Which plants should you choose to bring colour to your garden in autumn?

Plants that wait until autumn to flower: perennials and bulbs

Perennials

Among the flowers that keep us waiting in the garden, there are plenty of late-flowering perennial plants, particularly in the Asteraceae family. The advantage of these perennials is that you can mix and match those that flower from the end of summer, such as Japanese anemones, with those that flower later in mid-autumn, such as asters. Combine them to extend the colourful display for three months!

• Essential autumn asters for beds and naturalistic gardens, mainly Asters novae-angliae, Asters novae-belgi and Asters dumosus;
• Tall autumn stonecrops (Sedum spectabile, now called Hylotelephium), just as attractive in bud as when fully open, magnets for pollinators and unaffected by heatwaves thanks to their fleshy foliage;
• Liriopes, with flowers in spikes ranging from pale to deep violet, and evergreen, strap-like foliage. The earliest ones flower from the end of summer;
• Tricyrtis, or toad lilies, with adorable speckled flowers that flower alongside liriopes;
• Actaea or Cimicifuga, with the advantage of having decorative foliage from spring to autumn, as well as spectacular flower spikes;
• Persicarias amplexicaulis, microcephala, polystachya and weyrichii;
• Chrysanthemums: like their cousins the asters, chrysanthemums are among the last perennials to bring colour to the garden in autumn. Ajania pacifica, meanwhile, flowers very late, in November. Arctancthemum, or Pacific chrysanthemums, are also part of the large “family” of chrysanthemums.
• The large autumn daisy, or Leucanthemella, flowers from September to October, unlike the summer-flowering Leucanthemum. You can also count on the lesser-known Japanese daisy, or Nippoanthemum, which flowers in September and October, and sometimes even November.
• Helenium: another Asteraceae of interest, which could be included in the following section because of its long, sun-loving flowering period;
• Solidagos, or goldenrod, with long golden-yellow flower heads that echo the yellowing foliage of autumn;
• Pineapple sage, which lives up to its name and flowers in bright red from October onwards;
• Schizostylis, beautiful South African plants that thrive in cool to damp conditions;
• Eupatoriums which flower from the end of summer into autumn in cool to damp soil;
• Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, a groundcover with blue flowers and foliage that turns red in the cold.

Sedum spectabile ‘Carl’, Aster ageratoides ‘Ezo Murasaki’, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Actaea ‘Chocoholic’ and Tricyrtis formosana

Bulbous plants

Crocuses, colchicums and ivy-leaved cyclamens are the best known, and they come in so many colours that you are sure to find one to suit your taste.
But we should not forget Amaryllis belladonna, nerines and Sternbergia, Eucomis automnalis, sea squill or some late-flowering Alliums tardifs.

Cyclamen hederifolium white, Crocus cilicicum, Nerine bowdenii, Amaryllis belladonna and Sternbergia lutea

→ Related topic: 10 early autumn-flowering perennials; 7 early-flowering autumn asters; Choose giant asters for a long, colourful display in autumn;  8 autumn-flowering clematis; Autumn garden: everything you need to know to grow hardy chrysanthemums; Rediscover chrysanthemums; Pompon chrysanthemums: perfect for autumn flower beds and 5 late autumn-flowering bulbs.

The tireless performers from spring or summer until the first frosts

These perennials are tough performers, flowering continuously from spring, or in some cases from summer, right through to well into October. Their flowering therefore lasts a long time. Some have a shrubby habit, and you can enjoy them until at least mid-autumn:

• Erigeron, perfect for a sunny rockery or in walls;
• Fuchsia magellanica and all hardy fuchsias, kings of shade and partial shade, right up until the frosts!
• Gauras, stars of beds without watering, in white or pink, and so light;
• the hardy geraniums, so numerous that there are varieties for every corner of the garden, such as the famous ‘Rozanne‘;
• the tree mallows, tall enough to add vertical interest to beds;
• Leonotis or lion’s tail: a shrubby perennial with bright orange flowers along the stems. It is tall too, making it suitable for the back of beds in coastal gardens, good for pollinators and highly tolerant of drought;
• late-flowering lobelias, such as L. siphilitica, entirely blue, or L. cardinalis, a vivid red;
• the Rudbeckia fulgida and other species, true rays of sunshine in the autumn garden;
• Saruma, a shade plant with yellow flowers;
• the persicarias, for heavy soils and superb in cool conditions;
• the dahlias for generous summer and autumn cut flower arrangements;
• the tuberous nasturtium, a generous orange-flowering perennial climber in autumn, well worth rediscovering;
• the willowherbs, for mountain gardens… and everywhere else!

Fuchsia magellanica ‘Ricartonii’, Lobelia siphilitica, Gaura lindheimeri, Leonitis leonurus and Helenium autumnale ‘Morheim Beauty’

And a few other more tender plants to grow in pots outside mild climates:

• shrubby salvias;
• the Anisodontea, or Cape mallow, which provides a spectacular display of pink flowers right up until the frosts;
• Cosmos atrosanguineus, known for its chocolate fragrance;
• Gazania, in a range of colours from white to red, via yellow and orange;
• Phygelius, or Cape fuchsia;
• Callistemon flowers again in autumn in mild climates.

Cosmos atrosanguineus, Gazania rigens, Phygelius, Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’ and Anisodontea capensis

Repeat-flowering blooms

These are the ones that flower again after a summer break, provided they have been pruned after the first flush of flowers, giving a second flowering from September to October.

• Catmints, delightful little aromatic perennials that form cushions, with blue, mauve or, more rarely, white two-lipped flowers. They are very hardy and cope well with drought;
• Lobelias and hardy geraniums;
• Delphiniums, which reliably flower again. The new variety ‘Highlander Cha Cha‘ is particularly late-flowering;
• Shrubby salvias, now almost essential in the garden thanks to their ability to withstand drought without a murmur; after a short pause in summer, they flower abundantly again in early autumn;
• Phygelius, also known as Cape fuchsia, with tubular flowers in shades of yellow or orange;
• Meconopsis cambrica, with yellow flowers;
• Rhodanthemum, or Moroccan daisies, (again!) another member of the daisy family, perfect for sunny rock gardens;
• Some corydalis, such as Corydalis lutea, which is yellow and flowers for a long time, right through to October;
• Sisyrinchium can sometimes flower again, depending on the weather conditions in certain regions;
• Some repeat-flowering irises and agapanthus;
• Turtleheads such as Chelone glabra, also known as turtlehead;
• and, of course, very many repeat-flowering roses…

Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’, Moroccan daisy ‘Marrakesh’ and Delphinium ‘ChaCha’

Shrubs and shrubs

There are also many of them that flower out of season, filling the garden with volumes covered in flowers of every colour!
Alongside them, the garden enchants us one last time before falling asleep for a few months.

• Heathers: summer heathers flower until October (Calluna vulgaris and its cultivars and Daboecia), followed by the so-called winter heathers, the Ericas, including Erica vagans. All that remains is to pair them together for a colourful carpet in autumn;
• Caryopteris, an explosion of blue flowers from September to October, and a wonderful medium-sized shrub;
• Autumn camellias, or Camellia sasanqua in Latin, which delight us with their cascade of flowers throughout autumn;
• Some Mahonia, such as ‘Soft Caress’: those that flower yellow in autumn are completely thornless!
• Pink bignonia, or Podranea ricasoliana, a sublime climbing plant for mild climates only;
• Clerodendron, a much underused shrub that is delightful in every garden; the latest to flower are C. trichotonum and C. thomsoniae;
• Heptacodium, a beauty that is both fragrant and radiant with changing pinkish-white flowers, with superb bark as well;
• Abelias, whose variety of sizes and colourful foliage we love, along with their autumn flowering enhanced by darker bracts;
• Franklinia, still little known, which deserve our attention with their equally late white flowering;
• Southern hemisphere plants that flower out of season in our northern hemisphere, such as certain Proteas, and especially Grevillea and Callistemon.
• Some late-flowering hydrangeas, and so on.

Caryopteris, Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’, Franklinia and Podranea ricasoliana

→ Read our articles: 9 shrubs with autumn flowering; How to pair autumn camellias; Groundcover shrubs that flower in autumn: our favourites; The most beautiful autumn-flowering trees to brighten up the garden.

Ornamental grasses

Late summer, followed by autumn, is their favourite season. This is when Miscanthus, Panicum and other Eragrostis really come into their own in the garden, making us forget the summer flowering. They are all beautiful, sometimes very tall when in full flower, as is the case with certain Miscanthus, or shorter in the case of some cultivars. Their inflorescences are also very different, with remarkable colours, as seen on Eragrostis spectabilis, which produces a cloud of pink flowers.

It is up to you to choose between Imperata with red foliage, feather reed grass, Chasmanthium, more upright Panicum, rather blueish Schizachyrium, and the wonderfully varied Miscanthus…

Feather reed grass, Miscanthus nepalensis and Chasmanthium latifolium

Annual and biennial plants

Finally, some annuals are truly useful for filling gaps between perennials and autumn-flowering bulbs. They bring a charming, unmistakably retro touch. They either flower tirelessly from summer onwards or bloom at this particular time of year, like China asters:

• China asters, or Callistephus: overlooked for a time, they are nevertheless delightful and flower for a long time, a little like chrysanthemums. They resemble asters but have larger, double flowers, available in shades ranging from white to violet. Sow or plant them in the sun;
• cosmos, which need no introduction, sown from spring onwards;
• marvels of Peru (Mirabilis jalapa), which open at the end of the day and remain open until morning. Their tubular flowers, in shades ranging from yellow to bright pink and sometimes variegated, are particularly pretty. They are perennial in mild climates;
• Some annual lobelias, such as Lobelia erinus, a small border lobelia with little blue flowers.
• Strawflowers with large bracts, including the delightful ‘Creamy White‘, with large, double, creamy flowers that can be used in autumn cut flower arrangements and to make dried flower arrangements.
• Pansies, available to buy from the end of summer, which will flower cheerfully until early spring.

Callistephus chinensis, Cosmos, Lobelia erinus and Mirabilis

→ Read more: Long-flowering annuals: enjoy colourful flower beds until the first frosts

And many more!

Listing everything in this article would be impossible, as these autumn flowerings are, as you can see, ultimately quite numerous.

Aponogeton should not be forgotten in ponds either, along with autumn fruiting, which transforms the garden with colour, just as much as flowering does.

These colours come mainly from the fruits of callicarpa, winged spindle trees, viburnums and physalis, which flowers in spring but transforms this flower into a Chinese lantern, its other name. We present some of the finest fruit displays in the best ornamental shrubs with decorative fruits.