Who doesn’t want to hang onto summer as long as possible? These plants provide great color during late summer, into early fall and beyond. Here is a list of a few plants to check out if your garden is looking a little blah this time of year. These blooming perennials will come back year-after-year!
Joe Pye Weed – This beauty has purple stems, dark leaves and flower heads at the top. Joe Pye prefers full sun and attracts butterflies and pollinators like crazy this time of year. Joe Pye is about six feet tall, but shorter varieties are available as well.
Black eyed Susan has gold flowers with dark centers and large, dark green leaves. ‘Goldsturm’ very common, about 2’ tall and wide, but can spread more. Blooms July into September. Other varieties are available.
A great long blooming perennial.
Coneflowers aren’t just pale purple and pink anymore. Dark pinks, white, orange, yellows, red and orange are available too in various heights. Leave these up over the winter and the birds will enjoy the seeds.
Aster is Latin for the star shape of the flowers. Asters come in shades of purple or blues. Plants are under 2 ‘ to 6’+ and like full sun to light shade. Blooms usually start in late August.
Sedums like the upright varieties rather than spreading types are late bloomers. The butterflies love them in late summer to early fall. Sedums are also very drought tolerant.
Mums of the ‘Mammoth’ variety. These mums are truly hardy with no pinching or pruning and they get huge! The are about 2′ tall and can spread to 4′ or more. Colors available are red, lavender, bronze and yellow.
Ornamental grasses are always great choices in varying colors and heights from 2-3′ to 6 or more. Some grasses have wheat-like flowers while others have large plumes. Great in dried arrangements. Varieties like ‘Ruby Ribbons’ and ‘Blue Heaven’.