Top Ten Fall Blooming Perennials

  • y Kyle Valentini
  • August 22, 2010
  • 280
                        
Around here we often think of chrysanthemum as annuals. Pampered in the greenhouses that grew them they are usually arriving in our gardens already in bloom. Chrysanthemums can easily be grown from seed, cutting or division. They are a staple in the fall garden and enhance the deciduous trees and bushes that are often the stars of the fall landscape. When properly mulched chrysanthemums will over winter well and provide years of enjoyment. Sedums are typically thought of as plants for rock gardens due to their low maintenance and need for little water. There are a few varieties that do very well in the fall perennial beds due to their ever changing flower heads that go from pink to rose-colored to deep red. Autumn Joy is such a variety. The name says it all. Choosing sedums that are 12-18 inches when mature will insure they look great when planted with other fall flowering perennials. Japanese Anemones are one of fall’s most beautiful blooms. Anemones do best in slightly shaded beds and pair well with evergreens. They range in size depending on variety and boast 2-4 inch blooms ranging in colors from white to pink. Anemones prefer to be sheltered and do well when planted beneath taller plants or along fences or walls. There are a host of Rudbeckia varieties to grow for fall color. Prized for their long bloom times, Rudbeckia like Black-Eyed Susans will bloom from early summer to late fall. They look great in cut arrangements and also dry well for wreaths and other indoor décor. Rudbeckia are commonly used in prairie restoration and their abundance is a sign of ecological health. Climbing vines like Clematis are impressive and require little more than light, water and light fertilizer to flourish. Fall blooming varieties like Clematis Avant Garde are perfect for arbors, trellises or decorative screens growing nearly ten feet in a season. A combination of petals and a dahlia-like bloom in the center, these pink and magenta flowers will flower year after year in a stunning manner. Clematis can be a bit aggressive so proper pruning is necessary to keep it from invading areas it has not been invited. The oft forgotten shade garden need not take a back seat to the more colorful fall blooms in the sunnier parts of the yard if you plant Toad Lily. Despite its name it is one of the more beautiful autumn blooming plants. Their single white blooms open to a purple spotted center and require moist shade or dappled light from taller trees protecting the area from above. Blooming from September to the first frost, they are one of the later bloomers in the garden. Adding blues, pinks whites and purples to the traditional autumn landscape of reds, yellows, oranges and browns can be done with asters. Daisy like flowers form in clusters and prefer full sun but some varieties will tolerate light shade. Asters should be planted at least 18 inches apart as they form broad clumps. For optimum plant health, asters should be divided every 3-4 years and replanted in locations where they will thrive. Dahlias are grown from tubers that can easily be dug up each winter and stored in sawdust or vermiculite for replanting in the spring. Dahlias come in varieties that grow only 12 inches and some that reach a height of 8 feet. Blooms vary in size as well, some as small as 2 inches while others are as large as dinner plates. Depending on your taste and space you will want to pick the dahlia varieties that best suit your needs. Chinese indigo can be planted in full sun or very light shade. It produces flowers reminiscent of sweet peas in clusters that hang 2-5 inches. In fall the foliage turns yellow and flowers are followed by purple seed pods that last through winter. Chinese indigo needs to be pruned just once a year as flowers will only grow on new wood. Ornamental grasses like fescues, switch grass and fountain grass, although not flowering, are wonderful in the autumn landscape. They provide shelter for wildlife and their seed heads and foliage turn beautiful shades of red, yellow, brown and sometimes pink as temperatures drop. Ornamental grasses should be divided every few years or they can grow extremely large in circumference. A carefully planned perennial garden will provide seasons of enjoyment. Low maintenance and economical, the perennial garden greets us each spring with anticipation of showing off all summer…and autumn long.


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