Autumn is the season when gardeners breathe a collective sign of relief, as the days of scorched leaves, constant watering and harvest are nearly behind us. The cooler weather leaves us time to enjoy the fruits of our labours in the form of crisp apples, freshly sliced tomatoes drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar or grilled peaches, but it is also the start of one of the best planting times with plenty of fall-blooming plants readily available. With that in mind, here are some great colour options for you to consider for your own garden.
(Tomatoes with Balsamic | 📸 Pixabay)
Calluna Bud Bloomers
Bud bloomers are a class of Scotch heather or Calluna vulgaris whose flower buds do not open. While this is of no use to pollinators, for gardeners, those brightly coloured buds provide months of brilliant hues that are essential for autumn planters. Average height 12-16” tall. Hardy to USDA zone 5.
(Calluna Vulgaris 'Sabine' | 📸 MK Lascelle)
Gloriosa Daisies
While we have been selling Rudbeckia hirta or Gloriosa Daisies for months now, they are going to continue flowering heavily right through September, providing vital pollen for bees, butterflies, moths and wasps. These come in a vast array of heights and flower colours (yellow, brown, red, burgundy) with many bicolour forms and they will overwinter with sharp drainage. Average height 12-36” tall depending on variety. Hardy to USDA zone 3.
(Rudbeckia Hirta 'Cappuccino' | 📸 MK Lascelle)
Saffron Crocus
Yes, you can grow your own Saffron in coastal BC, although Crocus sativus does require well-drained soil and a full sun exposure. The pale purple flowers emerge in the fall, producing very prominent reddish-orange stigmas which are harvested as that very expensive spice so essential to a tasty paella. Bulbs (actually corms) are available on a limited basis at this time of year. Grows 4-6” tall. Hardy to USDA zone 6.
(Saffron Crocus | 📸 Pixabay)
Heuchera
Every year the variety of foliage colour that Heuchera provide just seems to expand exponentially, from brilliant golds to burgundy-black, peach, true purples and even predominantly silver. These evergreen perennials provide the sharp contrast that eye-catching autumn planters require and even a solitary display of different coloured Heuchera stands up quite well. Grows 6-18” tall depending on variety. Hardy to USDA zone 4.
(Heuchera 'Primo Wild Rose' | 📸 MK Lascelle)
Echinacea
Many Coneflowers or Echinacea hybrids continue blooming right through September and October, and fresh stock is readily available because growers tend to stagger their crops. Jewel tones of orange, red, purple, yellow, coral, white, pink and green means there is a bloom colour for every garden, and you can choose your flower form from traditional single, quilled, pom-pom or semi-double. Grows 12-48” tall depending on variety. Hardy to USDA zones 3-4.
(Echinacea 'Sunny Days Lemon' | 📸 MK Lascelle)
Japanese Anemone
These are the undisputed ‘queen’ of the fall garden, with daisy-like blooms of white, rose, pale purple or pink held on tall stems to show them off. Most are complicated hybrids that tolerate partial shade exposures and tend to spread, so give them plenty of room to grow or be prepared to thin from time to time. Grows 18-48” tall depending on variety. Hardy to USDA zone 4.
(Anemone 'Prince Henry' | 📸 MK Lascelle)
Ornamental Grasses
Autumn is prime season for ornamental grasses as many of these are bearing their showy flowers at this time of year. From Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) to Miscanthus sinensis (Japanese Silver Grass) with their showy white, bronze and red plumes to the abundant bottlebrush blooms of Fountain Grass (Pennisetum), all are ready to bring movement and structure to your mixed border. Heights will vary from 18-84” tall depending on species. Hardy from USDA zones 4-7.
(Cortaderia Selloana | 📸 Pixabay)
Chrysanthemums
This traditional fall perennial is often overlooked as just ‘seasonal’ colour, but in actual fact these are quite hardy with the exception of annual florist’s mums. The colour range is bold and quite diverse, and when in full bloom the foliage below is often completely obscured, making them quite useful as a quick pop of colour for a tired summer planter. Grows 12-36” tall depending on variety. Hardy to USDA zone 5.
(Chrysanthemum | 📸 Pixabay)
Fall Asters
Would it really be autumn without a few cheery asters blooming in the garden? These essential pollinator perennials come in vibrant purples, blues, pinks and whites, with all the single varieties sporting a lovely contrasting golden-yellow stamen cluster that will readily attract any nearby bees or butterflies. Grows 12-36” tall depending on variety. Hardy to USDA zones 3-4.
(Aster | 📸 MK Lascelle)
Helenium
Helenium autumnale or Sneezeweed gets its common name from the obscure fact that the flowers were historically dried and inhaled as a snuff to induce sneezing. Despite that disgusting bit of trivia, these vibrant perennials bloom from late summer into the fall with clusters of small burgundy, bright orange or yellow flowers nicely contrasted by a protruding brown central cone. Grows 18-60” tall depending on variety. Hardy to USDA zone 3.
(Helenium 'Hay Day Red Bicolor' | 📸 MK Lascelle)
As you can see, the gardening season really isn’t over, so if you are waiting until spring to introduce more colour to your landscape, then you are missing out on some truly stunning autumn perennials.
Copyright 2025 MK Lascelle
