it brings out their color.
Common titles: Flowering or ornamental cabbage and kale
Botanical name: Brassica oleracea
USDA zones: All; supply shelter from sunlight in hot climates
Water necessity: Regular
Light requirement: Full sun is preferred, but they are able to take colour.
Mature dimension: 1 foot to 11/2 ft
Growing tips: Place your plants about 11/2 feet apart in the garden or add them after the hot weather cools; lightly fertilize through the garden season. If you are placing them in the garden, select a new spot every year, as dirt diseases can be a problem. As a plus, while those are “flowering” varieties, their leaves are edible.
Field Outdoor Spaces
Glorious Black-Eyed Susan
Humans are not the only ones who adore this plant. Bees, birds and butterflies also flock to it. Additionally, it’s easy to develop and can handle tough problems. Most start blooming in summer, but the flowering will continue well into fall. There are any number of species available; just two of their most popular are ‘Herbstsonne,’ also called ‘Autumn Sun’, and ‘Goldsturm’.
To make matters a little confusing, among the common names for these crops is coneflower, a title also given to members of their Echinacea family.
Le jardinet
Common titles: Black-eyed Susan, gloriosa daisy, coneflower, brown-eyed Susan
Botanical name: Rudbeckia
USDA zones: 3 to 11
Water necessity: Moderate to regular
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: 2 to 10 feet; smaller varieties are now accessible
Growing tips: These do finest their first year should you plant them in spring, but you can still put blooming plants set up in autumn to get a burst of color. Taller plants could be droopy, therefore stake them plant them close enough together that they can offer support without crowding one another. Cut the flowers for structures during the growing period to encourage continued blooming. Divide when they become bloated.
Barbara Pintozzi
The Other Coneflower
there are lots of Echinacea species out there for home gardeners, but purple coneflower, now available in different colours, is the hottest. It’s a hardy perennial with a long blooming season. Not only do the flowers attract butterflies and bees, they’re good cut too. Have a look at the brand new hybrids which are even hardier and sport even more colours and flower shapes.
Common titles: Purple coneflower, coneflower
Botanical names: Echinacea purpurea, E. hybrids
USDA zones: 3 to 9
Water necessity: Regular to medium
Light necessity: Full sun
Mature size: 2 to 4 ft
Growing tips: Provide well-drained soil, but otherwise coneflowers will do well almost anywhere in full sun or, in the hottest place, some light shade. They can handle drought conditions too. Deadhead to keep the blossoms. Keep the seed heads set up after the blossoms fade for birds to enjoy.
Ginkgo Leaf Studio
Versatile Coreopsis
From spring to autumn, coreopsis, also called tickweed, is an easy-care plant whose yellow, orange, purple or red flowers will attract butterflies to every garden. And after it has finished blooming, the seed heads will bring in birds too. The annual coreopsis can be grown in all USDA zones, while continuing alternatives are at home in all but the coldest or hottest climates (think Alaska, southern Texas and southern Florida). For something really unusual, check out C. tinctoria ‘Tiger Stripes’.
Common names: Coreopsis, tickweed, calliopsis
Botanical name: Coreopsis
USDA zones: All, based on species
Water necessity: Small to medium
Light requirement: Full sun
Elderly size: 1 foot to 21/2 ft
Growing tips: Coreposis is generally pleased with any soil as long as it drains well. Supply water to establish, then the plants can handle less moisture throughout the growing period. Deadhead often for repeat blossoms or leave some flowers to reseed. This plant self-sows and spreads quickly, so you may have to divide it every few decades.
Genevieve Schmidt
Easy-Care Sedum
When a plant has a number termed ‘Autumn Joy’, there is no doubt that it goes in the autumn garden. Even though ‘Autumn Joy’ is among the best known of the sedums, a great deal of options are available. For the autumn garden, hybrid varieties and Sedum spectabile are favorites for individuals as well as birds, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Common title: Stonecrop
Botanical name: Sedum
USDA zones: 3 to 10
Water necessity: Regular to moderate, particularly once recognized
Light requirement: Full sun; can take partial shade
Mature size: 9 inches to 3 feet
Growing tips: Sedums are easy to grow and perform better in poor dry soil with good drainage than in regions which are very wet. They’re reasonably drought tolerant once established. Once the flowers are past their prime, then let them use them for indoor flower structures. You are able to cut the crops into the ground in autumn or keep them in the garden for winter interest, then cut them back in late winter or early spring.
Le jardinet
Prolific Sneezeweed
The title is somewhat off-putting, particularly if you have allergies, but you may want to overlook this in favor of enjoying the numerous bright yellow to brownish flowers sneezeweed thankfully contributes to the landscape in autumn. You’ll find it marketed as H. autumnale, but the majority of them are actually hybrids. Sneezeweed is another fantastic choice for bringing butterflies and also to use for cut flowers.
Le jardinet
Common title: Sneezeweed
Botanical names: Helenium autumnale, H. hybrids
USDA zones: 3 to 9
Water necessity: Regular
Light necessity: Full sun
Mature size: 3 to 5 ft
Growing tips: All prefer hot summers and soil that drains well but do not require much fertilizer. Stake the taller types and deadhead to promote continued blooming.
Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture
Long-Blooming Blanket Flower
If you want a long-blooming perennial, blanket flower is a top choice. It begins flowering early in the summer and lasts till the freezing weather. During this time blossoms in combinations of yellow, orange, crimson and maroon will attract butterflies. Blanket flower can handle both heat and wind and also withstand some frost.
Common title: Blanket flower
Botanical name: Gaillardia x grandiflora
USDA zones: All
Water necessity: Moderate
Light necessity: Full sun
Mature size: 2 to 4 ft
Growing tips: Plant it into well-draining dirt; you may have to amend thick clay soil so the roots do not rust in winter. Blanket flower grows easily from seed and frequently reseeds. If the plants become overly crowded or begin to die back, divide in early spring. Cutting for structures will promote repeat blooms.
Often-Overlooked Joe Pye Weed
Who Joe Pye was the topic of disagreement, but whatever the response, these big, showy plants which were formerly considered weeds are now coming into their own. They’re ideal for the back of a boundary: The smaller varieties can reach 6 ft, and the bigger ones can grow up to 9 feet tall. The leaves themselves can be a foot in length, plus they’re topped by masses of purple to white flowers. Bonus: Brush the leaves, and you are going to find a scent of vanilla.
Common title: Joe Pye Weed
Botanical name: Eupatorium purpureum
USDA zones: 4 to 10
Water necessity: Regular to plentiful
Light requirement: Full sunlight; mild shade where it’s very hot
Mature size: 3 to 9 ft
Growing tips: Give these plants plenty of water and rich, moist soil, but as befits their “marijuana” origin, they do not require much fertilizer. They’re particularly at home in meadow gardens and fantastic for attracting butterflies.
Blue Ridge Landscaping
Bright Goldenrod
Goldenrods have gotten bad press. For the record, they’re not the source of ragweed allergies, so go ahead and plant them for your autumn garden. They’re hardy plants which don’t require great dirt; they can handle full sun or light shade; the newer hybrids are shorter and more streamlined than the rangier species; and first and foremost, when planted in a bunch, they supply a beautiful gold swath of color that’s a feast for the eyes as well as a food supply for birds and butterflies.
Common title: Goldenrod
Botanical name: Solidago
USDA zones: 3 to 10
Water necessity: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun; can take light shade
Mature size: 2 to 5 ft
Growing tips: Goldenrod grows well in containers as well as poor soil. Blooms generally begin in summer and continue into fall. Divide it every few years for best growth.
Jay Sifford Garden Design
Cloudlike Russian Sage
Looking like a cross between lavender and Mexican bush sage, Russian sage combines fragrant grayish leaves with light purple flower spires, and it has a long bloom season. While it will begin blooming in summer and spring, keep cutting off the flowers and you are going to get blossoms into collapse. Once established, Russian sage grows easily, particularly in regions with hot summers and little water. From the garden it can be treated as a showy single plant or massed together to create a soft cloud of color which seems to float over nearby smaller plantings.
The New York Botanical Garden
Common title: Russian sage
Botanical name: Perovskia atriplicifolia
USDA zones: 4 to 9
Water necessity: Small to medium
Light necessity: Full sun
Mature size: 3 to 5 ft
Growing tips: Russian blossom will require almost any soil and frequently spreads easily. If you are planting it en masse, place the plants close enough that they can encourage one another, as single plants can droop. For best blossoms, cut back the plants close to the ground before they start to flower in spring.
Sophisticated Toad Lily
The title may not be inviting, but toad lily is the perfect addition to a woodland garden. It fits nicely with shade-loving leaves plants, like ferns, its pale green leaves contrasting with darker greens around it. In the conclusion of summer, almost orchid-like white, purple or pink blossoms seen with darker purple markings appear across the leaves from base to tip, adding a pop of unexpected color to a shady area.
Common title: Toad lily
Botanical name: Tricyrtis hirta
USDA zones: 4 to 9
Water necessity: Plenty
Light requirement: Light to full shade
Mature size: 3 ft
Growing tips: Provide abundant organic soil and a good deal of water, particularly in sunnier regions. Some varieties have gold-edged leaves, which can really shine in the colour.
Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC
Spectacular Japanese Anemone
This continuing is beginning to play a major role in landscape design. It could take a while for it to get going, but when it settles in, it spreads easily and lasts quite a while. The white or pink blossoms are standouts, and the plant is big enough to straddle the boundary between shrub and perennial. Plant it under tall shrubs or trees so it can make the most of the partial shade whilst filling in bare spots in the garden.
Caution: Every part of the plant is poisonous if consumed.
Common title: Japanese anemone
Botanical names: Anemone x hybrida, A. japonica, A. hupehensis japonica
USDA zones: 4 to 9
Water necessity: Regular
Light necessity: Partial shade
Mature size: 2 to 5 ft
Growing tips: Do not grow Japanese anemone in wet soil, as it rots easily, and include protective mulch should you live where the winters are very cold. You may have to stake taller varieties. The crops can be divided in autumn or early spring.
Genevieve Schmidt
Hardy True Geranium
Familiar geraniums, which are really pelargoniums, could have stolen the title and the spotlight, but the true geranium is making a name for itself amongst gardeners. This mounding perennial adds color to the garden from summer into fall. Various species have different bloom times, but also for blossoms into the autumn, good choices include ‘AnnFolkard’, G. x riversleaianum (a fantastic ground cover choice) and ‘Johnson’s Blue’.
Common titles: Hardy geranium, cranesbill
Botanical name: Geranium
USDA zones: 3 to 9
Water necessity: Regular
Light necessity: Full sun to filtered shade
Mature size: 1 foot to 2 feet
Growing tips: True geraniums prefer cooler summers, filtered shade where it’s hot and well-draining soil. The plant will spread easily; deadhead it regularly to keep it blooming and looking great.
anne houser//dropseed studio//kinghorn gardens
Bog-Loving Turtlehead
So many flowering plants need lots of sunlight and dry feet, but this native of the U.S. Southeast is happiest in wetter conditions and does not obey the colour. It’s ideal for this shady, wet spot in the garden where nothing else seems to grow. Its blossoms are relatively small but nevertheless pack a punch with their pink color tinged with yellowish. It will gradually form clumps.
Common title: Turtlehead
Botanical name: Chelone lyonii
USDA zones: 4 to 9
Water necessity: Plenty
Light necessity: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: 4 ft
Growing tips: Turtlehead does not like thick dirt, therefore amend the soil before planting. It can take sunlight as long as you provide plenty of moisture. Divide when the plants become bloated.
J. Peterson Garden Design
Colorful Pansy and Viola
Though generally planted in winter and spring, these annuals can brighten containers and boundary edges in autumn also, at least till the frosts get heavy. Although most members of the viola family are usually short-lived perennials, they generally are grown as annuals; the exception for most anglers is sweet violets. Look for plants in nurseries or begin them from seeds.
Common titles: Pansy, viola, Johnny-jump-up, sweet purple
Botanical name: Viola
USDA zones: When grown as an annual
Water necessity: Regular
Light necessity: Full sun to partial shade for pansies; violas prefer colour
Mature size: 3 to 10 inches
Growing tips: for the best results, keep your soil moist. If your winters are mild, these crops may continue until spring, although they probably won’t continue until the following fall. Many are prolific self-seeders.
Windsor Firms
Shade-Loving Impatiens
Many men and women think of them as summer plants, but should you want a spot of color, why don’t you stick a six-pack flat of them set up? Sure, the first freeze can perform them, but you can appreciate them till then. If you live where winters are mild, you may even enjoy them through the winter. The fantastic news is that impatiens have one of the largest color ranges of any crops, so you are guaranteed to find something which will work in your own garden.
Common titles: Impatiens, balsam, touch-me-not
Botanical name: Impatiens
USDA zones: All, based upon the species
Water necessity: Regular
Light requirement: Color or partial shade; some can take sunlight
Mature size: 1/2 foot to 2 feet
Growing tips: It’s probably best to place out seedlings in the autumn. They are rather low maintenance but will do better if you give regular fertilizer. Cut them back if they get rangy. All impatiens are fantastic for containers.
Jean Marsh Design
Shrubby Mexican Bush Sage
Really an evergreen shrub rather than a perennial, Mexican bush sage is intimate enough in overall looks to Russian blossom and lavender to deserve being said one of those other fall bloomers. It’s particularly great for mild-winter ponds, in which it will bloom from fall until spring. It’s a tough plant that can take drought conditions and still look great. It’s also a magnet for birds and butterflies.
Common title: Mexican bush sage, velvet sage
Botanical name: Salvia leucantha
USDA zones: 8 10; develop as an annual elsewhere
Water necessity: Light to medium
Light necessity: Full sun
Mature size: 21/2 to 5 ft
Growing tips: Once recognized, this salvia grows quickly and can take over. Keep it in check by cutting it back in spring and in summer, if necessary. Cutting back on water will also help keep it from spreading too far. Remove the flower spikes as soon as they start to fade.
Barbara Pintozzi
Dramatic Monkshood
Monkhood’s blossoms are so spectacular that this plant is worth considering for a fall garden. Colors range from white to purple, but it’s the blues and exceptionally deep purples that really stick out. Monkhoods are a fantastic choice for shady locations, particularly at the back of the garden, where you are able to use their 6- to 8-foot height to advantages. The cut flowers make a strong statement in floral arrangements.
Caution: All parts of the plant are poisonous. Keep it away from children and pets, use gloves when handling the plants and cut flowers, and do not plant it around edibles, particularly root edibles.
Common names: Monkshood, aconite
Botanical name: Aconitum carmichaelii
USDA zones: 3 to 2
Water necessity: Regular
Light necessity: Partial shade; can take full sun based on location
Mature size: 6 to 8 ft
Growing tips: These plants prefer plenty of water, cooler summers and winter chill; they do not succeed in drier and warmer climates. Provide moist, rich soil. They will die back in winter.