Here is a list of flowers and decorative plants to get in the ground now – in the full-bloom late-summer heat of August – for the brightest autumn colors you’ve ever seen. As we wish the summer a farewell this fall, don’t forget to include a fanfare of bright yellows, oranges, purples, and reds. Think of it like the last fireworks display of the year.
Ornamental Kale
(Annual)
These cheerful brassicas don’t look like your average head of cabbage or kale. In fact, they bloom with bright purple and creamy white hues. These plants are bitter in taste, so they’re not used for culinary purposes. Why we love ornamental kale: they can stand temperatures well below freezing and they can last through the winter.
Keep in mind that ornamental kale likes to be well-watered, so don’t let them dry out. Cut off flower stems as soon as they appear. Grow them in full sun.
Sedum
(Perennial)
Otherwise known as Stonecrop, sedums are a diverse group of plants and do great in containers. We love them because they come in a rainbow of colors, and they’re hardy gals, resistant to drought and harsh heat.
Keep in mind that sedum leaves are succulent in nature, so they can store water for later use. Be sure to not over water. In fact, sedum loves sunny, hot, dry weather, so water sparingly.
Aster
(Perennial)
These star-like autumn blooms come in bursts of purple, pink, and white. We love them because they attract birds and they are lovely as cut flowers for the kitchen table. What’s better, they’re super easy to care for! Plant them in pots or flower beds and enjoy beautiful fall blooms in full sun.
Russian Sage
(Perennial)
This spray of bright purple is the perfect landscaping accent. Its wispy lavender-color gives a sense of elegance to the garden or flower bed, and it provides the perfect backdrop for other flowers. Russian sage loves sun but can tolerate a touch of shade. We love it because it’s deer resistant, drought tolerant (and in fact loves dry feet), and is great for creating privacy borders because of its foot-long shoots of flowers that bloom for weeks on end.
Pansies
(Annual)
Good ol’ classic Pansies are a sure sign of cool weather days in either spring or autumn. Their colorful faces pop out in a vast rainbow of colors, and they enjoy full to part sun. These flowers make for great container plants, and they provide a cheerful burst of colorful well into cool autumn days.
Celosia
(Annual)
Perhaps the most cheerful blooms on this list, celosia is showy and vibrant. We love them because they’re beautiful in bouquets, great as a cut flower, and it’s hard to not feel happy around them. They burst into bright reds, pinks, yellows, purples, and oranges. Celosia are low maintenance and work great in pots.
Stop on by to Stockslagers to grab your favorite autumn blooms, so you can cheer up your flower beds and garden until the end of the season. In September we will have colorful, bursting Snapdragons, so stay tuned for more fall color!
