Fall
Fall-Blooming Perennials for Late-Season Color
Do not let the garden fade in September. These perennials save their best show for autumn.
Most gardens run out of steam by late summer, which is a shame, because autumn light is the most flattering of the year. A handful of perennials hold their flowers back for exactly this moment, and together they are a lifeline for the last bees and butterflies before winter. Plan for them and the garden ends the year on a high rather than a slow fade.
These are mostly planted earlier in the year and simply bide their time. Use the bloom calendar on each plant page to make sure you have color right through to the first frosts.
The stars of the fall garden
Asters and goldenrod are the signature autumn flowers, and a few mums and sedums round out the display. Together they pull in the last pollinators of the season.
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Purple Dome'
Clouds of purple daisies that are one of the most important late nectar sources there is.
Hylotelephium 'Autumn Fire'
Domed heads that open dusty pink and deepen to rust, swarming with bees into fall.
Anemone hupehensis
Elegant single flowers on tall wiry stems, lighting up the late border, even in part shade.
More late-season color
Stretch the season further with these, which carry the warm tones of autumn and add height and interest as everything else winds down.
Helenium
Warm red, orange, and gold daisies that carry the hot colors of late summer into fall.
Eutrochium
Tall mauve flower heads that tower at the back of the border and hum with bees.
Tricyrtis
Curious, orchid-like flowers, freckled and intricate, for shady corners in fall.
Leave the seed heads up
When these finish, resist the urge to cut everything back. Standing seed heads feed birds through winter, shelter insects, and look beautiful under frost. Tidy up in early spring instead.
What perennials bloom in the fall?
Asters, goldenrod, sedum, japanese anemone, chrysanthemums, helenium, and toad lily are all classic fall bloomers, carrying color from September to the first hard frost.
What can I plant for late-season pollinators?
Asters and goldenrod are the most valuable, providing crucial nectar for bees and butterflies heading into winter. Sedum is another magnet for late bees.
Should I cut perennials back in fall?
Often it is better to wait. Leaving seed heads and stems standing over winter feeds birds, shelters insects, and adds frosty structure. Cut back in early spring instead.
Design a garden with these plants
Open BloomsEye Studio with this guide's plants ready to drop onto a plan, then watch the whole bed bloom across the year.