Kniphofia rooperi is one of the most distinctive kniphofias with its large, egg-shaped, bright red flowers fading to yellow, held over a broad and high foliage. This tall, late-flowering perennial from South Africa is really one of the highlights of the late summer to early fall border. Changing color as the flower matures, this robust, evergreen perennial displays the deepest shades in buds and fades as the flower opens, resulting in a bicolor look. Virtually disease free, this favorite of hummingbirds is also drought, deer, and rabbit resistant.

Quite compact, Dwarf Chinese Silver Grass 'Yakushima Dwarf' enjoys a small size that makes it extremely useful in the landscape. Its fine-textured foliage, which consists of arching, silvery-green leaves borne on short, upright stems, creates an exquisite fountain shape that stands out beautifully and sways gracefully in the slightest breeze. Blooming in late summer to fall, 'Yakushima Dwarf' displays long-lasting, pinky-brown plumes, which change to silvery white as they mature and provide good winter interest. Rarely flopping, it is easily grown in a dense, upright 3 ft. tall (90 cm), rounded fountain-like clump. Drought tolerant, it is attractive to birds but deer ignore it!

Blooming later than most Aconitum species, award-winning Aconitum carmichaelii 'Arendsii'(Monkshood) is an erect, tuberous perennial with dense spires of rich azure-blue flowers in early to mid-fall. Its hooded flowers resemble the hood worn by medieval monks, hence the common name of monkshood. They are borne atop thick, rigid stems clad with handsome foliage of deeply divided, leathery, dark green leaves. This fall-flowering makes outstanding cut flowers and is perfect for wet soils.

Providing a charming display that is a feast for the eyes, award-winning Rosa 'Sally Holmes' is a vigorous, climbing rose with generous clusters of fragrant, single (4-8 petals), creamy white flowers, and pink-peach buds. The large blossoms, 3.5 in. across (9 cm), open their ruffled petals to reveal their golden stamens. They stand out against the healthy foliage of glossy, dark green leaves. Free-flowering and almost continuously in bloom from early summer to fall, 'Sally Holmes' is well-branched and almost thornless. Very versatile, it may be grown as a climber or a bushy shrub. Excellent cut flowers. Very disease resistant.

Noted for its most dramatic foliage and very ornamental berries, Euonymus planipes (Spindle Tree) is a large, deciduous shrub that is invaluable in the fall and winter garden. Its foliage of huge, ovate, mid-green leaves turns to vibrant crimson-to-ruby red in early fall, making the whole plant glow with color. In late spring, a profusion of tiny, star-shaped, greenish flowers appear before being replaced by masses of large, lobed, crimson-pink fruits that mature during the fall.