Perennial Plants For Fall Gardens

Perennial plants for fall gardens keep your beds full of color long after summer blooms start to fade, with flowers, foliage and seed heads that carry the season right up to frost. For sunny fall flower beds, asters bring shades of purple, pink and white while goldenrod adds bright yellow blooms that support late-season pollinators. Many varieties of upright sedum, also called stonecrop, offer pink-to-rust flower clusters and fleshy leaves that suit well-drained garden soil. In spots with morning sun and afternoon shade, Japanese anemones can extend the show with graceful pink or white flowers, though some spread readily and need room to grow. Hardy garden mums are another fall favorite, but their ability to return each year depends on the variety, your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone and how well their roots establish before winter. Spring planting often gives mums a better start than planting them late in fall. For a layered fall perennial garden, pair late-blooming flowers with ornamental grasses such as switchgrass or little bluestem, choosing varieties suited to your region and available space. Planting perennials in fall gives roots time to settle into cooler soil while the weather is easier on new growth, making early autumn a good planting window in many parts of the country. Aim to get fall garden perennials in the ground about six weeks before your typical first hard freeze, and check each plant’s needs for sunlight, moisture and spacing before picking its spot. Loosen the soil across the planting area, mix in compost where needed and set each plant at the same depth it grew in its container. Water thoroughly after planting, then check soil moisture regularly and water as needed until the ground freezes; cooler days do not always mean the soil stays moist. A two- to three-inch layer of mulch helps moderate soil temperatures and conserve moisture, but keep it pulled back from plant crowns to help prevent rot. Leave healthy seed heads and standing grasses through winter where practical to give birds food and beneficial insects shelter, and remove diseased foliage rather than leaving it in the bed. With the right plants and a little fall care, perennial garden beds can bring back seasonal color year after year around the porch, along a fence or beside a sunny walkway.