Fall is a season often associated with the end of vibrant colors in the garden as many plants retreat into dormancy. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. With careful plant selection, you can ensure your garden remains full of color and texture through the cooler months. Let’s delve into three perennials – Echinacea, Montauk daisies, and Sedum – which are sure to bring that much-needed color and interest to your garden in the fall.
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Color Palette: These beautiful flowers range in colors from the traditional purple-pink to vibrant reds, sunny yellows, and even cool whites.
Benefits:
- Attracts Wildlife: Coneflowers are magnets for butterflies, bees, and even songbirds, which feast on the seed heads.
- Medicinal Properties: The Echinacea plant is known for its immune-boosting properties.
Planting & Care: These plants prefer full sun but can tolerate light shade. Well-draining soil is a must. Once established, they are drought tolerant, which makes them a favorite among gardeners looking for low-maintenance plants.
Montauk Daisies (Nipponanthemum nipponicum)
Color Palette: Montauk daisies offer stunning white petals with a golden-yellow center.
Benefits:
- Late Bloomer: They come into their prime in late September or October, providing fresh blooms when many other plants are fading.
- Structure: The plant’s glossy, dark green leaves add structure and contrast in the garden.
Planting & Care: Montauk daisies love the sun and need well-draining soil. It’s also a good idea to provide them with a winter mulch in colder zones to protect them from harsh winter weather.
Sedum (Stonecrop)
Color Palette: Sedum species can range from ground-cover types with green or bluish leaves to taller varieties that produce large heads of pink, red, or white flowers in late summer to fall.
Benefits:
- Drought Tolerant: Sedums are succulents, storing water in their thick leaves, making them extremely drought-tolerant once established.
- Texture: They add fantastic texture to garden beds, and their late-season flowers are a boon for pollinators.
Planting & Care: Sedums are adaptable, thriving in full sun to partial shade and tolerating a variety of soil types, as long as it’s well-draining. These plants are also quite resistant to pests and diseases.
With the right perennials, the fall season can be as vibrant and colorful as spring and summer in your garden. Incorporate Echinacea, Montauk daisies, and Sedum to ensure a delightful display of colors, textures, and pollinator activity. Not only will these plants elevate the aesthetic appeal of your garden, but they’ll also support a bustling ecosystem even as the temperatures begin to drop.
