Cold + Bold Canada™ - Perennial Showstoppers for September
By September, early summer blooms may be fading, but the garden still has plenty to offer. Discover late-season plants that thrive as summer winds down and bring lasting color and interest to Canadian gardens into fall.
Perennial Showstoppers for September
By September, the garden may feel like it’s had its moment because the early summer perennials have faded, annuals may look a little tired, and days are becoming noticeably shorter. But don’t give up yet! September can be one of the most beautiful months in a Canadian garden, especially when you grow plants that are just hitting their stride as summer winds down
Here is a collection of impressive Proven Winners® plants that can keep your garden colourful, interesting and full of life well into fall.
Rock ’N Grow® Autumn Stonecrop (Sedum)
Autumn stonecrop is a September superstar. Clusters of tiny, star-shaped flowers open in late summer and deepen in colour as autumn arrives.
Colourful Rock ’N Grow® selections such as the yellow-flowered ‘Lemonjade’, pinky-coral ‘Coraljade’, and the dark-leaved ‘Midnight Velvet’ not only infuse vitality, but they also provide structure, pollen for insects, and seedheads that continue into fall.
Prairie Winds® Collection of Hardy Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses bring movement, colour, texture and height to the September garden. If you’re looking for something a little taller to make a statement, try Prairie Winds® ‘Totem Pole’ switch grass (Panicum) which has a narrow, upright shape or Prairie Winds® ‘Niagara Falls’ switch grass, which blooms with impressive sprays of cream seed heads that pop against the arching, blue foliage. For red fall colour, you can’t go wrong with Prairie Winds® ‘Cheyenne Sky’ switch grass.
Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Panicle Hydrangeas
Panicle hydrangeas are hard to beat from coast to coast for lasting flower power well into the fall. Since they are all hardy to zone 3, panicle hydrangeas are a reliable choice for almost any Canadian garden. This is the most sun tolerant kind of hydrangea, growing well in full sun in most areas but also blooming well in part sun.
Proven Winners ColorChoice has an amazing lineup of panicle hydrangeas that range anywhere from a half meter (1.5 feet) to over 2.5 meters (8 feet) tall. No matter how much space you have to work with, there is a perfect panicle hydrangea for it. Depending on which one you pick, it will bloom from mid to late summer well into the fall, changing colour as the seasons progress.
A few of my favorites are:
- Bobo® - Typically less than 1 meter (3 feet) tall with large, lacy white flowers that bloom early and blush light pink.
- Little Lime Punch® - Grows 1 to 1.5 meters (3 to 5 feet) tall with lime green flowers that turn a blend of white, light pink and bright red.
- Little Quick Fire® - Grows 1 to 1.5 meters (3 to 5 feet) tall with white lacecap flowers that quickly age to deep red.
- Fire Light® - Another early bloomer, flowering around the same time as Little Quick Fire, but growing much larger at 1.8 to 2.5 meters (6 to 8 feet) tall. The creamy white flowers age to a dark pink-red in fall.
Native to much of Canada, false sunflowers (Heliopsis helianthoides) start blooming in midsummer and flower well into autumn. If you want sunny gold colour in your September garden, this is the perennial for you. Plus, butterflies and pollinating bees enjoy them, too. They are very easy to grow in full sun to part sun and thrive in clay soil.
Some perennial sunflowers are hardy to zone 4, but the zone 3 hardy cultivars are particularly appealing for Prairie gardeners. They range a bit in height, so pay attention to that when you are picking one for your garden.
A few of my favorites are:
- ‘Tuscan Sun’ – Grows .6 to 1 meter tall (2 to 3 feet) with disease resistant foliage and golden yellow, single daisy-like flowers. Zone 3.
- ‘Rays for Days’ – Grows .6 meters (2 feet) tall with plentiful, fully double, golden yellow flowers that look like zinnias. Zone 3.
- ‘Touch of Blush’ – Grows .4 meters (1.5 feet) tall with variegated white and green leaves with a touch of blush pink on the new leaves. Blooms with semi-double, yellow flowers. Zone 4.
The September show doesn’t stop there! Asters, goldenrod, garden mums, and Rock ’N Round® autumn stonecrop offer even more ways to add colour and interest to the fall garden. Keep in mind that hardiness varies among perennials, so check the hardiness rating before planting to be sure you pair the right ones with your growing zone.
The garden may be changing, but that doesn’t mean it is finished. In fact, September has its own special kind of beauty with golden flowers, rosy sedums, changing hydrangeas, and swaying grasses with the first hints of autumn colour. Before you start putting the garden to bed, take another look around; I know there’s still plenty to enjoy!
