Top Fall Flowers for Your Garden

Fill your garden with these fall flowers perfect for fresh bouquets and late-season color.

Aster

New England aster bears loads of pink, blue, purple, and white flowers that are great in the vase  or in the garden. Butterflies love it -- and we do, too.

Name: Aster novae-angliae
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: To 5 inches tall
Zones: 4-8
Native to North America: Yes

Asters get their name from the Latin word for "star," and their flowers are indeed the superstars of the fall garden. Some types of this native plant can reach up to 6 feet with flowers in white and pinks but also, perhaps most strikingly, in rich purples and showy lavenders.

Not all asters are fall bloomers. Extend the season by growing some of the summer bloomers, as well. Some are naturally compact; tall types that grow more than 2 feet tall benefit from staking or an early-season pinching or cutting back by about one-third in July or so to keep the plant more compact.

Light:

Sun

Type:

Perennial

Height:

Under 6 inches to 8 feet

Width:

1-4 feet wide

Flower Color:

Blue, Pink, White

Seasonal Features:

Fall Bloom, Spring Bloom

Problem Solvers:

Drought Tolerant

Special Features:

Attracts Birds, Cut Flowers, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance

Zones:

3-9

Toad Lily

Toad lilies keep shady gardens  from getting dull at the end of the season. This easy-care perennial offers intricate, orchid-like flowers from late summer to mid-fall.

Name: Tricyrtis hirta
Growing Conditions: Shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide
Zones: 4-9
Native to North America: No
Tricyrtis

No fall garden should be without toad lilies. These Asian curiosities bloom with orchid-like flowers that demand a close look, when the garden is winding down in fall. They do best in light shade in humus-rich soil that retains moisture, and are suitable for borders or less formal parts of the garden and among shrubs gradually becoming large clumps. Some self-seed but not aggressively.

Light:

Part Sun, Shade

Type:

Perennial                                                                                                                                                                               

Height:

1 to 3 feet

Width:

1-2 feet wide, depending on variety

Flower Color:

Blue, White

Foliage Color:

Chartreuse/Gold                                                                                                                                                                               

Seasonal Features:

Colorful Fall Foliage, Fall Bloom, Summer Bloom

Problem Solvers:

Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant

Special Features:

Cut Flowers, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance

Zones:

4-9




Goldenrod


Fall wouldn't be fall without the cheery yellow flowers of goldenrod. It's a tough, beautiful plant that looks good despite summer heat and drought. Note: Goldenrod isn't typically a source of allergies; this is a common misperception.
Name: Solidago rugosa
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: To 4 feet tall
Zones: 4-9
Native to North America: Yes

Goldenrod Solidago_ spp.

It's time to debunk a garden myth: Goldenrod does not aggravate allergies! The pollen is too heavy to fly in the wind and instead sticks to the legs of the insects and butterflies that feed on its nectar.

It's one of the most glorious flowers of late summer and early autumn, with the wild type blanketing ditches and other open, moist sunny places. In your own garden, choose the hybridized types that are shorter, longer-blooming, and don't spread out of control. Divide or take cuttings of these to increase your supply; seed will not come true.

Light:

Part Sun, Shade, Sun

Type:

Perennial

Height:

Under 6 inches to 8 feet

Width:

8 inches-3 feet wide

Foliage Color:

Chartreuse/Gold

Seasonal Features:

Colorful Fall Foliage, Fall Bloom, Summer Bloom

Problem Solvers:

Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Slope/Erosion Control

Special Features:

Attracts Birds, Cut Flowers, Fragrance, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance

Zones:

4-5, 7-9


Russian Sage


It's fun to have some contrast to all the warm autumnal shades. Russian sage does the trick with its airy blue flowers and silvery foliage. Another reason we love it: It's tough as nails and both the foliage and blooms have a great scent.
Name: Perovskia atriplicifolia
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: To 5 feet tall
Zones: 5-9
Native to North America: No

 

Thanksgiving Dinner Centerpieces and Designs

Thanksgiving is on the horizon and it’s time to start planning the menu as well as the table scape. And the table scape includes the centerpieces of course! Need some ideas for something a little different this year? How about creating something beautiful instead of just sitting the turkey in the center of the table and calling it a night. Take a look at all our fabulous finds and use one to dress the Thanksgiving table this year!


Set a festive tone with a table piled with pumpkins, gourds, and bittersweet. Raid the cupboard for display ideas such as bowls or cake plates. The rich fall colors of gourds and pumpkins make it easy to create an elegant centerpiece.



Welcoming Display





Put an old wheelbarrow to use by filling it with an assortment of pumpkins, gourds, and squash. Use black acrylic paint or a permanent marker to decorate one of the pumpkins with a welcoming message.


The Classic Cornucopia.









It’s look is quintessential Thanksgiving and perfect for the holiday feast. Fill it up with
 vibrant fruits and florals to adorn the table.



Some Pumpkin  as Candlesticks.





For something light and delicate, grab some candlesticks and place some small, dainty pumpkins atop. It’s easy, quick but adorably stylish for a festive Thanksgiving treat.
Stack squatty gourds among your favorite white china. Dishes with ridges complement the natural elements in the display. Mixing and matching is in and is a great way to use your collectibles.

Bell Pepper and Flowers.


Definitely the most original, this adorable centerpiece was made simple with some bell peppers and pretty flowers. Use all different color peppers and then use contrasting flower colors inside to create a pop of autumn-flavored color.


Use Gourd as Vases.





Chop open some fall gourds and create a beautiful, organic vase! It’s festive and perfect for the season. And just like with the bell peppers, use contrasting and bright colors to spruce up neutral gourds.


Some Corns and Wheats.

Maybe you want to really pay homage to America’s very first Thanksgiving. Creating something like this rustic, corn and wheat palette would be a great way to do so!

Organic as Candles.



Grab some neutral, thick candles and wrap them up! Using some organic, fresh and green vegetables  to make the candle pop is a great way to create a focal point on the table.

Some Cranberries.



Don’t forget the beautiful cranberry color that looks great in any room, that means it looks great on the table too. Grab a white pumpkin, for contrast purposed, gut it and fill it with fresh florals and berries!

Some Simple Candles.






Grab a candle, or even several tea light and put them inside a clear holder. Then, add some uncooked corn kernels to add some zest. It’s simple and clean … but still a great look on the table.


Gourds in a Row


Create a stunning contemporary centerpiece by arranging four gourds and six large chrysanthemum blossoms symmetrically in a flat bowl or tray.




Some Pumpkins and Mums.





Mums are the perfect fall flower and they’re pretty too! Grab a pumpkin and fill them up with these charming flowers!

Gourds Under Glass

Display petite gourds-turned-treasures in a decorative apothecary jar. Garnet-hue leaves and a dried hydrangea benefit from the same prescription.

Mini-Pumpkin Wreath

For this autumn wreath, first tap small nails into the surface of miniature gourds and pumpkins to break the surface. Carefully poke sturdy toothpicks into the holes. Coat the protruding end of the toothpick with hot glue and immediately stick into a straw wreath form. Once the wreath is as completely covered with pumpkins and gourds as possible, hot-glue silk leaves around the wreath to fill in the gaps.



Gourds Galore


Bring a warm glow to the front porch with a generous tumble of smooth-skin gourds in soft, creamy colors. Accent them with frilly ornamental kale and fall flowers.

Flowered Pumpkins

Create this beautiful floral display using yellow and orange mums. Cut the heads from the flowers and hot-glue them all over the pumpkins. Display on tabletops or in small footed urns.

Hanging Gourd Vase

Hook a swan gourd over a balcony rail to create a hanging vase. Cut a 1- to 2-inch hole near the neck of the gourd, remove a bit of the pith, and insert mums, black-eyed Susans, and a length of Virginia creeper.

Floating Pumpkins

Fill an assortment of glasses with water and float mini pumpkin gourds inside.
 A Teddy Bear sunflower set in a shallow dipping bowl makes a frilly dinner accent.

Potted Pumpkins

Weathered terra-cotta pots give this simple display a boost. Set pumpkins in or atop them, and pair them with an explosion of rich burgundy dahlias accented with pumpkin leaves




Gather gourds in cylindrical vases to bring autumn to a tabletop or mantel. Use containers of different sizes to stack gourds in varying amounts. To give each display a vibrant touch, add a length of fresh pumpkin vine from the garden, pulling the vine out at the root and rinsing off the dirt. Place it in the vase with a bit of water.

Thanksgiving Decor Ideas

Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner and we’re all grateful and happy that another year has passed and has brought us all sorts of great experiences. But Thanksgiving is not all about being grateful, although this is the main idea. It’s also about being a good host and part of that is creating a beautiful décor for your guests. The centerpieces play an important role in this whole concept so we came up with a few examples you might like to try this year.


THANKS





This is a centerpiece idea that takes only a few minutes to make once you’ve gathered all the supplies. Here’s what you have to do: you print the letters and then you them out and you tape to the inside of the vases or the jars you want to use. Then you use a paint pen to trace and fill in the letters, you take the letters out and you stick some moss, rocks and a candle in each vase.




Floral Arrangement





If you want to put fresh flowers inside the pumpkin vase, then you’ll need to use some pre-soaked floral foam. Cut it to fit through the hole and use scraps to fit in between the main pieces. This way your flowers will stay fresh without having to use water.

Pumpkins and moss.

Here’s a nice and interesting mix of pumpkins and moss. To make this particular centerpiece you need a cake stand which is rather unusual. You also need faux branches, moss, twig balls and candlestick holders. The pumpkins are a mix of white and orange.{found on lovemaegan}.

Dried Corn Centerpiece.



Dried is also something you can use for a Thanksgiving centerpiece. For a project like this one you’ll also need a cylinder vase, a hot glue gun and some twine and ribbon. You pull the shucks to the back of the corn and you secure them with twine. Then you adhere the corn to the vase and you add the ribbon.{found on julieblanner}.




Feather Centerpiece.





This is a chic feathered centerpiece and it’s quite easy to make. Take a foam monument and cut the top off. You’ll also need a glass cylinder. Insert the foam piece into the center of the cylinder. Then surround it with nuts. Make several layers using different types of nuts. Insert the feathers into the foam and that’s all.{found on hgtv}.


Pumpkin Flower Vase.





This is a very beautiful centerpiece, also featuring a pumpkin. The pumpkin and beautifully ornate with colorful flowers and decorations and it bursts with energy. The pumpkin stem is an oasis so after you place it there you can start adding flowers, leaves and everything else.{found on site}.


Apple Topiary Centerpiece.





Apples are a great symbol of autumn so you can make wonderful centerpieces with them. For example, you can make an apple topiary. You’ll need a foam topiary foam, fresh apples, fresh sprigs of greenery, florist’s skewers, a pot and a hot glue gun.{found on hgtv}.


Tray.





The theme for this centerpiece is bringing the outdoors in and using items from your own backyard. You can use pine cones, fake gourds or real ones if you have them, potpourri as well as twigs and leaves. Arrange them all in a tray and in vases.{found on whatsurhomestory}.


Painted Plates.





You can also make a centerpiece that combines traditional and modern elements. It would have to be simplistic and to have strong symbols like this one for example. It’s just a plate with some apples and pears on it but it’s very interesting-looking.{found on bigcitylittlejoys}.


Painted bottles.





Wine bottles make great vases if you know how to make them look beautiful. Take off the labels and spray paint them white. Cover the bottom half of the bottles with a paper towel and use tape to keep it in place. Then put spray-on glue on the top half and sprinkle white glitter. Let it dry and remove the paper towel.{found on ninthandbird}.


Mason jar.





Here we have a similar type of centerpiece made using a mason jar as a vase, beach rocks, an orange pepper berry garland and red candles on a white platter. The colors are different but the idea is basically the same.{found on incourage}.


Rustic Centerpiece





This is a rustic type of centerpiece with a very green look and you can use it for a wedding but also for the Thanksgiving table. You basically place the plants in recycled plastic containers and you cover them in bark.{found on hwtm}.


Perfect Vases.



Squashes are lovely and they also have a fun shape. They make perfect vases if you can find some that are sturdy and have the right shape. To cut off the tops and put flowers in them and you’re done.{found on designbright}.




Repurpose.





With a little imagination you can repurpose anything. For example, for this project you’ll be using lentils to decorate pumpkins and candles. It’s an interesting idea, very suitable for Thanksgiving.{found on hgtv}.





Because Thanksgiving is a family holiday usually associated with coziness and a homey feel, you can have a more rustic centerpiece. For example, use a wood box as a planter or some sort of oversized vase and fill it with plants and flowers.


Apple Harvest Basket.





A nice idea can also be to make a fall harvest basket. Use things from your own backyard or from the market and decorations like pinecones, leaves, branches, etc. make a mix of fruit and green plants.{found on site}.




CANDLES.





Coffee beans are often used as purely decorative elements because they have a nice scent and a lovely texture. You can use them in tiny glass vases and you can place a candle in the center. Decorate the vases with raffia.{found on calmcradle}.

HIBISCUS

Hibiscus flowers might be the most dramatic in the garden and can bloom as large as a child's head in gorgeous colors. The hibiscus plant itself is large and dramatic, and it needs plenty of space to show off. Although the huge funnel-shape flowers of the hibiscus plant seldom last more than a day, they are abundant and the hibiscus plant blooms over several weeks. The large leaves of hibiscus tend to draw Japanese beetles. A hibiscus plant needs plenty of water, so grow it in rich, loose, well-drained soil where you can water it easily and regularly during dry spells.

Light:

Sun

Type:

Perennial

Height:

From 3 to 20 feet

Width:

3-5 feet wide

Flower Color:

Pink, Red, White

Seasonal Features:

Fall Bloom, Summer Bloom

Special Features:

Attracts Birds, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance

Zones:

6-11

how to grow Hibiscus

by Propagation

Seed Division

Stem Cuttings

more varieties for Hibiscus



Hibiscus moscheutos
'Blue River II' shows off 10-inch-wide, pure-white hibiscus blooms on 6-foot stems in midsummer to fall. Zones 5-10


'Fireball' hibiscus
Hibiscus moscheutos 'Fireball' is one of the most stunning perennial hibiscus plants. It bears bold red flowers to 12 inches across on 5-foot-tall stems. It grows 3 feet wide. Zones 5-9


Hibiscus makinoi
Hibiscus makinoi) shows off large pink flowers to 5 inches wide. This hibiscus plant bears fuzzy green foliage and can grow 7 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Zones 7-10


'Lord Baltimore' hibiscus
Hibiscus moscheutos 'Lord Baltimore' bears 10-inch-wide, bright cherry-red flowers on 4-foot stems in midsummer to fall. Zones 5-10


'Luna Pink Swirl' hibiscus
Hibiscus 'Luna Pink Swirl' is a compact selection bearing 8-inch-wide flowers in pink and white. This hibiscus plant grows 3 feet tall and wide. Zones 5-10


'Luna Red' hibiscus
Hibiscus 'Luna Red' is a compact selection at 2-3 feet tall. Its 8-inch, deep burgundy flowers bloom from midsummer to fall. Zones 5-10

White rose mallow

Hibiscus coccineus albus is a Texas native that offers pure white flowers from summer to fall. This hibiscus plant loves moist soil and grows 10 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Zones 6-11

'Strawberry Swirl' hibiscus
Hibiscus moscheutos 'Strawberry Swirl' offers creamy-pink and white flowers with red centers and maple-shape foliage. This hibiscus plant grows 4 feet tall and wide. Zones 4-10

Scarlet rose mallow

Hibiscus coccineus is a dramatic plant that grows to 7 feet tall and bears 5-inch, brilliant red flowers in summer. Zones 7-9

Plant Hibiscus with :

Joe Pye weed

Eupatorium ~ Joe Pye weed is a showstopper of a prairie native, producing huge, puffy flower heads in late summer. It prefers moist soils, but with its extensive root system, it also tolerates drought well. It is a large plant, growing 4 to 6 feet tall.

Closely related, hardy ageratum is a spreading plant that grows to only 2 feet tall. Another relative, white snakeroot, reaches 4 to 5 feet tall. All are great for naturalistic or cottage plantings and for attracting butterflies.