Fall-Blooming Annuals and Perennials Part 3 of 3

Five fall blooming perennials

Japanese anemone (Anemone x hybrida). I fell in love with Japanese anemones when I first saw them growing along a stream in Vancouver. Dark green leaves with either white or pink branching simple dahlia-like flowers with yellow stamens. Blooms August to October. Height 2-4 ft (60-120cm), spread 2-3 ft (60-90cm). Zones 5 to 9.

Asters…there are so many varieties — different heights and colours — of these daisy-like flowers, there’s bound to be one you like! Frikart’s aster (Aster x frikartii) is one of my favourites because it blooms non-stop from mid-summer to the end of fall. But since Frikart’s aster needs to be planted before mid-summer, you’ll have to wait until next year to get it. Height and spread 2-3 ft (60 to 90 cm). Zone 5 to 9.

False sunflower (Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’) Love the height and soft lemon colour. Grows to 6 to 7 ft (180 to 210 cm), with a spread of 2-3 ft (60-90 cm). Zones 4 to 9.

Stonecrop (Sedum spp.)…no garden is complete without one. Select the taller varieties if you want long-lasting fall colour with attractive seed heads. Plant sedums in poor soil, rich soil tends to make many sedum species to flop. My favourite? Sedum ‘Matrona’ (S. telephium ‘Matrona’). Beautiful soft-pink flowers, compact 16 to 20 inches (40-50 cm). Zones 2 to 9.

Goldenrod (Solidago). Gorgeous plumes of yellow flowers. I love goldenrods because they are found everywhere along the park, and they combine so well asters. Go for the hybrids, they are less invasive than the natives. 1½ to 2 ft (45 to 60 cm) tall and wide. Zones 2 to 9.

And how could forget perennial grasses? They are my absolute favourite. Right now I am growing feather reed grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’), which I love. Height 5 ft (150 cm) Spread 2 ft (60 cm), Zones 3-9. And I’ve grown special types of Miscanthus spp in the past. Miscanthuses are just amazing…Am I gushing?

Five annuals commonly sold in the fall

Many of the annuals that you planted in late spring — cleome, cosmos, geraniums petunias and snapdragons — will continue blooming throughout fall. Colourful annual-filled containers add pizzazz to the cloudy, grey fall days.

Asters … love the purple ones with yellow centres.

Kale … my favourite are the purple rosette type kale. Stands up nicely to frost and light snow.

Mums … not too fond of mums. Tend to perish suddenly with a frosty day.

Pansy … yellow and orange pansies of course. The purple ones are nice too. Who am I kidding? Love all pansies … they keep on blooming right through light snow.

Purple fountain grass … adds a moody purple arching habit to a container. Not my style, but effective.