The Last Hurrah -- Color in the Fall Garden

We all yearn for lingering color in the fall so take a color tip from Mother Nature.

Saponaria x lempergii
Item # 86590 		Saponaria lempergii
Giant Flowered Soapwort

each $5.29
3 to 6 $4.99
7 or more $4.79
Agastache cana
Item # 11820 		Agastache cana
Texas Hummingbird Mint

each $7.99
3 to 6 $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Agastache neomexicana
Item # 11813 		Agastache neomexicana
New Mexico Hummingbird Mint

each $7.99
3 to 6 $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan'
Item # 46055 		Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan'
White Swan Purple Coneflower

each $7.99
3 to 6 $7.79
7 or more $7.59

Sale! $7.19
Zephyranthes candida
Item # 99250 		Zephyranthes candida
White Rain Lily

each $4.99
3 to 6 $4.79
7 or more $4.59
  • Topic: Fall Gardening
  • Author: Mary Ann Walz
  • Keywords: fall color, fall planting, Fall Gardening, gardens
  • Date: October 2003

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With the fall season officially here, the first frost has probably hit most areas of the country. Or it’s not too far behind. Some lucky gardeners who live in warmer zones may still have several months left to garden. But no matter where we live, we all yearn for lingering color in the fall. Getting that color is easier than you might think and taking a tip from Mother Nature is the first step.

In Northern New Mexico autumn greets us with masses of yellow from Chamisa and Sunflowers while purple Asters offer a bright contrasting color. Reddish stems of Little Bluestem Grass wave in the breezes as Cottonwoods and Aspens turn to shimmering gold. These same plants, or slightly more refined species that offer a similarly pleasing color palette, can be used in our landscapes. The key is to select plants that bloom in succession from late summer until the first hard freeze.

Pairing Plants for Color

Taking a cue from roadside displays, I like to pair:

Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Sunray’ with Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’. I get the same yellow and purple display as the Chamisa and native Purple Aster, but I prefer the more refined size of these plants in my perennial borders.

Chamisa (Chrysothamnus nauseosus) is great in a more natural setting, to define large areas or line a long driveway. Combine it with Rhus trilobata (Three-Leaf Sumac). The brilliant reds and oranges of Rhus foliage in the fall are beautiful. Both plants are extremely drought tolerant so they can thrive on almost total neglect.

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) and Helianthus maximiliana (Maximilian’s Sunflower or sometimes called New Mexico Sunflower) is one of my all-time favorite combinations for fall. The purple flower spikes of Russian sage bloom in late summer but persist until the time that the Maximilian’s Sunflower bursts forth with brilliant yellow flowers up and down its tall stalks. This combination requires a generous amount of space but if you have the room, it’s a “must have” for fall color. Both plants are drought tolerant and are good for locations that lack great soil.

Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses are at their peak of perfection in the fall. The seed heads have formed and they will remain looking good until the heavy snows fall.

The foliage of Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blaze’ (Little Bluestem Grass) has vivid red fall color. This easily grown plant will re-seed so I usually place it in an area where it can spread at will.

For those in zones 7 to 10, Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘Regal Mist’ (Gulf Coast Muhly Grass) becomes a spectacular haze of dusky pink in the fall when it blooms. It is drought tolerant and suited for almost any soil type, so long as there is good drainage.

Salvias

These are another perennial with a long bloom period, often extending until frost. There are two main groups of cold hardy Salvia; European natives and southwestern US natives. Among the southwestern Salvia, Salvia greggii and its related hybrids are some of our showiest spring and fall bloomers. They are hardy to zone 6. Here in Santa Fe, they re-bloom heavily beginning in August-September. In areas that get a very late frost or have mild winters these Salvia will often bloom into November.

Salvia x ‘Maraschino’ brings a brilliant shade cherry-red to the garden. Couple it with an English Lavender. The Lavender won’t have blooms in the fall but the grayish foliage is a nice contrast and it thrives along side ‘Maraschino’.

Agastaches

Many varieties of Agastache have blooms that persist through the fall season. Agastache cana is particularly showy in September and makes a great Russian Sage companion.

One of my favorites is Agastache neomexicana (New Mexico Hummingbird Mint). Its lavender-pink, spiky blooms last a long time, and I usually cut a few to include in dried arrangements. A bonus of the Agastache is the fabulous scent and that they attract hummingbirds or butterflies.

White Blooms

White is often missing in the fall garden but doesn’t need to be.

Boltonia asteriodes ‘Snowbank’ is a standard in my fall garden. This tall plant smothers itself with hundreds of tiny white blooms accented with yellow centers. It’s cold hardy and does well in zones 3-7.

Zephyranthes candida (White Rain Lily) is good for zones 7-10. It has huge white flowers that suddenly appear after a good mid-summer rain. It is useful as a ground cover under deciduous trees in light shade. In my zone 4 garden I use Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’ for a touch of white that lasts from late summer to frost.

Pinks

A bit of pink in the fall is an added bonus to the more numerous yellows and purples that seem to prevail in the late garden.

  • Saponaria x lempergii (Giant Flowered Soapwort) is a late bloomer but hardy to zone 4.
  • Oenothera speciosus ‘Rosea’ (Showy Pink Evening Primrose)
  • Diascia integerrina ‘Coral Canyon’ or ‘Pink Adobe’ (Twinspurs).

For more suggestions on plants that supply that last hurrah in the fall, go to the ‘Plant Finder’ at High Country Gardens website. Enter your color preference or other atributes and fall bloom time and you’ll find dozens of possibilities. Planned correctly, your garden can provide lush color for several more weeks in the fall or several more months depending on where you live.