Summer may be over, but that doesn’t mean gardening season has to end. In fact, there are many varieties of plants and flowers that thrive in the fall climate. These plants will brighten up your fall landscape and give you plenty of blooms to enjoy throughout the season. Here are some excellent plants and flowers that you can plant now and enjoy until next spring.
Marigolds
Marigolds are typically thought of as summer flowers, since they tolerate heat so well, but they can also perform wonderfully in your fall garden. The red, gold, yellow and orange colors of their blossoms will enhance your autumn palette and complement the colors of the changing tree leaves. If you planted marigolds by seed in summer, those plants will continue to provide you with color well into fall. If not, you can certainly plant them now from packs purchased at your local garden center.
Roses
Not typically thought of as a fall flower, roses may surprise you with their show of color at this time of year. Roses tend to decline during the heat of summer, and can fall prey to insects and disease. But once the temperatures drop, pests and disease are less of a problem and your rose bushes may stage a wonderful revival right before they go dormant in winter.
Chrysanthemums
Many people think of mums when they think of fall color, and it is easy to see why. Mums are the gold standard of fall flowers and come in an array of colors we associate with the season such as purple, orange, burgundy, yellow, white and gold. Mums can survive somewhat cold temperatures and may even weather a frost or two.
Hellebores
Native to a Mediterranean climate, Hellebores can also be grown in the US and come in a variety of colors including yellow, cream, pink, purple, ruby and amethyst. They generally bloom from December through March, providing brilliant color at a time when your other garden plants will be dormant. Hellebores are poisonous, so do not eat them and wear gloves when handling to avoid a skin rash.
Flowering Shrubs
There are many varieties of shrubs that bloom in fall and winter including forsythia, wintersweet, honeysuckle, sweetbox, witchhazel, and viburnum. They can provide the perfect backbone to your fall garden.
Winter Iris
Winter Iris is a unique and special plant that flowers from October to March or April. It is hardy and can even survive a freeze. Although freezing will cause blooms to get mushy and fall off, those damaged will soon be replaced with new blooms once the temperature warms. Winter Iris comes in a variety of shades including white, yellow, pink, striped and spotted.
Just because the temperatures have dropped doesn’t mean you have to stop gardening. In fact, just a few hours in the garden this fall will pay off with blooms that you can enjoy until spring arrives. Just plant one or more of the varieties above to create a fall landscape you will love.
