5 perennials to plant right now

It’s always a little sad when summer ends, but cooler weather doesn’t have to mean colder gardens. To keep your garden warm and inviting all year round, here are five resilient perennials to plant right now.

1. Perennial Mums (Plants/Flowers)

For a rich and colorful display in your autumnal garden, start with Dendranthema mums, otherwise known as Igloo Mums. True to their name, Igloo Mums can withstand harsh winter landscapes, which makes them the perfect perennial to plant in Western New York.

This fall, Igloo Mums will bring an impeccable pop of color to your collection of gourds and pumpkins. And after holding root in winter, they’re sure to return to the summer sun in June.

Igloo Mums are as resilient as they are resplendent, bringing the most vibrant energy to your garden year after year.

Flower Types

• Fireworks Igloo - magenta
• Frosty Igloo - white and yellow
• Cool Igloo - fuchsia 

Needs

• Full sunlight
• Well-drained soil
• Moderate water

Benefits

• No need to deadhead the plants
• Deer resistant

2. Japanese Anemones (Wildflowers)

Interestingly, Japanese anemones are native to China, but you don’t need to travel halfway around the world to enjoy these fall-blooming beauties. Known for their ability to capture the transition from one season to the next, these perennial wildflowers will brighten your home and garden for six to eight weeks before fading away for their winter rest.

Enjoy these lovely, long-stemmed wildflowers as they sway in the breeze of your backyard, reaching heights of up to two to four feet tall. For the best results, plant these babies alongside your garden walls or fences.

Flower Type

• Japanese Anemone

Color

• Pink and white in the late season

Needs

• Morning sun
• Partial shade
• Fertilizer in the early spring followed by mulch

Benefits

• The plant spreads quickly
• Can tolerate the sun with enough water
• Rabbit resistant
• Attract butterflies

3. Fruit Trees

Fruit trees, such as apple (Cortland, Red Delicious) and cherry (Sour, Bing), are hardy enough to survive the blusterous winters here in Western New York. Not only do fruit trees like these bring rich colors to your yard or garden landscape throughout the fall season, they yield delicious fruit for you to harvest, eat, or even sell. To plant the tree:

• Dig a hole that’s twice as deep and wide as its base
• Blend compost into parent soil and backfill
• Keep the soil moist and water as needed
• Mulch two to three inches to the drip edge
• Stake the tree for one full growing season 

Tree Types

• Apple - red, gold, green
• Cherry, plum - red, purple
• Pear - gold, green, brown

Needs

• Full sunlight
• Blended compost
• Two to three inches of mulch
• Slow, deep watering
• Stakes

Benefits

• Fast-growing
• Leaves that resemble tulip flowers
• Aromatic stems
• Attract ruby-throated hummingbirds

4. Acer 'Aconitifolium' (Maple Tree)

There are many varieties of maple trees, all of which will bring awe-inspiring experiences to your yard this fall. With foliage that spans the spectrum of all your favorite fall colors, the leaves on these trees can range from purple to yellow, red to orange, and all the way back to green again.

When you’re looking for a place to plant this variety of Japanese maple, find an area that has protection from winter winds. Popular locations include the perimeter of your home, patio, or yard, but you’ll want to plant them within close proximity of other freestanding structures that can offer protection from harsh winds.

Tree Type
Maple Tree

• Colors
• Gold
• Purple
• Orange
• Green
• Red

Needs

• Full sunlight
• Dappled shade
• Average watering
• Well-drained soil

Benefits

• Gorgeous foliage
• Intense fall coloration
• Low maintenance (little to no pruning)
• Blooms small flowers

5. Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers' (Shrub)

The Hydrangea quercifolia shrub, otherwise known as 'Ruby Slippers,' is an ideal hedge plant that’s perfect for building borders along pathways or around your gardens. Well-suited for smaller gardens in particular, this beautifully colored yet compact shrub boasts long, conical flower panicles up to nine inches long.

Shrub Type

• Oakleaf Hydrangea

Color

• Green foliage
• Pink to ruby red flowers at full bloom
• Rich burgundy and mahogany in the fall

Needs

• Rich, moist soil
• Well-drained soil
• Partial shade
• Partial sun

Benefits

• Low maintenance
• Dramatic colored blooms

Looking to spruce up your porch or patio? Look no further than the Hydrangea quercifolia, which will look as nice in the fall as it will in the winter when its color and texture will stand strong.

Are you ready to plant something new? Let us know! Drop by our Garden Center at 4484 Clark Street in Hamburg, New York, or give us a call at 716-649-4684.

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