As summer fades and autumn sets in, it’s the perfect time to refresh your garden with beautiful fall plants and flowers. These hardy varieties not only add color to your outdoor space but also provide interest and texture as the seasons change. Here’s a list of some of the best fall plants and flowers to consider for your garden, with more in-depth details for each to help you make the best choice!
1. Chrysanthemums (Mums)
- Height: 12–36 inches
- Color Variety: Yellow, white, red, purple, and bronze
- Why We Love It: Chrysanthemums, often simply called “mums,” are a staple of fall gardens, offering a dazzling array of colors. Their dense blooms form a vibrant mound that can stand out in any garden bed. Mums thrive in full sun and well-draining soil, making them relatively easy to maintain. With their late bloom time, they are ideal for adding long-lasting color just as summer plants begin to fade. Tip: Deadheading spent flowers can extend the blooming period into late fall.
2. Asters
- Height: 12–36 inches
- Color Variety: Purple, pink, blue, and white
- Why We Love It: Asters bring star-shaped, daisy-like blooms to the garden, offering a burst of color that attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies. These perennials are known for their reliability and hardy nature, making them excellent for fall gardens. Asters prefer full sun but can tolerate partial shade. Plant them in well-draining soil to avoid root rot. Their late-season bloom time makes them a must-have for keeping the garden alive with color well into autumn.
3. Sedum (Stonecrop)
- Height: 12–24 inches
- Color Variety: Red, pink, purple, and gold hues in fall
- Why We Love It: Sedum, often referred to as Stonecrop, is a tough, drought-resistant plant that’s perfect for rock gardens or borders. Its fleshy, succulent leaves retain moisture, making it ideal for gardens with less-than-perfect soil. As autumn progresses, the leaves of some sedum varieties turn vibrant shades of red and gold, adding an extra touch of warmth to your garden. Bonus: Sedum flowers attract pollinators, and their seed heads provide interest even in winter.
4. Ornamental Kale
- Height: 12–18 inches
- Color Variety: Purple, green, white, and pink
- Why We Love It: Ornamental kale and cabbage are cool-weather lovers that offer rich foliage in shades of green, purple, and white. Their thick, ruffled leaves create stunning texture in flower beds or container gardens. Unlike their edible cousins, these varieties are grown for their appearance, not taste. They thrive in cooler temperatures and can handle light frost, making them excellent for fall. The more the temperature drops, the brighter the color of the leaves becomes, creating an evolving landscape as the season progresses.
5. Pansies
- Height: 6–12 inches
- Color Variety: Nearly every color imaginable
- Why We Love It: Pansies are one of the most versatile and cold-hardy flowers, with the ability to bloom even in frosty conditions. Their unique “faces” — a distinctive pattern on the petals — come in an astonishing range of colors, providing a cheerful pop of color to your fall garden. Pansies are perfect for borders, window boxes, or mixed with other fall flowers. They prefer cool weather and bloom well into late fall, especially if planted in partial shade.
6. Goldenrod
- Height: 24–48 inches
- Color Variety: Golden yellow
- Why We Love It: Goldenrod’s vibrant yellow blooms make it a standout in any fall garden. Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod does not cause hay fever (that’s ragweed’s doing!). This wildflower is a pollinator magnet, attracting bees and butterflies. It thrives in full sun and is drought-tolerant once established, making it an easy addition to a low-maintenance garden. Goldenrod’s tall, feathery blooms also add height and texture to garden beds.
7. Japanese Anemone
- Height: 18–36 inches
- Color Variety: Pink, white, lavender
- Why We Love It: Japanese Anemones bring grace and elegance to any fall garden. Their delicate, papery blooms on tall, swaying stems add a soft, romantic feel to flower beds. These perennials thrive in partial shade, making them great for woodland gardens or shaded borders. Japanese Anemones spread slowly and are relatively low-maintenance once established, providing late-season blooms that last well into autumn.
8. Heuchera (Coral Bells)
- Height: 12–18 inches
- Color Variety: Purple, red, lime green, and bronze foliage
- Why We Love It: Heuchera, commonly known as Coral Bells, is prized for its colorful foliage rather than its flowers. With leaf colors ranging from deep purples and reds to bright lime greens, Heuchera adds year-round interest to garden beds and borders. It thrives in partial shade, making it a great companion for other shade-loving plants. In fall, its rich foliage provides striking contrast to traditional blooms, while its small, bell-shaped flowers attract pollinators earlier in the year.
9. Fall-blooming Crocus
- Height: 4–6 inches
- Color Variety: Purple, white, yellow
- Why We Love It: Fall-blooming crocuses are a delightful surprise when they burst into bloom late in the season, often after most plants have finished flowering. Their delicate, cup-shaped flowers provide a vibrant splash of color in the garden, even after frost has arrived. These small but mighty flowers are perfect for rock gardens, borders, or naturalizing in a lawn. They prefer full sun and well-draining soil. Bonus: Some species of fall crocus, like saffron crocus, produce the spice saffron.
Conclusion
By incorporating these fall plants and flowers into your garden, you can create a vibrant and inviting space as the seasons change. From the cheerful blooms of chrysanthemums to the striking foliage of Heuchera, these selections ensure your garden remains beautiful and dynamic throughout the fall season. Plus, many of these plants provide interest even into winter, giving your garden year-round appeal.
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.
Get ready to enjoy a stunning fall garden with these beautiful additions!
Comments are closed