It's that time of year when pots of mums swarm porches and yards like flocks of noisy starlings. Most of these have been bred by the hundreds of thousands for a quick flowering burst. The easy fix, these abundant annuals—not to be confused with the noble, hardy Chrysanthemum—are the fast food of fall flowers.
But there are many beautiful, easy-care options that exploit the season's bounty. Grasses and sedums require little attention and their sculptural seedheads last well into the winter months in most garden zones. Mix them with glamorous fall-flowering plants and leaves in wine reds or sulphurous yellows, and the result is a riot of texture and color. Almost all of the plants we used are perennials, hardy to zone 5 (ie, most of the country). With just a little care they will return come spring.
A Classical Mix
Anchored by an evergreen, this combination is ideal for a part-sun location. It can be changed up year-round to reflect what's in season. Extra credit: Underplant with spring-flowering bulbs in the fall and you'll have blooms when the weather warms up.
The plants: A tree form of mature ivy, Hedera helix 'Arborescens,' mixed with perennials Aster cordifolius (Blue Wood Aster, a northeast native), Calluna vulgaris 'Valentina,' the trailing Origanum rotundifolium 'Kent Beauty' and Viola Sorbet 'Black Delight.'
Harvest Hues
A fall palette—copper, bronze, buff, deep red—rendered in textured grasses, large flower heads and distinctive leaves.
The plants: The grasses Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum,' aka Purple Fountain Grass, and Carex flagellifera 'Toffee Twist' hold their form well into the winter. Rudbeckia hirta 'Autumn Colors,' an exotic cultivar of the familiar native Black-eyed Susan, provides showy face flowers (best treated as a biennial, get it into the ground before it freezes for reseeding). Heuchera 'Dolce Licorice' brings intense color, strong winter hardiness and the added bonus of small coral flower spikes in spring.
Loose, Natural Look
Unlike foreign imports, native plants are adapted to their local soils and climates and require less care and water, while attracting birds, butterflies and other pollinators. We used some perennials from the American Beauties Native Plants collection.
The plants: Natives Chasmanthium latifolium (Northern Sea Oats), a grass with dancing seedheads, and Aster laevis 'Bluebird,' a hit with butterflies, bees and birds, are paired with Carex testacea 'Prairie Fire' and Sedum sichotense, whose colors intensify as temperatures drop; bright chartreuse Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' adds to the show.
The Quick Fix: Single-Plant Containers
Multiples of one thing pretty much always look good. Here are some stand-alone standouts.
Rudbeckia triloba (Brown-eyed Susan): An airy form with a three-month bloom season and deep-gold flowers. Easy to grow.
Heuchera (Coral Bells): The Coleus du jour, with many leaf colors to choose from and flower spikes in summer. Try the villosa series.
Solidago 'Little Lemon': A small form of goldenrod with pretty lemon-yellow flower spikes.
Mum Spoiler: Look for hardy garden mums. Chrysanthemum 'Glowing Ember' is best planted in the spring for a late fall bloom.
