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40 Best Fall Flowers to Brighten Up Your

Garden With Warm Hues
These colorful perennials and annuals bloom in autumn, and may last until winter.

BY ABIGAIL BAILEY AND KATARINA AVENDAÑO UPDATED: JUL 17, 2023 3:57 PM EST

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WATCH: What to Plant in August or September

While fall isn't known for its lush, colorful fields of flowers, it absolutely
should be! Autumn is a great season for annuals, low-maintenance
Book your travel
perennials and evergreen shrubs to shine. In fact, some of the most adventure
popular flowers, like colorful mums, roses, dahlias, purple pansies and online
yes, even bright yellow sunflowers, all bloom around September and
October. We've rounded up the best fall flowers that bloom in mid- Book Now
summer and continue into late autumn, with some remaining in bloom
*Terms & conditions apply
until the first hard frost.

If you're a beginner gardener and aren't familiar with the terms and
timeframes, we're here to share each flower and how to plant a fall
garden. We also recommend reviewing the USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zones,
which provide helpful information on what and when to plant based on
where you live. Depending on your zone, there might be different
planting times and overwintering recommendations. Be sure to check
each autumn plant's sun and water needs, but you likely want to start
planning late spring or early summer to ensure your plant has time to
establish roots before the first frost. And, don't forget to consider fall
flowers that attract bees and other pollinators.

So, roll up those sleeves, throw on some gardening gloves and gather
your pruning shears and watering cans! With a little preparation and
guidance, it's time to plant your outdoor fall flowers — most of which
make for beautiful autumn flower bouquets and arrangements.

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Marigold
S H O P N OW

WULINGYUN // GETTY IMAGES

Brassy and warm marigolds are

easy to grow and popular since
they're in bloom for most of the
season. They like full sun and can
withstand hot summers, so they're a
good option if you live in an area
where scorching summers can
extend into the fall (looking at you,
Texas).

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Violas
S H O P N OW

ALI MAJDFAR // GETTY IMAGES

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.

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Petunias
S H O P N OW

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 in the shade of a porch.
Petunia seeds are very small, almost
CLIVE NICHOLS // GETTY IMAGES
resembling dust, so it might be
easier to get a start from a nursery.

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4
Hydrangeas
S H O P N OW

PAKIN SONGMOR // GETTY IMAGES

These elegant perennials start
blooming early to midsummer and
can survive a winter freeze. Their
papery flowers come in a number of
varieties, including pink, purple,
blue and white (the acidity of your
soil often dictates the color of your
blooms). They're easy to cultivate
and do best in partial shade.

5
Roses
S H O P N OW
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WESTEND61 // GETTY IMAGES
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.

6
African Daisies
S H O P N OW

ISABEL PAVIA // GETTY IMAGES

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.

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Blanket Flowers
S H O P N OW

Commonly named for how they

MSNANCY // GETTY IMAGES
spread out and "blanket" an area,
blanket flowers are richly colored
daisy-like flowers in 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.

8
Flossflower
S H O P N OW

ЕВГЕНИЯ МАТВЕЕЦ // GETTY IMAGES

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.

9
Strawflower
S H O P N OW

JACKY PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY // GETTY IMAGES

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
won't bloom as much as full sun
exposure.

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Black-Eyed Susans
S H O P N OW

STEVE CICERO // GETTY IMAGES

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!

11
Chrysanthemums
S H O P N OW

GETTY IMAGES
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.

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Balloon Flower
S H O P N OW

As its name suggests, these

gorgeous flowers — which can be
found in shades of blue, white and
pink — resemble hot-air balloons
before they blossom. While they do
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 before they blossom. While they do
well with full sun, they can also
thrive in partial shade.
PHOTOS FROM JAPAN, ASIA AND OTHE OF THE
WORLD // GETTY IMAGES

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13
Goldenrod
S H O P N OW

Goldenrod is a striking weed-like

plant that favors full sun and soil
that's well drained. But beware if
you suffer from allergies, as their
pollen can cause a runny nose and
itchy eyes.

ANATOLIY BERISLAVSKIY // GETTY IMAGES

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Dusty Miller
S H O P N OW

This fluffy silver plant, which is also

known as Jacobaea Maritima,
would make for an unexpected
addition to your garden. Give it full
sun and keep it well-drained to stay
healthy.
DIGIPUB // GETTY IMAGES

15
Hardy Fuchsia
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 Hardy Fuchsia
S H O P N OW

FEDERICA GRASSI // GETTY IMAGES If your garden needs a burst of

color, look no further than hardy
fuchsia, which is also referred to as
fuchsia magellanica. Keep in mind
that the right soil — not too dry,
moist or hot — is key for this type
of flower.

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16
Sumac
S H O P N OW

ROBERTO MACHADO NOA // GETTY IMAGES

With well-drained soil, these hardy
red flowers can grow up to 30 feet
tall. They're available in a slew of
varieties, so you're sure to find the
perfect type to add visual interest to
your garden.

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Amaranthus
S H O P N OW

Amaranthus produces gorgeous

tassel-like flowers each fall that
look great in arrangements — both
fresh-cut and dried. Grow this
annual in full sun or part shade,
advises the Missouri Botanical
Garden.

WESTEND61 // GETTY IMAGES

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Dahlias
S H O P N OW

AKIHIDE IMAIZUMI / 500PX // GETTY IMAGES

Certain varieties will keep on
bloomin' from mid-summer into
fall. Pick orange- and red-tinted
varieties for autumn bouquets, but
dahlias come in just about every
color under the sun.

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19
Cornflower
S H O P N OW

DAVID BURTON // GETTY IMAGES

You'll love these bright-blue
beauties as much as the birds and
butterflies do. Plus, they can adapt
in full sun or full shade. For
continued flowering, deadhead
spent blooms.

20
Pansies
S H O P N OW

BARBARA FISCHER, AUSTRALIA. // GETTY IMAGES

Pansies can't tolerate heat, but they
can withstand the winter. Plant 'em
at the end of summer and they'll
bloom until a hard frost. Then
expect to see their vibrant hues pop
up again in the spring.
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 up again in the spring.

ABIGAIL BAILEY

ASSISTANT TO THE GENERAL MANAGER

Abigail (she/her) covers everything from kitchen gear to mattresses and smart blinds for the
Institute, as well as assisting the General Manager in any number of projects. She graduated from
Louisiana State University with a B.A. in creative writing, as well as earning her M.S. in publishing
digital and print media from New York University. Before GH, she worked at LSU Press and The
Southern Review literary magazine. In her free time you can find her quilting, cross-stitching or
trying full
Read bio out how to squeeze one more bookshelf in her tiny apartment.
to figure

KATARINA AVENDAÑO

SENIOR SEO EDITOR

Katarina Avendaño (she/her) is the senior SEO editor for Good Housekeeping , where she writes
and edits lifestyle content and contributes to SEO strategy. Before joining GH in 2021, she was the
digital editor at New York Family , where she was responsible for the website’s content and strategy.
Katarina received her bachelor's degree in communications and Spanish from the University of
Washington.

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