A Beautiful Fall Border Idea with Asters, Verbena and Grasses

Perennial Combinations, Plant Combinations, Flowerbeds Ideas, Summer Borders, Fall Borders

Garden Ideas, Border ideas, Perennial Planting, Perennial combination, Summer Borders, Fall Borders, Aster frikartii Monch, Verbena Bonariensis, Helianthus Lemon Queen, Stipa tenuissima, Rhus Typhina

Summer might be over, but the gardening season is not as evidenced by this beautiful late-summer garden which marries small and medium-sized plants with great fall colors. You can easily replicate it in your own garden.

Select compact and vibrantly colored Asters such as Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’ (Frikart’s Aster) and Aster ‘Little Carlow’ (Cordifolius Hybrid). Combine them with the abundant golden blossoms of Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’ (Sunflower) and Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’.

Interplant the tall purple wands of Brazilian Verbena (Verbena bonariensis) with the pretty crimson-red spikes of Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Taurus’ (Mountain Fleece) and the exceptionally graceful Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass) whose silvery-green thread-like leaves sway elegantly in the slightest breeze.

Add the architectural Miscanthus sinensis ‘Kleine Silberspinne’ and ‘Silberfeder’ (Maiden Grass) that turn lovely shades of parchment and ivory in the fall and the magnificent Rhus typhina ‘Tiger Eyes’ (‘Bailtiger’) which develops excellent orange and scarlet tones. Then relax and enjoy the long-lasting beauty of this low maintenance combination from midsummer through fall!

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Garden Information

Hardiness	7 - 8
Heat Zones	7 - 8
Climate Zones	8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17
Exposure	Full Sun
Season of Interest	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Maintenance	Low
Water Needs	Average
Soil Type	Loam
Soil pH	Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Attracts	Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas	Beds And Borders
Garden Styles	Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden

Plants In This Garden

Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)

Winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society, Verbena bonariensis is a tall and slender-stemmed perennial that displays rich lilac flowers in tight clusters atop long stems that sway gracefully in the summer breeze. They rise well above rosettes of lance-shaped, dark green leaves that hug the ground. A superior nectar plant, hummingbirds and butterflies love it, and so will you!

Hardiness	7 - 11
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	3' - 6' (90cm - 180cm)
Spread	1' - 3' (30cm - 90cm)

Aster x frikartii 'Monch' (Frikart's Aster)

One of the top ten border plants! For summer to fall exquisite beauty on easy care plants, few perennials can compare with Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’ (Frikart’s Aster)

Hardiness	5 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Taurus' (Mountain Fleece)

With its long-lasting deep crimson-red flower spikes, Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Taurus’ is a standout perennial. Blooming from mid-summer to mid-fall, its brilliantly colored flowers remain vibrant even in full sun. The compact, bushy clump of shiny green leaves adds to its charm, and in the fall, the foliage takes on red and orange tints.

Hardiness	4 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)

Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' (Sunflower)

Free-flowering, Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’ (Sunflower) is ideal to brighten up the late season garden. This tall and upright perennial features luminous sprays of pale yellow flowers, 2 in. across (5 cm), with light yellow ray florets surrounding a dark yellow central disk.

Hardiness	4 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Late), Fall
Height	6' - 7' (180cm - 210cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Miscanthus sinensis 'Kleine Silberspinne' (Chinese Silver Grass)

Ideal for small gardens! Quite compact, award-winner Chinese Silver Grass ‘Kleine Silberspinne’ (Miscanthus sinensis) or ‘Little Silver Spider’ in English, is a remarkable ornamental grass for many reasons.

Hardiness	5 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Late), Fall, Winter
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder' (Chinese Silver Grass)

Reliable and robust, award-winner Chinese Silver Grass ‘SilberFeder’ is an impressive ornamental grass with tall, airy plumes which emerge sparkling pinkish-silver in late summer and turn shining silvery-white in the fall. Remaining attractive all winter, they rise well above the graceful variegated foliage of arching green leaves, with thin white midribs running the length of each leaf, which turns a lovely wheat shade in the fall.

Hardiness	4 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Late), Fall, Winter
Height	6' - 8' (180cm - 240cm)
Spread	4' - 5' (120cm - 150cm)

Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass)

Mexican Feather Grass (Stipa tenuissima) is a stunning ornamental grass with slender, silvery-green foliage that dances in the breeze, adding elegance to any garden.

Hardiness	7 - 11
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)

Rhus typhina Tiger Eyes® ('Bailtiger')

Award-winning Rhus Tiphina Tiger Eyes® is a real standout! Changing with every season, the cut-leaf foliage of this deciduous, suckering shrub emerges chartreuse in spring, matures to bright yellow in the summer, and eventually acquires striking orange and scarlet tones in fall. The leaves contrast extremely well with the purplish branches and stems. Cone-shaped panicles of green-yellow flowers bloom in early summer, followed on female plants by dark red fruit in fall.

Hardiness	5 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	3' - 6' (90cm - 180cm)
Spread	3' - 6' (90cm - 180cm)

Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm' (Black-Eyed Susan)

Proven to be a workhorse in the garden, award-winning Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’ is a highly popular choice. This perennial plant is long-lived and reliably produces masses of rich golden yellow, 3-4 in. flowers (7-10 cm) from midsummer through early fall, no matter what the weather is like.

Hardiness	3 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)

Aster 'Little Carlow' (Cordifolius Hybrid)

Among the most fashionable Michaelmas daisies of the moment, award-winning Aster ‘Little Carlow’ is a lovely hybrid between Aster cordifolius and Aster novi-belgii.

Hardiness	4 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Late), Fall
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)

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Persicaria Helianthus (Sunflower) Miscanthus (Maiden Grass) Rhus (Sumac) Rudbeckia Stipa (Feather Grass) Verbena Aster

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Alternative Plants to Consider

Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum)

Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Alba’ (Mountain Fleece)

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Kaskade’ (Chinese Silver Grass)

Aster x frikartii ‘Jungfrau’ (Frikart’s Aster)

Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Firetail’ (Mountain Fleece)

Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Viette’s Little Suzy’ (Black-Eyed Susan)

Learn About These Genera

Persicaria amplexicaulis (Mountain Fleece)

Rudbeckia fulgida (Black-Eyed Susan)

Verbena (Vervain)

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.