perennials

Perennials - A Repeat Bloomer!

The end of the summer doesn't have to mean the end of your colorful blooms. There are so many fall-blooming flowers just waiting to put on a show in your landscape. Fall gardening will put you in the spirit of the season. There's no better time to get outdoors and enjoy this wonderful weather before the cold sets in. Fall is the perfect time to plant new perennials. Autumn blooming perennials come in all the jewel tones of the season, from deep purples and rusts to scarlet and gold. Here are some of our faves for fall blooming perennial beauties...

Heucheras
A garden must-have! It’s hard to beat this low-growing, shade-loving plant with incredible foliage. As an evergreen, they will boast showy foliage year round. In the spring and early summer, Heucheras will shoot up small delicate bell-shaped blooms. But it’s the foliage that makes them a winner. Purple, black, red, orange, brown, silver, chartreuse-you name it, you can most likely find a heuchera in that color. Heucheras are great plants for either edging a bed or using a group as a focal point.

Mums
The Chrysanthemum is one of the most beloved fall bloomers! Mums are perennials that can come back year after year to flower each fall if the proper care is taken. Blooming mums go dormant during winter months, and then resume their growth in the spring. Although mums are hardy plants, if inadequate care is taken they might not survive the extreme cold of some winters. Available in a wide variety of colors, including white, off-white, yellow, gold, bronze, red, burgundy, pink, lavender and purple, they provide bright color and structure in the garden. To extend their blooming period, be sure to pinch off the spent blooms.

Asters
The aster is considered the other autumn classic. These delicate daisy-like flowers provide a wonderful border in a garden because of the magnitude of color and drama they offer when planted in masses. They come in a rainbow of colors as white, lavender, blue, bright pink, purple with a yellow eye, and medium blue. Like the mum, the aster is a perennial that will come back and flower in the fall if cared for correctly. Together, mums and asters are backbone of an autumn garden to look forward to every year.

Sedum
These drought-tolerant plants are great as a groundcover, border plant, in containers or to fill in any spot in the garden. Try a smaller leaf sedum such as Dragon’s Blood for a bright red trailing plant in containers or bigger leaf varieties like Autumn Joy or Autumn Charm for a showier bloom. We also like the beautiful amber tones of Angelina in the fall and winter.

Ornamental Grasses (Miscanthus, Pennisetum, Muhlenbergia, Carex)
The possibilities for fall garden do not only include flowers. Try mixing tall, wispy ornamental grasses whose neutral colors serve as a nice contrast to the bright colors of fall flowers. Ornamental Grasses offer dramatic height, texture and movement in both the landscape and in containers. As an added benefit, they are also fairly maintenance free.

Plumbago
Plumbago is a wonderful perennial with sky-blue or white flowers that will bloom profusely through the late summer and fall. This versatile plant can be pruned into a hedge, used as a groundcover, or in containers. Check out this fabulous perennial.