--- title: These Are the 10 Best Flowers to Plant This Fall description: Did you know that many spring blossoms will bloom earlier in the fall? Here are our favorite flowers for your autumn garden. canonical: https://time.com/4955182/best-flowers-for-fall/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-09-24T21:06:19.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:47:29.658Z og:title: These Are the 10 Best Flowers to Plant This Fall og:description: Here are our favorite flowers for your fall garden og:url: https://time.com/4955182/best-flowers-for-fall/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6fb507f2e6b99723/6988df32196cf4e3e50420ff/sweet-peas-flowers.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5100 og:image:height: 2869 og:image:alt: Sweet pea. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: These Are the 10 Best Flowers to Plant This Fall twitter:description: Here are our favorite flowers for your fall garden twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6fb507f2e6b99723/6988df32196cf4e3e50420ff/sweet-peas-flowers.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The 10 Best Flowers to Plant in Fall by [Lennie Larkin / Sunset](https://time.com/author/sunset/) ## Lennie Larkin / Sunset Sep 24, 2017 9:06 PM UTC  Sweet pea, Lathyrus odoratus, Sweet pea, Lathyrus odoratus,Flowerphotos/UIG/Getty Images by [Lennie Larkin / Sunset](https://time.com/author/sunset/) ## Lennie Larkin / Sunset Sep 24, 2017 9:06 PM UTC Ideeone / Getty Images ## Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus) An old cottage garden favorite, rambling sweet peas in all shades of pastels take off when planted alongside a fence line or allowed to overtake a trellis. Plant in rich, [amended soil](http://www.sunset.com/garden/fruits-veggies/how-to-amend-soil-video) and water deeply and regularly to encourage vigorous roots. To prolong flowering, pick stems or deadhead often. 2 of 10 Flowerphotos / Getty Images ## Geum (Geum coccineum) Dainty 1″ orange flowers form atop wispy stems in this prolific [perennial](http://www.sunset.com/garden/flowers-plants/best-perennials-fall-planting). Geums are happiest in partial shade with well-drained soil, and will remain evergreen in most climates. ‘Totally Tangerine’ is a favorite for the designer’s garden as its petals resist shattering when cut. Mark Turner / Getty Images ## Rudbeckia triloba Towering upright stems form a sea of wildflowers, in sharp contrast to this plant’s traditional, tame cousin the [Black-Eyed Susan](http://www.sunset.com/garden/flowers-plants/black-eyed-susan-rudbeckia-fulgida). Planted in full sun along a border, it will self-support and grow up to 3′ tall. If planted in shade, support netting may be necessary as stems will elongate and weaken. Danita Delimont / Getty Images ## Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) Slender, elegant 2-4′ stems hold small nodding flower heads with intricate patterns. A short-lived [perennial](http://www.sunset.com/garden/flowers-plants/best-perennials-fall-planting), columbine grows best in well-drained soil with afternoon shade. Cut back spent stems to encourage a second flush. We love the ‘Barlow’ series for its unique range of colors. Stephen Hayward / Getty Images ## Panda Anemones (Anemone coronaria) Grown from small tubers, anemones are a much-loved flower of early spring. The dramatic black eye surrounded by paper-thin white petals is unparalleled for its dramatic effect. Anemones begin to peter out once temperatures climb towards 70, making them prime candidates for fall planting. itsabreeze photography / Getty Images ## Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) Most foxglove species are biennials, meaning that they’ll flower and set seed in the second year. An exception is the first-year-flowering ‘Dalmation’ series. Bell-shaped speckled flowers form along one side of tall 4′ spikes. They can tolerate full sun, but will thrive under afternoon shade in hotter climates. Lisa Sieczka / Getty Images ## Ranunculus (Ranunculus asiaticus) Layers of soft petals make for a huge, lush flower head that resembles garden [roses](http://www.sunset.com/garden/flowers-plants/roses). Grown from small tubers or “corms,” ranunculus are known for their soft pastels from the ‘La Belle’ series. They put on their show in mid-spring and feature longer stems if planted in the fall. Laszlo Szirtesi / Getty Images ## Annual Phlox (Phlox drummondii) While the phlox family is largely [perennial](http://www.sunset.com/garden/flowers-plants/best-perennials-fall-planting), we love the showy annual varieties for their vigor. Choose from _Phlox drummondii_ ‘Cherry Caramel’ or ‘Sugar Stars’ for gorgeous coloration and pillowy flowers atop 18” stems. Plant close together for tallest stems, and choose an area with rich soil and full sun. Westend61 / Getty Images ## Fritillaria (Fritillaria meleagris) Common in English gardens, word of fritillaria is just making its way over the pond to a new generation of American gardeners. _F. meleagris_ is much loved for its tiny checkered flower heads on short dainty stems. They’ll perform best in sheltered, woodland gardens in dappled shade. MarkBridger / Getty Images ## Ornamental Allium (Allium) There are about 500 species in the allium family, including the kitchen staples of [onions](http://www.sunset.com/food-wine/kitchen-assistant/onion-recipes) and garlic. Our favorite ornamental varieties include _Allium sphaerocephalon_, _Allium cristophii_, and _Allium schubertii_. They prefer rich, sandy soil, and will appreciate division after a few years. _This_ [_article_](http://www.sunset.com/garden/flowers-plants/flowers-to-plant-in-fall#rudbeckia-triloba-flower) _originally appeared on_ [_Sunset.com_](http://www.sunset.com/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4955182/best-flowers-for-fall/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4955182/best-flowers-for-fall/"},"headline":"The 10 Best Flowers to Plant in Fall","datePublished":"2017-09-24T21:06:19.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:47:29.658Z","description":"Here are our favorite flowers for your fall garden","url":"https://time.com/4955182/best-flowers-for-fall/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Flowers","gardening","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6fb507f2e6b99723/6988df32196cf4e3e50420ff/sweet-peas-flowers.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Lennie Larkin / Sunset"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6fb507f2e6b99723/6988df32196cf4e3e50420ff/sweet-peas-flowers.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Sweet pea.","caption":"Sweet pea.","creditText":"Flowerphotos/UIG/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4955182/best-flowers-for-fall/","name":"The 10 Best Flowers to Plant in Fall"}}]}] ```