Woodie’s Picks: Plants Budding and Blooming Now For Long-Lasting and Fresh Fall Color
It’s September, and the weather in Maryland has been dropping into the low sixties. While it is still technically summer, we can’t help but get into our fall feels and pull out the sweaters from storage. The cool temperatures and spirit of the season don’t just affect us…but our landscape too!
If your landscape is feeling dry, dull, and let’s be honest, lifeless...then now is a great time to change that so you can enjoy the splendor of the season to its fullest! In this week’s installment of Woodie’s Picks, we want to highlight a few of our long-blooming favorites that provide color and beauty well into the season when much else has gone dormant.
How To Extend Bloom Times in The Fall Landscape
Strategic Planting & Selection
To enjoy a garden that stays colorful throughout the seasons, mix plants with staggered bloom times by combining spring, summer, and fall bloomers in the same border. Include late-season favorites like asters, sedums, and chrysanthemums, and consider re-blooming shrubs and perennials, such as roses and hydrangeas, that flower on both new and old growth for extended color.
Proper Care & Maintenance
To keep plants blooming longer and healthier, regularly deadhead spent flowers to encourage new growth, and maintain consistent watering while avoiding overwatering. Fertilize with a slow-release formula to support strong blooms without promoting excessive foliage, and apply mulch around plants to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature as the seasons change.
Favorite Long-Lasting Autumn Flowers For Your Garden
Anemone
Anemone, also known as Japanese Wind Flower, is a long-standing favorite in the fall garden. The tall, swirling stems paired with the plant’s elegant, fairytale-like blooms make for a breathtaking display in the cool months. Hardy to USDA grow zones 4-8, Japanese Anemone can survive winters in a wide range of North American climates. They offer long-lasting flowers in pinks, whites, and purples, attracting pollinators and providing great cut flowers. These adaptable, low-maintenance plants are also deer-resistant and can function as tough groundcover in challenging spots like dry shade.
Camellias
No fall garden is complete without a stunning blooming shrub…and with most shrubs blooming in spring and summer, these can be hard to come by! But have no fear, there are some unicorn planting options in the mix. One of our all-time favorite fall-blooming shrubs is the Camellia. Fall Camellias are a wonderful addition to the garden for many reasons. They provide late-season color, blooming from late fall into early winter when few other shrubs are flowering. Planting in the fall gives them time to establish strong roots in the still-warm soil before winter, ensuring long-term health and vigor. Fall-blooming varieties, such as Camellia sasanqua, are typically hardier and more tolerant of less-than-ideal soil conditions than their spring-blooming counterparts, and they can also handle more sun, offering greater flexibility in placement. These versatile shrubs can be used as hedges, borders, screens, or even grown in containers, and their dark green evergreen foliage provides year-round beauty in the landscape.
Aster
Plant fall asters to provide late-season color and crucial nectar for pollinators like bees and butterflies when other food sources are scarce. They are easy-to-grow, low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants that attract birds, control erosion in gardens, and are resistant to deer and rabbits. Native asters are also a more ecologically sound choice than traditional garden mums, supporting the entire food chain. Most fall asters are hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 8, meaning they can survive the winter in these regions. For best results, Most fall asters are hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 8, meaning they can survive the winter in these regions.
Abelia
Abelia is a versatile, low-maintenance shrub that offers beauty and resilience throughout the seasons. Known for its extended bloom time, it begins flowering in late spring or early summer and continues producing buds and blossoms well into the fall. Many varieties, such as ‘Kaleidoscope,’ also deliver vibrant fall foliage, with leaves transitioning from green to rich oranges, reds, and purples. Its fragrant, tubular flowers attract hummingbirds and other pollinators, while its glossy foliage provides long-lasting visual interest, with some types remaining evergreen or semi-evergreen in warmer zones. Abelias are tough plants, resistant to pests and disease, and tolerant of drought and clay soil once established. Their adaptability makes them suitable for borders, informal hedges, mass plantings, or containers, and the best time to plant them is in spring or early fall, giving roots time to establish before temperature extremes set in.
Shop Fall Blooms Online Today
As the days grow shorter and cooler, your garden doesn’t have to fade into the background. With thoughtful plant choices like Anemones, Camellias, Asters, and Abelia, you can keep your landscape full of life and color well into fall. These hardy, long-blooming plants not only brighten up your garden but also support pollinators, offer year-round structure, and bring lasting seasonal charm. Now is the perfect time to refresh your space and embrace all the beauty that autumn has to offer.