As summer winds down, the days become shorter and the nights cooler, but that doesn’t mean your garden has to lose its vibrancy. Fall is a wonderful time to introduce a splash of color that can last until the first frost.
Fall doesn’t have to be a time of winding down in the garden. With the right selection of fall-blooming flowers, you can extend the gardening season and enjoy vibrant blooms until winter approaches. Choosing the right plants for your garden can transform it into a vibrant and thriving space.
Here are some of the best flowers to plant in the fall, ensuring your autumn gardens remain a riot of color and life even as the seasons shift.
There is increasing evidence that plants of different colors can have a differentiated impact on emotional, psychological, and physiological wellbeing
This article provides a comprehensive guide to selecting Autumn Joy, planting, and caring for the best flowers that bloom beautifully throughout the fall, ensuring your garden remains a captivating retreat.
Best flowers for fall
1. Hardy Fuchsia
Hardy fuchsias can be kept in the garden or in pots over winter but may need some protection in cold areas or during severe winters.
Unlike their tender cousins, hardy fuchsia can survive outside in most gardens without the need for cossetting overwinter indoors. These fuchsias tend to have an upright habit, with the stems arching towards the tips under the weight of the flowers.
Compact forms can be used in containers and at the front of borders. Taller varieties make attractive flowering hedges. Known for their resilience, hardy fuchsias can thrive in cooler climates and bring a continuous display of elegant, dangling flowers that add a touch of grace to any garden.
2. Sumac
This plant not only adds a vivid splash of color with its fiery red leaves in the fall but is also easy to grow and maintain. Sumac can quickly adapt to different soil types and environments.
Sumac is a spice that is popular in the Middle East. It is related to the poisonous shrub by the same name, but the culinary variety is safe to use and easily identifiable by its vibrant red berries (poisonous sumac is white).
The berries are turned into a coarse powder and sold as a ground spice; the berries are also available whole, although this is much less common in the U.S. Sumac is a versatile seasoning that adds bright red color and a tartness, similar to lemon juice, to a dish. One of the most common uses for sumac is in the spice blend
3. Cosmos
With their cheerful, daisy-like flowers, the cosmos are a superb choice for adding brightness to your garden. They’re particularly known for their ability to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Why is the cosmos flower special?
When you give someone a bunch of cosmos flowers, you’re giving them the universe! Based on this, cosmos flowers symbolize order, harmony, and balance. Cosmoses also represent peace, tranquillity, innocence, modesty, and joy.
4. Asters
These are fantastic for late-season blooms, ensuring your garden remains lively and colorful into the later months of the year. Asters also attract a variety of wildlife, which can help with pollination.
What is special about aster flowers?
The aster flower itself has a round center (typically yellow) surrounded by clusters of narrow petals. It is named for its star-like appearance of ray-like petals emanating from a central area (Aster means ‘star’ in Greek). Asters grow on a woody stem or stalk, which gives the taller bushes the extra support they need.
Asters are another fall favorite, blooming generously in shades of blue, purple, red, and white. These daisy-like perennials are not only beautiful but also attract late-season pollinators such as bees and butterflies. They prefer cool, moist climates and can do well in partial shade or full sun.
5. Sweet Alyssum
These colorful flowers are edible and non-toxic to humans and animals. Sweet Alyssum is grown not only for the draw of its flowers in hanging pots and as a carpeting plant but also for its ability to attract beneficial insects in the field, such as ladybugs and hoverflies. These insects are beneficial to plants as they feed on pests.
What does the alyssum flower symbolize?
In the Victorian language of flowers, Alyssums are known to mean “worth beyond beauty.” Many wear them to repel negative emotions such as anger.
6. Dahlias
Summer wouldn’t be summer without dahlias. Their beautiful flowers come in almost every color imaginable, from pale pastels to hot, vibrant shades. They come in a range of flower shapes, from small tight balls to lily-like blooms the size of dinner plates.
With their unmatched variety of sizes, colors, and shapes, dahlias can keep your garden in a continual state of bloom from summer right through to the first frost. These tuberous perennials require a bit more care, particularly in colder climates where they may need to be lifted and stored over winter.
7. Zinnia
If you plant zinnias, chances are, the butterflies will flutter in. Coming in almost every color imaginable, these gorgeous flowers thrive in gardens and are extremely low-maintenance, making them perfect for amateur gardeners.
What are zinnias used for?
Zinnia grows in color flowers. Long bloom season makes them excellent for landscape color in mixed plantings or for cutting gardens. Zinnias are one of the best annuals for attracting pollinators, especially butterflies. Interplant zinnias between rows of vegetables or as a border around vegetables to attract more pollinators to your garden. They add colors to your garden.
8. Salvia
Most salvias prefer full sun and well-drained soils, but some will bloom well in part shade. Once established, most salvia species are quite drought-tolerant and require little care. Excessive water and fertilizer can increase fungal disease problems for salvias. Most salvias prefer slightly acidic soils.
9. Violas
Hardy and versatile, violas can bloom even in the chill of early spring and late fall, providing long-lasting color and beauty when many other plants are not in season.
Where is the best place to plant violas?
Violas are tolerant of most conditions, yet will thrive in full sun or part shade especially during the spring, yet will easily fade in full sun during summer heat, and best to transplant into dappled shade. Soil: Moist, nutrient-rich soil that is well-drained and supplemented with compost.
Choosing flowers According to Soil Conditions
1. Optimal Growth
Different flowers thrive in specific climates and temperatures. Planting them in their ideal season ensures they grow healthier, stronger, and have better blooms.
2. Water Efficiency
Seasonally appropriate plants typically require less supplemental watering beyond what the natural climate provides, conserving water and reducing the need for irrigation.
3. Pest and Disease Resistance
Flowers that are in season are more likely to be resistant to the pests and diseases prevalent at that time of year, reducing the need for chemical interventions.
4. Support for Pollinators
Planting flowers when they naturally bloom supports local wildlife, including bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, which rely on these plants for food and shelter.
5. Economic Benefits
Seasonal planting can be more cost-effective. Plants that are in season are generally more readily available, potentially reducing costs associated with greenhouse cultivation and long-distance transportation.
Conclusion
The best fall flowers bring a spectacular display of colorful blooms to your autumn garden, from the late summer warmth through to the first frost of late fall. Whether you opt for the dazzling hues of fall-blooming perennials, the resilience of cool weather annuals, or the unique colors like lime green and hot pink of North American natives, these plants ensure continuous blooms even as the temperatures drop.
Gorgeous fall flowers like ‘Autumn Joy’ and other drought-tolerant varieties thrive in full to part sun and adapt well to a range of climates, making them perfect for both early fall and the cooler days of late fall. Don’t forget to visit garden centers to find the best selections for your fall garden, ensuring your outdoor space remains vibrant and full of fall color well into the season.
