by David Salman

As summer begins to wane and fall is just around the corner, it's important to step back and take a look at our gardens and landscapes. Probably the most noticeable aspect of the late season garden is recognizing the need for more blooming plants. And I'm not just talking about planting garden mums. Whether it's migrating Monarchs and on their way to Mexico, hummingbirds heading south to the tropics for the winter or bumblebees and honeybees gathering food reserves for winter, there must be flowers to keep them fed. In nature, this happens naturally as part of the web of life. In the ornamental garden, it's something that we gardeners need to make a conscience decision to provide. Collectively, our gardens can make a significant difference in replacing the flowering plants (and the nectar they provide) that are lost when their habitats are built on or paved.

But of equal importance for us humans, is the fact that the late season garden can be as equally spectacular as the spring garden. Why settle for a green garden, void of color for the last months of the growing season when it's the nicest time of the year to be outside? We've decided to make it easy to turn your landscape into a fall paradise by putting together several collections and a pre-planned garden to help you get it done.

Late Season Pollinator Collections for Nectar and Colorful Flowers

These collections provide a nice matched palette of plants for you to scatter into your yard or group together to provide lots of colorful natural nectar-providing flowers.

The Autumn Magic Pollinator Collection

The Autumn Magic Pollinator Collection is a NEW collection of colorful, low-care perennials are sure to bring butterflies and honey bees into your yard to feast on the nectar-rich flowers. Suitable of areas of the US that get 30" of annual precipitation or less.

• 'Lady in Black' Aster (Aster) - clouds of tiny pink and white flowers are highly attractive to butterflies, native and honeybees.
• 'Golden Fleece' Goldenrod (Solidago sphacelata) - a low growing cultivar with showy deep yellow flower spikes over tidy foliage.
• 'Professor Kippenberg' Aster (Aster) - a tall growing aster that blooms with huge clusters of violet-pink flowers.
• 'Santa Fe' Maximilian's Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliana) - one of fall's most spectacular wildflowers with huge spikes of big yellow sunflowers.
• Agastache Desert Solstice (Desert Solstice Hummingbird Mint) - a hummingbird favorite, nectar-rich clusters of exotic orange- and pink-colored flowers.
• Texas Blazing Star (Liatris mucronata) - a tall, robust species with deep pink flower spikes. Tolerates dry conditions, blazing heat and chilling winter cold.

Late-Season Color Collection For The West

The plants in this Late-Season Color Collection have been selected for the western US in more arid growing conditions.

• 'Autumn Fire' Stonecrop (Sedum) - a tall robust sedum with huge pink flower clusters.
• 'Santa Fe' Maximilian's Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliana) - one of fall's most spectacular wildflowers with huge spikes of big yellow sunflowers.
• Silver Ironweed (Vernonia lindheimeri v. leucantha) - nectar-rich clusters of pink flowers held above pure white foliage.
• West Texas Grass Sage (Salvia reptans) - a unique and very cold hardy native of west TX that blooms with hundreds of cobalt-blue flowers.
• 'Yellow Twig' Rabbit Brush (Chysothamnus nauseosus) -- huge clouds of deep yellow flowers attract all types of pollinators. In winter the twigs are bright yellow.

Late-Season Color Collection For the East & Midwest

The plants in the Late-Season Color Collection for the East/Midwest have been selected for areas of the country east of the Mississippi that get more than about 30 inches of annual precipitation.

• 'Autumn Fire' Stonecrop (Sedum) - a tall robust sedum with huge pink flower clusters.
• Origanum vulgare Compacta Nana - long-blooming light pink flowers attract all kinds of honey and native bees.
• 'Fireworks' Goldenrod ( Solidago rugosa) - this stunning perennial lights up the garden with sprays of deep yellow flowers that attract butterflies and beneficial insects (that feed on injurious insects like aphids).
• 'Purple Emperor' Stonecrop (Sedum) - an especially ornamental tall sedum with burgundy foliage and pink flowers.
• 'Rotkugel' Ornamental Oregano (Origanum hybrid) - a stunning ornamental oregano with nectar-rich flower cluster of pink and dark pink.

The August Afternoons Pre-Planned Garden

A stunning garden of August blooming perennials with flowers in shades of pink and blue. Mixed with some ornamental grasses (that provide winter protection for overwintering butterflies and beneficial insects), the lovely August Afternoons Pre-Planned Garden will attract a wide variety of hummingbirds and insect pollinators to your yard.