Top 10 Autumn Flowering Perennials To Liven Up Your Garden

By   | Last Updated :   December 29, 2021 | Filed In :   Garden Style Ideas

Are you thinking of adding some autumn flowering perennials to liven up your garden? No need to look any further. In this article, we will look at 10 flowering perennials to bring you joy every autumn.

Which perennials flower in autumn?

1. Turtleheads

The pink or red turtlehead (Chelone obliqua) are clump-forming plants, producing stunning hooded flowers that look like a turtle’s beak. The flowers of this plant could potentially be confused with snapdragon blooms.

You can expect the colourful flowers to appear in mid-summer or early autumn and last for up to 6 weeks. This plant is best located in an area with full sun or partial shade. The soil should be fertile and kept moist for the best results.

turtleheads

Credit: Pixabay

2. Rudbeckia

Rudbeckia, also known as black-eyed Susans, are perennial flowers that form clumps and decorate your garden with stunning yellow and black blooms. This plant prefers to grow in full sun with evenly moist, well-drained soil.

Rudbeckias are ideal for planting towards the back of perennial beds. They can also be planted in masses in a neutral area. Due to being drought tolerant, they are preferred in water-wise areas. With these beauties in your garden, you will see more bees, butterflies, birds and other insects.

Rudbeckia

Credit: Pixabay

3. Saxifraga ‘Shiranami’

Saxifraga is a clump-forming plant with stunning white flowers that will brighten up your autumn garden. This plant is great for use on the borders of flower beds, next to walking trails and in rock gardens.

Saxifragas prefer full or partial shade with moist, but well-drained, humus-rich soil. In spring and summer when the plant isn’t flowering, you can still enjoy the green foliage.

Top 10 Autumn Flowering Perennials To Liven Up Your Garden 1

Image credit: @emma_crawforth

4. Chrysanthemums

These plants are often used as annuals even though they are actually perennials in the daisy family. Unfortunately, most people try to plant them in late autumn which means they don’t have time to establish themselves to survive winter. As a result, many don’t make it.

Fortunately, if you plant chrysanthemums in spring or early summer, your plants should have enough time to become established. They’re fast growers so you’ll see blooms in the same year you planted them. Just make sure to plant them in an area with full sun and humus-rich, well-draining soil.

Chrysanthemums

By Darren Swim (Relic38) – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

5. Canna lily

The canna lily is known for its tropical appearance and large striking flowers. This plant offers long-lasting colour late into the season, keeping your garden glowing for as long as possible. As another plus, they are very easy to care for.

Some people grow canna lilies as annuals, but given the proper conditions, they will add a splash of colour to your garden year after year. Just make sure to plant them in full sun and give them well-draining soil.

Canna Lily

Credit: Maxpixel

6. Hardy fuchsia

This plant is very popular due to its stunning array of brightly coloured flowers. It usually blooms from spring all through summer until the first frost kills off the flowers. Fuchsias are extremely beneficial to gardeners that want to attract bees and butterflies. Where you plant them and the care they need will depend on the variety.

If you want your fuchsia to survive winter, it’s best to choose a hardy variety that can handle very cold temperatures.

Hardy Fuchsia

Credit: Pixabay

7. Dusty miller

Dusty miller is a small evergreen shrub with unusual silver-coloured leaves and bright yellow flowers. It prefers an area with well-drained soil and full sun. Dusty miller is often used as an annual, but it is actually a perennial.

This plant’s interesting colour is actually caused by fine hairs on the surface of the leaf. When it gets wet, the underlying green of the leaf shines through. This makes it an eye-catching specimen for an autumn garden.

Dusty Miller

By Hyle Chu – Imported from 500px (archived version) by the Archive Team. (detail page), CC BY-SA 3.0,

8. Platycodon (balloon flower)

The balloon flower gets its name from the balloon-like shape of the flower buds which open to reveal star-shaped flowers. It is also quite popular due to how hardy and disease resistant the plant is.

Balloon flowers work perfectly in borders. They like to grow in full sun or partial shade and prefer rich, loamy soil that drains well. Add this plant to your garden for a burst of colour in autumn.

Balloon Flower

Credit: Pixabay

9. Flowering ginger

Ginger plants include a large number of species, some of which are perennial.

Ornamental ginger plants vary considerably and can be red, orange or yellow. Make sure to research your chosen plant to find out where to plant it and what care it requires.

Flowering ginger

Credit: Pixabay

10. Hylotelephium ‘Red Cauli’

Hylotelephium ‘Red Cauli’ is a vibrant, compact spray of colour when in flower. It won the RHS garden merit award in 2006 due to its looks and it’s become a popular border plant.

Red Cauli prefers full sun or partial shade and will grow in just about any soil type. This clump-forming perennial will bring many years of colour to your autumn garden.

What can I plant that will flower in autumn?

All the above-mentioned plants will bloom in autumn, but there are many other plants to choose from. Here are a few alternatives to the list above:

Bloom Snapdragon Flower

Credit: Maxpixel

Final thoughts

Now that you know a bit about possible plants that will flower in autumn, it’s time to start planting them in your garden. Make sure to do the proper research for every plant. Different plants like different amounts of water, sunlight and soil conditions.

As long as you care for them properly, they should give you many years of enjoyment.

Happy gardening!

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