Plants for Late-Season Interest

As summer draws to a close and blossoms begin to fade, it’s important to rely on plants that bring late-season interest to borders and beds. Among the autumn and winter stars of the garden are perennial favorites including Anemones, Asters, Ornamental Grasses, Chrysanthemums, Sedums, and Symphyotrichums, and shrubs including Viburnum, Aronia, and Winterberry. Every garden needs a sampling of these easy-care plants to maximize the season of bloom and carry the garden and landscape into autumn and beyond. A number of these plants also provide essential food for pollinators, who need nourishment and support as the season nears its end.

A quick word about tongue-twisting Symphyotrichums: Horticulturally speaking, these plants had, until recently, been classified with Asters. While the classification has changed, the plants themselves, still commonly referred to as “Asters” or “New England Asters,” provide the same outstanding late season color as their cousins, and they prefer the same growing conditions: full sun and moist but well-drained soil.