If you enjoy working in the yard, the end of summer can feel almost anticlimactic. After spending so much of your spring and summer planning, planting, and maintaining your garden, it can be a let down to see the peak gardening season come to an end. But not all flowers wither and fade away after Labor Day or when the leaves start to change colors. In fact, many plants and flowers thrive in fall weather conditions and don’t start to bloom until later in the summer. Here are just a few plants that can keep your garden looking beautiful all through fall.
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums are easily one of the most quintessential fall flowers. They come in many different colors, but the varieties that have vibrant yellow, bronze, red, or orange coloring look spectacular with all the fall color. If you live in an apartment or don’t have a large yard to work in, chrysanthemums can work just as well in a container like a window box as they do planted in the ground. If planted early enough in the year, chrysanthemums will have enough time for roots to gain strength to help them survive the cold weather and come back next year.
Aster
Pinks, blues, and purples may not be traditional fall colors, but these are some of the colors of aster flowers and they don’t start coming into full bloom until late August, bringing a lovely touch of color to gardens late in the season. Aster is a very versatile flower and looks great when planted next to a wide variety of other plants. Another reason why many gardeners love aster is because they’re very attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Perennial Sunflower
The perennial sunflower doesn’t grow as tall or as large as regular sunflowers, but they do stand out during the fall. Perennial sunflowers look more like daisies than they do regular sunflowers, but they still have those bright yellow petals which looks great during the fall months.
Sedum
Sedum is frequently called “Autumn Joy” for very good reasons. It’s a plant that can easily survive all year long, but it doesn’t start to bloom until late summer or early fall. It’s an excellent plant to use as edging and also be used in planting containers. Sedum typically has a pink or burgundy color that deepens as the blooms mature, providing an excellent pop of color. Best of all, sedum is an extremely low maintenance plant that can grow in lots of different environments.
Marigold
Marigolds aren’t as hardy as many other fall flowers and plants, but they do come in the classic fall colors, which still makes them a popular choice for fall gardens. They tend to do well in the types of soil conditions that come later in the summer and early in fall. If you’re looking to add some marigolds to your garden, you may be able to get better prices on them later in the year since they are annuals and nurseries are looking to sell as many remaining annuals while they still can still be enjoyed.
Toad Lily
For a more unusual type of fall flower, you may want to look for toad lilies.Its petals have a speckled appearance that helps it stand out from many other types of fall flowers. These flowers grow well in shaded areas and may look delicate, but they can handle the sudden drops in temperature that often happen during the fall months.
