37 Best Fall Flowers That’ll Completely Transform Your Garden
You should probably start planting them right now.
The weather may start to cool down in September, but there’s no reason your garden should lose its luster. The best fall flowers will stay beautiful and blooming well into autumn—many lasting until the first frost. Bring a burst of color into your garden with classic blooms, like chrysanthemums, marigolds, and sunflowers, all of which attract pollinators to your backyard. Picture pink petunias in a hanging basket on your deck, hydrangeas greeting your guests in the front yard, and bright white alyssum popping up between stepping stones.
The key to a flourishing fall garden? Planning ahead. Most of these flowers should be planted mid to late-August, so you might want to start mapping out your dream garden. If you're a beginner plant parent, be sure to review the USDA's Plant Hardiness Zones for more information on what and when to plant based on your geographic location. Depending on where you're located, there might be different recommendations for certain flowers.
Goldenrod (Solidago)
Add vibrant color to your garden with this tall, upright perennial. Goldenrod thrives in full sun and its nectar-rich blooms attract butterflies, bees, and other insects. The dried leaves and flowers can even be turned into an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory tea.
Coneflowers
With daisy-like flowers, this hardy native perennial blooms from midsummer to fall in shades of purple, pink, white, orange, and yellow. They attract pollinators, like butterflies, and their seeds make great food for birds. For the most vibrant blooms, plant them in full sun.
Caryopteris
As a late summer to early fall bloomer, Caryopteris are ideal autumn flowers for USDA zones 5-9. Plus, they're a great choice for a pollinator garden, as they attract bees, butterflies, and other insects.
African Daisies
When first introduced to the market, consumers thought the vibrant petals and metallic centers of African daisies were dyed. They bloom quickly after planting and thrive best in full sun. They're also a great choice if you'd like to attract bees.
Nemesia
Nemesia flowers start to bloom in the spring and continue into the fall, making them a beautiful addition to your garden. These plants thrive in partial shade to full sun and prefer well-drained soil and damp conditions.
Alyssum
Available in both purple and white, alyssum works in both containers and beds, or as a ground cover. If you're aiming for a fantasy garden, plant some between stepping stones for a magical effect.
RELATED: Best Ground Cover Plants That Require Little Maintenance
Balloon Flower
With a name that describes their balloon-shaped buds, these flowers are sure to add a unique look to any garden. Available in shades of blue, white, and pink, they do well with full sun, although they can thrive in partial shade.
Sedum
Watch this succulent plant sprout up in the summer before bursting into a deep pink or red in the fall. Since sedum (also called stonecrop) stores water in its leaves, it's incredibly heat- and drought-resistant, and butterflies love the wide, dense flowers.
RELATED: How to Grow Succulent Plants
Violas
These perennials bloom in the summer and return in the fall to add purple pops to your warm-toned garden. They're fast-growing and the flowers are edible, too. Violas like moist and acidic soil, so a peat-based potting mix or adding peat moss into their soil is best for them.
Hydrangea
These popular perennials bloom early to midsummer and can survive a winter freeze. Choose from one of their pretty pastel shades (pink, purple, blue, or white) or mix and match for an eye-catching fall garden.
Roses
A classic beauty, shrub roses (also called landscape roses) aren't as much work as you might think. Newer hybrid roses are sturdier, have longer blooms, and are more hearty and disease-resistant than the heirloom roses you might be familiar with.
Chrysanthemums
The quintessential fall flower, you can pick up mums for (practically) a dime a dozen at the grocery store. Set the pots in bright, indirect light and water consistently throughout autumn. To keep 'em blooming (and looking neat), cut off buds as they wilt.
Petunias
Petunias are one of the most popular flowers for gardens because of their long flowering period: from spring until frost! They're great for hanging baskets—just know that they need full sun, so they won't do well on a shady porch. Petunia seeds are very small, almost resembling dust, so it might be easier to get a start from a nursery.
Flossflower
These tiny blooms resemble frilly pompoms and come in blue, purple, red, white, and pink. New flowers grow over the old blooms so they always look freshly bloomed too. They bloom best in full sun.
Black-Eyed Susans
Bright yellow, daisy-like black-eyed Susans can act as annuals, biennials, or short-lived perennials. They're drought resistant, but respond well to an occasional watering. They're known to attract pollinators, so expect butterflies and bees!
Salvia
Available in a range of colors, salvias can spruce up any autumn garden. In warmer climates, plant hardy perennial salvias in late summer to establish roots before winter. However, if you live in a colder area, you may want to plant them in spring, or take them inside if frost comes early.
Dusty Miller
Give your garden a silvery glow with dusty miller. According to the Gardening Channel, this plant is reliably hardy in USDA zones 7 through 10, and with some winter protection, they might even survive as far north as zone 5.
Marigolds
Brassy and warm marigolds are known to bloom continuously from summer until the first frost. They like full sun and can withstand heat, making them a good pick if you live in an area where scorching summers can extend into the fall (looking at you, Texas!).
Blanket Flowers
Commonly named for how they spread out and "blanket" an area, these flowers are richly colored with warm shades of yellow and red. They thrive in full sun and poor soil, so you don't need to fertilize them as long as the soil drains well.
Strawflower
The bright yellow, button-shaped blooms are nearly as beautiful as the silvery-green foliage. This pick is perfect for hanging baskets, where both the blooms and the stems can be displayed. Though they can tolerate partial shade, they’ll bloom best in full sun.
Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) leads Good Housekeeping’s gift guide strategy. She writes and edits commerce content, where she analyzes lifestyle trends, shopping data, and works closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute to recommend top-tested products. Previously, she was the associate lifestyle editor for GH and wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, BobVila.com, and Unique Homes Magazine. When she’s not tracking down buzzy products, you can find her walking her dog, Skye, around Jersey City.
Laura Millar (she/her) is a freelance lifestyle journalist for Good Housekeeping. She holds a degree in Film, TV & Media from the University of Michigan, and was previously the assistant lifestyle editor for GH, where she covered home design. Her byline has appeared in NBC's TODAY.com, PEOPLE, Real Simple, and Business Insider.
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