Sweet alyssum is an easy-care perennial with flowers in shades of white and pink that thrive in cool weather conditions. It makes a stunning statement in outdoor hanging baskets or window boxes.
Airy coreopsis blooms during summer and autumn with yellow, pink, or bicolor flowers above finely-textured foliage. A native prairie plant, it serves as an attractant to wildlife.
Amaranthus
Late summer and fall perennial flowers often go unnoticed in gardens. Their brilliant hues can add beautiful touches of color, while adding diversity. Gardeners frequently include these perennials in their design plans; planting and caring for these perennials may even dovetail with other tasks associated with fall gardening such as leaf cleanup, winter garden preparations and bulb planting for spring blooms.
Amaranthus, or amaranths, are easy perennial plants to grow that make a colorful addition to late season gardens. You can grow amaranth seeds quickly in either your garden or containers; their flower heads last well even in cut arrangements! Some varieties feature pompon tassels while others sport daisy-like florets.
Coreopsis is an easy-care perennial that produces colorful flowerheads in warm hues of yellow, pink and red that attract pollinators. It makes an excellent addition to mixed borders or natural areas and pairs well with other fall-blooming perennials like Japanese anemone or obedient plant for added color and pollinators. Native to North America and found across much of its range – Coreopsis can also be grown alongside Japanese anemone and obedient plant for even greater beauty!
Add long fall blooming season by including low maintenance perennial sedum as part of your garden design. An excellent groundcover, border or rockery plant, it thrives in full sun. Sedum ‘Sage Advice’ features long blue flower spikes which bloom from August onwards – ideal for edging or screening!
Canna lily (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) creates an exotic look with its vibrant blooms and vibrant foliage. Easy to care for in most conditions – even poor ones – its leaves boast vitamins A & C, calcium, iron and other essential minerals for optimal health. Native peoples have used canna lily as both an edible grain crop and leafy vegetable for millennia!
Coneflowers
Coneflowers, scientifically known as Echinacea, are a vibrant and popular perennial plant that belongs to the Asteraceae family. Native to North America, these striking flowers are celebrated for their resilience, colorful blooms, and medicinal properties. The genus name “Echinacea” is derived from the Greek word “echinos,” meaning hedgehog, referring to the spiky central disk of the flower.
One of the most distinctive features of coneflowers is their prominent cone-shaped disk in the center, surrounded by ray-like petals that can range in color from pink and purple to white. This cone, often referred to as the “seed head,” is not only visually appealing but also serves as a valuable food source for birds during the fall and winter months.
Coneflowers are renowned for their adaptability and hardiness, thriving in a variety of soil types and weather conditions. They are a favorite among gardeners for their low-maintenance nature and ability to attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees. The plant’s resilience also makes it suitable for xeriscaping, as it can withstand drought conditions once established.
Beyond their ornamental value, coneflowers have been traditionally used for their medicinal properties by Native American tribes. The roots and flowers contain compounds believed to boost the immune system and alleviate symptoms of colds and infections. In contemporary herbal medicine, Echinacea supplements are popular for their potential immune-boosting effects.
Coneflowers have become a staple in gardens, not just for their aesthetic appeal but also for their role in supporting local ecosystems and providing a touch of natural beauty. Whether in a formal garden or a wildflower meadow, these resilient and colorful perennials continue to capture the admiration of garden enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.
Trumpet Vine
Trumpet Vine, scientifically known as Campsis radicans, is a vigorous and ornamental flowering plant that belongs to the Bignoniaceae family. Native to the southeastern United States, this deciduous woody vine is cherished for its stunning trumpet-shaped flowers and ability to thrive in various climates and soil conditions.
The plant earns its common name from the distinct shape of its blossoms, which resemble trumpets or funnels. These vibrant flowers, which can be orange, red, or yellow, typically bloom in clusters during the summer months, attracting hummingbirds and bees with their nectar-rich centers. The trumpet vine’s ability to draw pollinators makes it a valuable addition to gardens seeking to support local biodiversity.
Trumpet vines are known for their rapid growth and climbing abilities. They can reach impressive heights, making them ideal for covering fences, trellises, and arbors. The twining nature of their stems allows them to easily cling to vertical surfaces, creating a lush and green backdrop with the added bonus of spectacular floral displays.
While their exuberant growth is an asset in landscaping, it’s essential to consider the plant’s tendency to spread. Trumpet vines can become invasive if not properly managed, sending out runners and producing numerous seed pods. Regular pruning is recommended to control its expansion and encourage a more compact and manageable form.
Despite their robust nature, trumpet vines are relatively low-maintenance, thriving in full sunlight and adaptable to various soil types. Their resilience makes them suitable for a range of climates, from hot and arid regions to more temperate zones.
Gardeners often appreciate the trumpet vine not only for its aesthetic qualities but also for its role in attracting beneficial wildlife. Its ability to transform outdoor spaces into vibrant, blooming havens underscores its popularity as a versatile and eye-catching addition to gardens and landscapes.
Dahlias
Dahlias are perennials that make an eye-catching show in autumn gardens. From deep purple and lavender hues, to white and pink blooms that last right until frost comes, dahlias provide star-like blooms until frost arrives – they’re easy to grow, hardy in all climates and attract pollinators galore; ideal as borders or in containers!
Asters offer fall garden color in many shades of blue and purple, are easy to grow, and are drought tolerant – perfect for beds or rockeries in full sun conditions. Additionally, their blooms serve as one of the final big food sources for bees and butterflies before winter sets in.
Late summer and fall blooming perennials can add variety and interest to your garden, making it look better throughout the season. They also tie in perfectly with other fall garden tasks such as leaf cleanup, preparing the garden for winter storage and bulb planting for spring bloom.
From early spring through fall, perennials provide your garden with color: Tulipa nigricans), Daffodils (Narcissus spp.) and Hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis). Perennial Chrysanthemums provide both vibrant foliage and colorful blooms – adding vibrant hues in early fall before providing attractive seed heads throughout winter!
Sedum
Fall is an excellent time to plant perennial flowers; many gardeners rush out in spring to do it but fall planting can also be just as effective. Planting early gives plants time to become established before winter arrives. Plus, garden centers usually increase stock in anticipation of fall planting season making it easy to find what you need! If deer or rabbits nibbling away at your new additions is a concern for you, choose an area away from their reach when planting new perennials.
Sedums are easy to cultivate and make an attractive groundcover in any landscape, from low-growing clumps, spreading mats, and upright forms with flower buds that bloom throughout summer and fall to low-lying mats with flower buds that open regularly throughout their growing seasons. Their wide array of colors and leaf shapes complement any garden design perfectly while remaining deer and rabbit resistant!
Many varieties of sedums are better-known for their foliage than for their blooms, yet some varieties also boast beautiful flowers. ‘John Creech’ features finely-textured green and yellow leaves arranged into dense mounds while ‘Elizabeth’ spreads across rich green foliage with tiny pink blooms above it; Autumn Joy and Dragon’s Blood have rose-pink flowers perched atop burgundy leaves to complete this picture.
Taller sedums like ‘Pride and Joy’ boast a tidy mounded habit with green-gray foliage that’s punctuated by pink blooms in late summer. Lemonjade stands out with bright citron-yellow blooms instead of its usual pink, making it an excellent choice for borders, rock gardens or beds.
Many cool weather annuals such as pansies (Viola cornuta), foxglove (Veronica x Grosso’) and violas (Viola), produce blooms that remain attractively colorful throughout fall and even into winter in some climates. Their appeal increases significantly when combined with other autumn bloomers.
