As the temperatures cool down and the days grow shorter in the autumn season, it’s a great time to step outside and admire your garden. It’s also an ideal time to plan out some colorful fall landscaping. Even when the summer ends, there are a variety of flowers that thrive in Georgia’s autumn weather and add a vibrant splash of color to your outdoor space. If you’re looking to liven up your garden, here are several fall flowers to plant this season.
Chrysanthemums
If you want an iconic fall flower, mums make a wonderful choice. These vibrant-colored flowers can bloom in the fall and create a beautiful display in your garden. Hardy in nature, they grow best in full sunlight and thrive as the hot temperatures begin to cool down in the autumn.
- Color Variations: Purple, pink, red, orange, yellow, white
- Scientific Name: Chrysanthemum morifolium
- Height: 2-3 feet
- Bloom Time: Summer, fall
- Soil Requirements: Neutral/acidic, rich, moist
- Sunlight Exposure: Full
Marigolds
If you’re looking for cheery colors this fall, marigolds offer bright blooms that you’ll love. While they can be considered a summer flower, they slow down in the heat of the summer and pick up the pace when the fall weather sets in. They work wonderfully as border plants or in flower containers, paired with similar warm colors or contrasting cool tones.
- Scientific Name: Tagetes spp.
- Height: 4-48 inches
- Bloom Time: Summer, early fall
- Soil Requirements: Slightly acidic. Moist, well-draining
- Sunlight Exposure: Full
- Color Variations: Yellow, orange, red, bicolor
Snapdragons
With their resemblance to the snout of a dragon, snapdragons are a playful choice for your autumn garden. They come in a wide variety of colors and sizes, making them fairly versatile in where they can be placed. In full sunlight or partial shade, they bloom quickly and repeatedly, surviving well into the cool temperatures that come with autumn. If you want to create a pollinator-friendly garden, snapdragons are loved by bumblebees and honeybees.
- Scientific Name: Antirrhinum majus
- Height: 6-48 inches
- Bloom Time: Spring, summer, fall
- Soil Requirements: Neutral/acidic, well-draining
- Sunlight Exposure: Full, partial
- Color Variations: Yellow, pink, white, orange, red, purple
Pansies
When you are searching for fall flowers to plant, it is hard to top a pansy. Pansies are a classic choice for a garden and for good reason. Their vibrant, persistent blooms create eye-catching displays in containers and flower beds, and some varieties spread out when they grow, making them great for hanging baskets that spill over. It’s best to grow pansies in full sun or in partial shade to keep them bright and healthy.
- Scientific Name: Viola x wittrockiana
- Height: 4-8 inches
- Bloom Time: Spring, summer, fall
- Soil Requirements: Acidic, well-draining
- Sunlight Exposure: Full, partial
- Color Variations: Yellow, white, orange, pink, blue, red, purple
Goldenrod
Native to North America, goldenrod is a wildflower that has become a beautiful addition to fall gardens. It survives well in a variety of soil types, and blooms best in full sunlight. The vibrant yellow hue of the flowers makes them stand out well in woodland gardens with other native plants, and they can attract a variety of pollinators.
- Scientific Name: Solidago spp.
- Height: 1.5-5 feet
- Bloom Time: Summer, fall
- Soil Requirements: Neutral/acidic, well-draining
- Sunlight Exposure: Full, partial
- Color Variations: Yellow
Russian Sage
With soft purple or blue flowers and silvery foliage, Russian sage is a beautiful flowering shrub that works well in gardens in the summer and the fall. It is drought-tolerant and hardy in sunny conditions, making it ideal for areas that are dry. It works well being planted in large masses, and with its tall size, it stands out beautifully along pathways and as a contrast to darker plants around it.
- Scientific Name: Salvia yangii
- Height: 3-5 feet
- Bloom Time: Summer, fall
- Soil Requirements: Neutral/acidic/alkaline, well-draining
- Sunlight Exposure: Full
- Color Variations: Purple, blue
Amaranth
Known for its edible grains, amaranth provides a deep and rich color to an autumn garden that is unique and attractive. The ornamental plant grows from the summer into the fall and grows best in full sun or partial shade. Its reddish flowers and foliage create eye-catching accents in flower beds that are perfect for the fall.
- Scientific Name: Amaranthus spp.
- Height: 2-4 feet
- Bloom Time: Summer, early fall
- Soil Requirements: Neutral/acidic, well-draining
- Sunlight Exposure: Full, partial
- Color Variations: Red
Coneflowers
Purple coneflowers are known to grow prominently in the summer but are known to last long into the early fall with their vibrant blooms. They attract a large variety of pollinators and thrive in the sunlight, making them great for bright and open gardens. Due to their tall size, they work best in masses in flower beds or as backdrops for smaller plants.
- Scientific Name: Echinacea purpurea
- Height: 2-5 feet
- Bloom Time: Summer, fall
- Soil Requirements: Neutral/acidic, well-draining
- Sunlight Exposure: Full, partial
- Color Variations: Pink, purple
Asters
While many flowers decline with the approach of fall, asters adore the season. This perennial flower comes in several colors like purple, pink, blue, or white, and can be planted in flower beds or containers. They enjoy plenty of sunlight and require moist but well-draining soil.
- Scientific Name: Symphyotrichum spp.
- Height: 1-6 feet
- Bloom Time: Summer, fall
- Soil Requirements: Neutral/acidic, loamy, well-draining
- Sunlight Exposure: Full
- Color Variations: Pink, purple, white, blue
Brighten Your Landscape with Fall Flowers
We hope this article has given you plenty of inspiration for which fall flowers to plant to extend the color of your flowerbeds into the winter. Our team at Oasis Landscapes & Irrigation offers seasonal color and flower bed maintenance to keep your landscaping looking beautiful year-round. We’ll work with you to plan and prepare eye-catching designs that make your plantings stand out all season long.
