As the growing season winds down, your garden might start to lose its vibrant colors. But with the right selection of plants, you can keep your outdoor space lively well into the fall.
Fall-blooming perennials are a great way to add late-season color and keep your garden looking fresh when many other plants are fading. These hardy flowers can brighten up your landscape and extend the season of blooms without much extra effort.
New England Aster
You’ll love the New England Aster for its bright purple flowers that bloom from late summer into fall. It’s great if you want to keep your garden colorful as the season changes.
This plant grows in mounded clumps and is easy to care for in most soils. It also plays nice with other fall bloomers like goldenrod. Check out the Purple Dome New England Aster if you want a compact version for your garden.
Hardy Mums
Hardy mums are perfect if you want easy, vibrant color in your fall garden. You can plant early, mid, and late-blooming varieties to keep your garden lively from September through November. They come in lots of colors, so you can mix and match to suit your style.
Sedum (Stonecrop)
If you want a low-maintenance plant that blooms late in the season, sedum is a solid choice. You’ll see clusters of flowers that start bright pink and turn coppery by fall.
Sedum attracts butterflies and bees, adding life to your garden. It handles heat and humidity well, making it a reliable option for late-season color.
Russian Sage
You’ll love Russian sage if you want a plant that flowers in late summer and into fall. Its small blue-purple blossoms grow on tall spikes, adding a soft pop of color to your garden.
This perennial prefers sunny spots with well-drained, sandy soil. It’s low-maintenance and drought-tolerant, making it a great choice for easy care beds. Russian sage usually stays around 18 to 24 inches tall, fitting well into borders or mixed plantings.
Japanese Anemone
If you want a plant that blooms late in the season, Japanese Anemones are a great choice. You’ll get bright pink or white flowers that last for 6-8 weeks, giving your garden some fresh color when many others have finished.
They’re easy to care for and do well in partial shade.
Coneflowers (Echinacea)
If you want a low-maintenance plant that keeps your garden colorful into fall, coneflowers are a solid choice. You’ll find them blooming from late spring through fall, adding vibrant purples, whites, and reds. Butterflies and birds also love these flowers, making your yard lively and bright. They grow 2 to 3 feet tall and thrive in sunny spots, perfect for a cheerful garden bed.
Helenium (Sneezeweed)
If you want late-season color, helenium is a solid pick. You’ll get bright yellow flowers with gold centers blooming from late summer into fall.
This hardy plant is easy to care for and attracts pollinators, so it adds life to your garden as others fade. Pair it with early bloomers to keep your garden colorful longer.
Agastache ‘Ava’ (Hummingbird Mint)
If you want something that blooms all summer into fall, Agastache ‘Ava’ is a great pick. It grows tall, around 4 to 5 feet, with a spread of about 2 feet.
You’ll attract hummingbirds easily since this plant is a favorite of theirs. Plant it in well-drained, enriched soil for the best results.
Sunflower (Perennial types)
If you want sunflowers that come back year after year, look for perennial types. These bloom late in the season, adding a warm pop of color to your garden when many other plants are fading.
You’ll find them in different shades of yellow and gold, perfect for late summer into fall. Perennial sunflowers can be a low-maintenance way to keep your garden cheerful longer.
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Hardy Plumbago)
If you want a plant that brightens your garden late in the season, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides is a solid pick. You’ll get vibrant blue flowers from summer into fall.
Its low-growing, spreading habit makes it great for ground cover. In fall, the foliage turns a warm burgundy, adding extra color after the blooms fade.
Beautyberry
You’ll notice Beautyberry for its striking clusters of bright purple berries in the fall. The berries often remain for weeks, adding color even after the leaves drop.
It starts with subtle white flowers in late summer before the berries appear. These purple berries attract birds, so you might want to plant extra if you want to keep the color longer.
Blueberries (ornamental interest)
You might think of blueberries just for eating, but they also bring nice color to your garden in the fall. Their leaves turn vibrant shades of red and orange as the season changes.
On top of the colorful foliage, you’ll get small berries that add extra visual interest. They’re a simple way to boost your garden’s fall charm.
Hydrangea (late-blooming varieties)
You can count on late-blooming hydrangeas for color well into fall. These varieties often keep their flowers fresh until the first frost.
Their leaves also offer extra interest, turning shades of gold, red, and purple as the season changes. Adding them to your garden boosts autumn appeal with minimal effort.
Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)
You’ll love how Rudbeckia lights up your garden with its bright yellow, orange, or rust-colored blooms. These plants usually flower in late summer through fall, adding a warm glow just when other flowers start to fade.
‘Autumn Colors’ is a popular variety, known for big, colorful blooms that can reach 5-7 inches wide. They’re easy to grow and attract butterflies, making your space lively as the season changes.
Goldenrod
You’ll notice goldenrod blooming late in the season, often from late summer into fall. It adds bright gold color when many other plants start to fade.
Goldenrod does well in sunny spots but can handle some shade and occasional wet soil. It’s a low-maintenance choice to keep your garden looking lively through October.
Late-blooming Clematis
If you want to add color late in the season, late-blooming clematis are a great choice. These vines often flower from midsummer into early fall, giving your garden a fresh burst of life. You can find varieties that produce large, colorful blossoms that stand out well among other late bloomers.
Some types even bloom into the fall, making your outdoor space look lively longer. Check out options like the Sweet Autumn Clematis for easy care and a dependable bloom period.
Pompom Marigold
If you want bright, cheerful blooms that last well into fall, pompom marigolds are a solid choice. Their rounded, pompom-shaped flowers come in vibrant oranges and yellows that pop in any garden.
You won’t need to worry about staking since these sturdy plants usually stand 16-18 inches tall. They bloom from late spring until the first frost, adding color when many other flowers start to fade.
Aster (various species)
Asters are great if you want a splash of color late in the season. They bloom from late summer through fall with daisy-like flowers in many colors.
You’ll find many sizes to fit your garden, from small 6-inch varieties to tall ones reaching up to 48 inches. They’re easy to grow and attract pollinators, adding life to your outdoors.