Grow this colorful & easy-care fall garden bed for late-season interest
Make the most of your fall garden with this easygoing plant combination that both you and the butterflies will love! A mix of colorful shrubs and perennials brings plenty of seasonal interest without asking for much in return. Late-blooming New England aster and turtlehead provide an important source of nectar when pollinators need it most, attracting butterflies and other beneficial visitors to the fall garden.
These plants thrive in a spot that stays a little damp, making them a great choice for areas where the soil doesn't dry out quickly. Best of all, this happy-go-lucky plant combination is easy to maintain. Simply cut back the aster and turtlehead stems in early spring to tidy things up and make room for a fresh season of growth.
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Little Henry Virginia sweetspire has big impact for a compact shrub
Little Henry Virginia sweetspire puts on a show in two seasons. In early to midsummer, this compact shrub is covered in fragrant white flower spikes, followed by glossy green foliage that makes a lovely backdrop for later-season blooms. Come fall, the foliage turns brilliant shades of red and orange, often lasting for several weeks.
Native to the southeastern United States, Virginia sweetspire is a great alternative to invasive burning bush (Euonymus alatus) in regions where it's a concern. Plus, deer and rabbits tend to leave this shrub alone!
Meet the plants in this easy-care fall garden bed
A) Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica Little Henry
Shrub; fragrant, draping white racemes in early to midsummer; full sun to part shade; 2 to 3 ft. tall and wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9
B) New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Perennial; purple blooms from late summer to midfall; full sun to part shade; 3 to 6 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8
C) Fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea
Perennial; brown seedheads in midsummer; full sun to part shade;
1 to 3 ft. tall and wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8
D) Turtlehead Chelone lyonii ‘Hot Lips’
Perennial; rosy pink flowers in late summer to fall; full sun to part shade; 2 to 3 ft. tall, 1 to 2 ft. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8
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