Looking to plant something other than mums this fall? These flowers will add gorgeous color and a lot of variety to your yard and garden! Many of these plants will even grow up until the first frost.
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A few weeks ago, I went to the garden center to replace a flower in one of my container gardens. It wasn't the easiest task finding something to plant in its place. I noticed that tables and stands were looking really empty. Any summer annuals that were actually left looked a bit sad. Even the perennial section was limited. I knew that meant one thing - the mums were coming!
A week or two later, I ended back at that same garden center. And wouldn't you know, the tables were filled with pots of all sizes filled with colorful mums. Fall flower season has officially begun! And while I love filling planters with these popular fall flowers, it's early and they require some care to keep them thriving. So I usually try my best to wait until the end of the month to purchase mums.
We won't talk about the fact that I found Sunflower mums (also called Viking mums) recently at the grocery store and grabbed two pots for my mom and me. They've been kind of hard to find around here the past few years so I snatched them up when I saw them. Instead, let's chat about all of the other flowers and ornamentals that are fun to grow as we head into fall!
Flowers to Plant in September Besides Mums
I've had quite a few of these flowers growing in my yard and garden since the spring and summer. Thankfully, they're hardy little plants (at least for my zone here in Jersey) and should last until the first frost. While I have a ton of fall color outside right now, some of my plants will even add a spooky touch for Halloween!
Marigolds
Let's start with one of the easiest flowers to plant. Not only are marigolds popular in summer gardens for pest control, but their yellow, red, and orange colors add a pretty touch to the fall garden. They'll bloom well into the fall season. And as the traditional flower of Dia de los Muertos, they are a great flower to incorporate into Halloween decor.
Asters
Apparently all mums are considered asters. But not all asters are mums. At least that's what Google told me. I currently have two types of asters growing in our yard - Blue Stokesia (perennial) and Chinese asters (annual). While Blue Stokesia is mainly a purply-blue color, Chinese asters are available in multiple colors that look like little pom-poms.
Black Pearl Peppers
This ornamental plant technically isn't a flower. But before the tiny black peppers grow on this dark and spooky plant, small purple flowers will grow. The color is so pretty against the black foliage. As the black peppers mature, they'll turn red.
If you're wondering if these peppers are edible, yes, they are. But they are super spicy and I wouldn't recommend eating them. Instead, keep them as a fun way to add to your Halloween decor. Then, save the seeds for next year. They're really easy to regrow! Just throw them in a pot of soil at the beginning of summer and watch them take off!
Snapdragons
While snapdragons will survive the summer heat, their growth slows. Now that the weather is cooling down, my snapdragons are starting to make a comeback. I love the way these flowers smell and their bright colors make them standout in planters.
Plus, when the flowers die back, the seed pods look like tiny skulls. I use the little "skulls" in my All Souls simmer pot kit!
Dragon's Breath Celosia
Just the name of this plant alone makes it a great addition to a fall garden! This bright, reddish-pink plant is so much fun! It really stands out and grows showy, fluffy looking flowers. Even though it's categorized as an annual, I've had previous plants drop seeds. The next season, I've discovered baby Dragon's Breath celosia growing in the yard.
Sedum
Sedum plants are fantastic plants to grow! If you're a succulent lover, these are super easy to maintain because they don't really need any maintenance. They're drought-tolerant, don't mind the heat or cold, attract bees, and most are perennials. Plus, they can be found in a variety of shapes and colors.
Coneflowers
Coneflowers are a perennial pollinator plant that will last up until the first frost. They're tall with decent-sized flower and a big, spiky seed head in the middle. You can get them in a variety of pretty colors and, right now, you could probably score a deal on these flowers for late season planting!
Blanket Flowers
This is my first year growing Blanket flowers and they grew as part of a wildflower mix I planted early in the season. Just recently, I started noticing these frilly, colorful flowers appear. While they don't last long, they make a pretty addition to a fall landscape. And they're a perennial so you'll get to enjoy them year after year.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are often considered a summer flower, and they are, but they'll bloom well into fall. I mean, have you ever gone apple picking or pumpkin picking at a farm and noticed fields of these flowers? They're an easy-to-grow flower and, depending on the variety, can continuing growing up until the first frost.
Once finished blooming, the flower heads can be dried and the seeds can be saved to plant the next season. I like to share them with our backyard birds, too.
Verbena
While verbena can tolerate some heat, it really thrives in cooler spring and fall temps. The tiny clusters of colorful flowers sit on top of tall stems. And even though verbena can tolerate some drought conditions, it's best to keep them watered. You can deadhead them to keep them looking tidy and encourage new blooms, but don't require it.
Lantana
Here in Zone 7, lantana is an annual that blooms from spring and well into the fall. It's available in a variety of color mixes and grows in tiny flower clusters. Not only is this flower really pretty and perfect to add to container gardens, it's easy to grow and a favorite of bees and butterflies.
Dahlias
Dahlias, in my opinion, are one of the prettiest flowers. They're big, they're colorful, and they're perfect for fall gardens because the cooler nights actually promote more blooms with brighter color! You can snip the blooms when they're spent to promote more growth. Plant them in full sun and keep them moist, but not soggy.
Fuschia
I really love these purple and pink lantern-like flowers, but they never do well in the summer. At least for me! But just when I thought my plants were dying off, they sprang back to life once the temps cooled down. Now, I get to enjoy these beautiful, overflowing flowers until late fall!
African Daisies
African daisies are available in a variety of colors, but their orange color looks quite striking against alongside other fall florals. Depending on where they're being planted, these flowers can grow up until early fall or the first frost. They like a lot of sun and do best when watered regularly. They also make pretty cut flowers!
Ornamental Grasses
Okay, so ornamental grasses aren't technically a flower (although some do bloom). But they're a fun addition to a fall garden. I have grown Black Millet for the past few years, but couldn't find it at the garden center this year. Instead, I picked up Purple Fountain Grass.
This ornamental fountain grass grows tall dark foliage with feathery spikes. It definitely adds a nice touch to fall/Halloween decor. And depending on where you live, some of these grasses are considered perennials and can be enjoyed up until the first frost.
There's still plenty of time left in the growing season and plenty of fall flowers - other than mums - to plant in your yard and garden. However, if you're planning on growing mums, make sure to keep their soil moist, feed them a nitrogen-based plant food, and deadhead, deadhead, deadhead! Then, you should be able to stretch their growing season.
