Fall Garden Planting: Best Flowers and Herbs for Autumn Color

When summer blooms fade, fall-blooming annuals, perennials, and cool-season herbs keep gardens vibrant. Mix colorful flowers with bright green herbs for perfect landscape balance.

Cool-Season Herbs

Fennel and parsley: Tall, textural, plant at bed backs. Chives: Early fall emergers; vibrant green mounds for containers or perennial beds. Winter savory: Dark green, dense, peppery flavor; excellent border accent. Salad burnet: Spicy cucumber flavor for salads/fruit; soft leaves, berry-like mature flowers.

Fall Annuals

Pansies (including Johnny-jump-ups): Small, multicolored, delicate—ideal for bed fronts or containers. Snapdragons: Upright, grape-like blooms in orange, red, pink, yellow, white, lavender; to 36 inches—perfect backdrops.

Fall Perennials

Asters: Daisy-like in blue, pink, purple, white; late summer through first frost. Low-growing, cascading beautifully over rock gardens/walls. Chrysanthemums: Hardy, container or bed-friendly, wide color range. Sedum 'Autumn Joy': Mauve blooms—brilliant fall perennial.