No matter what planting zone you live in, you can have a beautiful and colorful fall garden. Why should you stop enjoying your garden just because summer has gone? Just take a look at some of these suggestions and see which ones will make you want to stay outdoors on a cool fall day. Most of them will flower in the spring and turn colors in the fall, making your garden look like an artists pallet.
Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’ or burning bush. This fall blooming plant is simple gorgeous. The fiery red color brightens up any garden in zones 4 to 8. It can grow as high as 11 feet and just as wide, so plant them far apart and be ready to cut them down. Other than that , they need very little care. They take full sun and part shade and do not need much water. They would look great as the center of a planting, with lower fall blooming plants surrounding them.
Hamamelis vernalis or Ozark witch hazel is hardy in zones 4 to 8. It can tolerate full sun or partial shade. The soil should be well drained and it can be clay but does best in acidic soil. It likes to spread out and can grow about 10 feet tall. In the fall, the leaves which are green the rest of the year turn a bright golden yellow.
Salvia leucantha Mexican bush sage is hardy in zones 8 to 10. This fall blooming shrub will give you light purple colors from August to frost. It loves full sun, does not need that much water and only grows to about 3 feet in height. Both humming birds and butterflies love this one. Because it does not grow that tall, it looks nice planted under windows. It does not have a formal look, so it will give a casual element.
Zanthoxylum americanum The toothache tree. This one is hardy in zones 3 to 7 and grows to a magnificent tree. It like full sun or partial shade and does not need much water. In the fall, the flowers turn to bright berries and hang in clusters.
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Adagio’ This ornamental grass is hardy in zones 5 to 9. It will bloom from August all the way to February. It will start out pink and turn to white. Plant this one in either full sun or partial shade and it does not require a lot of water. It will grow to about 3 feet.
