Perennials for Summer and Fall

Get tips on which perennial plants are good through summer and into the fall season.

Double Eyeful Daylilies

© Oakes Farm

Oakes Farm

Q.Which perennial will flower throughout the summer and into fall?

A. Remember that perennials don't look their best the first season, plus you'll need to plant a variety, not just one. Having said that, planting several of these will bridge the gaps:

  • Daylilies. Choose a variety of early-, mid- and late-season bloomers to give you blooms from June to fall.
  • Coneflower. This tough perennial blooms throughout July and August. Breeders have come out with a wide range of colors, from white to orange to rose to raspberry red.
  • Leadwort or plumbago. The flowers keep going from late summer to early fall, and the foliage turns a bronzy red at the end of the season.
  • Salvia. The perennial salvias offer a lot of options for blooms throughout summer and all the way up to first frost.
  • Hardy geranium. Also called cranesbill, this perennial has an unusually long flowering period — all summer until fall. (USDA Zones 5 to 7.)

  • Start with one-gallon plants, choosing plants with plenty of healthy, lush foliage and avoiding those that have already started blooming. Give them the conditions they need (shade or sun, moist or dry), then be patient. The first year you'll probably get only a few flowers, the next year many more, and the third year, you'll be astounded at the color you've created.

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