The Best Fall Flowers to Plant for a Colorful Garden That Lasts All Season

As the summer blooms fade and the air turns cooler, your garden doesn’t have to lose its charm. Fall is a great time to refresh your outdoor space with flowers that thrive in cooler temperatures and add vibrant color.

The best fall flowers to plant will keep your garden lively and beautiful well into the autumn months, offering a variety of shapes, colors, and textures to enjoy. With the right choices, you can create a garden that brightens your home and supports local pollinators during this season.

Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums, often called mums, are a popular choice for adding vibrant fall color to your garden. They come in many shapes, sizes, and colors, giving you plenty of options to match your style.

You can grow mums as perennials or annuals, and they are known for their long-lasting blooms. They thrive in cooler weather, making them perfect for autumn gardens.

Mums work well in borders, containers, or as cut flowers. Plant them in a sunny spot and enjoy their cheerful presence even as other summer flowers fade.

Asters

Asters are a great choice if you want to keep your garden colorful into fall. These perennial flowers have daisy-like blooms that come in a variety of colors and sizes. They usually start blooming in late summer and continue into autumn.

You’ll find asters do well in full sun to part shade and prefer well-draining soil. They attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, making your garden lively. They are also relatively easy to care for and can add lasting beauty as many other flowers fade.

Dahlias

Dahlias bring a wide range of colors and shapes to your fall garden. They bloom from mid-summer through early fall, giving you a long season of vibrant flowers.

These flowers are relatively low maintenance once planted. You can enjoy their bright colors with just basic care like watering and deadheading.

Their tuberous roots allow you to plant them in the fall for blooms the next spring. Dahlias also make excellent cut flowers if you want to bring some color indoors.

Goldenrod

Goldenrod brings a bright splash of yellow to your fall garden. It blooms late in the season, adding color when many other flowers are fading.

You’ll love how easy it is to grow and care for. It’s a low-maintenance choice that thrives in various conditions.

Goldenrod also supports pollinators like bees and butterflies. By planting it, you help local wildlife while enjoying its cheerful appearance.

This native plant is perfect for gardens, meadows, or containers. It fits well in different garden styles and natural landscapes.

Japanese Anemones

Japanese Anemones are a great choice for adding color to your garden in the fall. They bloom from late summer into autumn, filling your space when many other plants stop flowering.

These perennials have delicate flowers in shades of white and pink. They grow on tall, wiry stems that sway gently in the breeze.

You’ll find them easy to care for. They prefer part sun or light shade and well-drained soil. Once established, they need minimal attention but offer lasting beauty.

Sedum

Sedum, also known as stonecrop, is a great choice for adding color to your fall garden. These hardy succulents have fleshy leaves and produce clusters of tiny star-shaped flowers that start pink and often deepen in color as they age.

They thrive in well-draining soil and prefer full sun to part shade, making them low-maintenance for any gardener. Sedum blooms in late summer through fall, providing a nice burst of color when many other plants have finished blooming.

You can use sedum in rock gardens, containers, or as border plants. Their drought tolerance and resilience make them perfect for gardeners looking for easy-care, long-lasting autumn color.

Pansies

Pansies are a great choice for fall because they thrive in cooler weather. You can plant them from mid-September to early October for blooms that last through winter.

They prefer locations with morning sun and some afternoon shade to avoid the heat. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, and mulching can help maintain soil moisture.

Pansies come in many colors, so you can create beautiful patterns in your garden. If you regularly remove spent flowers, they’ll keep blooming longer even with some frost.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers bring a cheerful burst of color to your fall garden. They come in shades of golden yellow, orange, and red, fitting perfectly with the autumn palette.

You can choose from a variety of types, including small, dainty Italian White sunflowers or tall Mammoth sunflowers. Some varieties even bloom late into the season, extending your garden’s brightness.

If you want something more permanent, consider perennial sunflowers like Helianthus maximiliani. They return year after year and add lasting depth to your garden. Sunflowers are a vibrant, easy way to celebrate fall.

Ornamental Kale

Ornamental kale is a great choice for adding color and texture to your fall garden. It thrives in cool weather and can bring vibrant shades of purple, pink, red, and white to your outdoor spaces.

You can grow it in the ground or containers, making it versatile for many garden styles. While it’s edible, ornamental kale is mainly grown for its decorative appeal rather than taste.

This plant pairs well with mums and pansies, giving you lots of options to create a lively fall display. It’s low-maintenance and holds up well in crisp autumn air, keeping your garden colorful as the season changes.

Marigolds

You can enjoy marigolds well into the fall with the right varieties. These flowers bring bright oranges, reds, and yellows that add cheerful color as summer fades.

Marigolds are easy to grow and love full sun. They are also tough and resistant to many garden pests, making them a practical choice for a fall garden.

Planting marigolds in the fall is possible if you start early enough. Their blooms can brighten beds, borders, and containers through cooler months, giving your garden a lively look.