Big bales of straw, pumpkins, cornucopias…all beautiful decorations of autumn. Your garden can be equally decorative with colorful, robust perennials that keep your flower beds cheery up through the holidays. Here are a few that I love:

Goldenrod is native to North America and can grow to four feet tall, which makes for a lovely house, fence, or yard border. The sunny blooms can withstand lots of sun and prefer well-drained soil. Its drought resistant nature make it an ideal choice for many regions of the country.

Aster has a range of colors: purple, white, pink, and blue, making them one of the most colorful of all the fall flowers. And they attract birds and butterflies, making your garden feel like a magical fairy land. The blooms are plentiful and the cuttings make for nice indoor arrangements.

Helenium is a native plant in the daisy family, known for its fire-colored flowers. They can grow quite tall, so be sure to stake them to keep upright. They like a damp soil, so plant in areas with poor drainage or use mulch to help out drier areas.

Sedum blooms at the end of summer and will thrive all fall. Flowers can be pink, red, white, or orange. This strong beauty handles drought or rainy conditions with equal ease and will stay quite lovely up through the winter.

Chrysanthemums, particularly “Hardy Mums” are the quintessential fall flower. Water frequently to keep them at their best and protect the ground with mulch in the winter. Perhaps most impressive is their variety of flower shapes and colors (every color but blue!) Pinch back and cut blooms and they’ll continue to flourish.

Happy autumn and happy gardening!

by