Although mums are among the most popular fall flowers due to their wide range of sizes and colors, those sold in the fall may not survive the winter if planted too late. Set out to get the best results mothers– most are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9 – in spring, so they have all summer to establish. If this is not possible, sow in very well-drained soil as early as possible in the autumn.

Colorful rosettes of inflorescences consisting of leaves rather than flowers cabbage and cabbage looks like foot-wide oversized flowers. Kale has the loosest leaves with frilled, finely cut edges, while the more tightly rolled flowering kale tends towards smooth pico-shaped edges. Growing up to 15 inches tall, both species can reportedly withstand temperatures as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit, with their color tones deepening after the first frosts.

Japanese anemones grow up to 4 feet tall with 2- to 3-inch single, semi-double or double flowers that range in color to pinks or whites and generally bloom over a 2-month period from late summer through fall. Hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, these elegant “windflowers” are tougher than they look and can continue to sway in the breeze for years.

Originating from a plant that could reach 9 feet in its original version, Joe Pye weed is now available in sweet Pye dwarf varieties that are more suitable for the garden. Among them, 4-meter Eupatorium dubium ‘Little Joe’ or his ‘little brother’, the 2-metre tall ‘Baby Joe’. Most produce lavender flowers in late summer through fall and can tolerate wet areas.

This sunflower from the Great Plains reaches a maximum height of 10 feet and may have to prop itself up against a fence or other support like a tall cowboy. It is a perennial in USDA zones 4 through 9, producing its 2- to 5-inch yellow flowers from August through November, and its seeds are highly attractive to birds.

These two monk species, with their lobed leaves and hooded blue-purple flower stalks that resemble monks’ headdresses or helmets, grow to 3 to 4 feet, respectively, in USDA zones 3 through 7. Although most other species bloom in the summer, these late bloomers bloom in the summer. I like to have the last word. Because they are highly poisonous plants, such “hoods” can be bad news if you have small children or pets.

These two types of aster are similar in appearance and needs, but the leaves of the New York type are smoother than the hairy ones of the New England type. Both are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 10, usually not exceeding 5 feet tall, with finely cut leaves in a variety of colors. Like mums, they can be cut back or pinched in spring for a bushier bloom that will prevent spindly plants from turning into “catastrophes.”

Hardy annuals that can perennial in temperate climates, pansies rarely grow taller than 10 inches, with their cute, whiskered faces measuring 2 to 4 inches. They enjoy the cold and can reportedly tolerate conditions down to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Below this temperature their leaves may start to look a little spiky, but even then they may stage a comeback if the weather improves.

Calendulas – also known as potted plants – are so named for their ability to bloom on almost any date of the calendar in some climates. marigold– are hardy annuals but self-sowing enough to look like a perennial. Grows 1 to 2 feet in height by 2 ½- to 4 ½-inch blooms, they actually prefer cold weather. In fact, they often sulk in the heat of summer, perking up to bloom quite happily in the fall until temperatures drop below 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sneezeweed grows to 5 feet tall in USDA zones 3 through 8 and bears 2- to 3-inch inflorescences in warm fall colors from summer through fall. Although plants may seem like a nightmare for allergy sufferers, the name actually comes from the fact that the powdered flowers and leaves were once added to snuff. And a plant that can produce its own bouquets in the fall is not something to be taken lightly.