A Pretty Late Season Garden Idea with Perennials and Architectural Grasses

Plant Combinations, Flowerbeds Ideas, Summer Borders, Fall Borders

As the summer season winds down, many gardens begin to lose their vibrancy. However, with a carefully curated selection of perennials and architectural grasses, you can ensure your garden continues to dazzle well into the late season.

The centerpiece of this ensemble is Pennisetum setaceum, a graceful ornamental grass known for its cascading plumes. When paired with the deep red spikes of Penstemon ‘Garnet’, the garden takes on a dynamic contrast that’s both lively and elegant.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Kaskade’ adds another layer of texture with its waterfall-like inflorescences, perfectly complementing the slender spires of Verbena rigida f. lilacina ‘Polaris’. The torch-like blooms of Kniphofia ‘Timothy’ introduce a fiery element, harmonizing beautifully with the fragrant blue spires of Agastache rugosa.

Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’ brings a touch of royal richness with its deep purple leaves, a hue echoed by the towering presence of Canna ‘Wyoming’ with its bronze foliage and tangerine blooms.

No ensemble is complete without a touch of drama, provided here by Sambucus nigra Black Beauty. Its deep purple-black foliage acts as a striking backdrop, enhancing the colors of its garden companions.

Each plant in this collection offers its unique aesthetic appeal, but when combined, they create a symphony of color, texture, and form, ensuring your garden remains a visual feast well into the later months. Enjoy the beauty and serenity this late-season garden idea brings!

Most plants are top performers and have been awarded prestigious awards. Fairly easy to replicate, this plant combination will glow for weeks. Enjoy!

Garden Information

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

Plants In This Garden

Pennisetum setaceum (Fountain Grass)

Making a dramatic statement in the landscape, Pennisetum setaceum (Fountain Grass) is a showy ornamental grass forming a mound of gracefully, arching, narrow leaves. In mid-summer to early fall, the foliage is topped with slender feathery pinkish flower plumes, up to 15 in. long (37 cm), drying to tan as they mature.

Hardiness	8 - 11
Plant type	Ornamental Grasses
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height	3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm)
Spread	2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm)
Characteristics	Dried Arrangements, Cut Flowers, Showy

Penstemon 'Garnet' (Beardtongue)

One of the longest living Penstemon hybrids, award-winning Penstemon ‘Garnet’ is a bushy semi-evergreen perennial with gracefully arching spikes, densely packed with garnet-red trumpet-shaped flowers revealing red-striped throats.

Hardiness	7 - 10
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy, Semi-Evergreen

Miscanthus sinensis 'Kaskade' (Chinese Silver Grass)

Tall and robust, award-winner Chinese Silver Grass ‘Kaskade’ is a remarkable ornamental grass grown for its large, cascading, rose-pink flower plumes on display from mid-late summer on.

Hardiness	5 - 9
Plant type	Ornamental Grasses
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height	6' - 7' (180cm - 210cm)
Spread	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Characteristics	Dried Arrangements, Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy

Verbena rigida f. lilacina 'Polaris' (Slender Vervain)

Verbena rigida f. lilacina ‘Polaris’ (Slender Vervain) is a compact, low-growing perennial with attractive, three-branched candelabras of small pale lilac flowers over a long blooming season. Shining from early summer through to the first frosts, the luminous blossoms rise above dense clumps of rigid, lanceolate, dark green leaves.

Hardiness	8 - 11
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Characteristics	Plant of Merit, Showy

Kniphofia 'Timothy' (Red Hot Poker)

Attractive and long-lasting, award-winning Kniphofia ‘Timothy’ (Red Hot Pokers) is a clump-forming perennial with bronze stems bearing dense spikes of tubular, soft peachy salmon flowers from early summer to early fall. Changing color as the flower matures, this robust perennial displays the deepest shades in bud and fades as the flower opens, resulting in a bicolor look.

Hardiness	6 - 10
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Characteristics	Plant of Merit, Showy, Semi-Evergreen

Agastache rugosa (Korean Mint)

Adding lovely vertical lines to the garden, Agastache rugosa (Korean Mint) is a short-lived, erect, herbaceous perennial boasting eye-catching purple flower spikes, 2-4 in. long (5-10 cm), from mid-summer to early fall. They are held above the aromatic foliage of stiff, toothed, light-green leaves.

Hardiness	4 - 9
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy

Sedum telephium 'Purple Emperor' (Stonecrop)

Long-lived and drought tolerant, award-winner Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’ is a lovely sight in the landscape with its masses of rosy-pink flowers, densely packed in large umbrella-shaped flower heads, and showing off atop bright reddish-purple stems clad with dark purple, fleshy leaves

Hardiness	3 - 9
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy

Canna 'Wyoming' (Canna Lily)

A glamorous beauty with its opulent, brilliant orange flowers superbly contrasting with the spectacular and massive, dark burgundy foliage, award-winning Canna ‘Wyoming’ immediately provides a cheerful touch of the tropics in the garden or patio. Blooming from mid-summer to fall, it has a medium size that makes it a perfect fit for container planting.

Hardiness	8 - 11
Plant type	Perennials
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Characteristics	Plant of Merit, Showy

Sambucus nigra Black Beauty® (Elderberry)

Noted for its dramatic foliage, award-winning Sambucus nigra Black Beauty® (Elderberry) is a large, upright, deciduous shrub or small tree adorned with a striking lacy foliage of deeply dissected, deep purple leaves from spring to fall.

Hardiness	4 - 8
Plant type	Shrubs, Trees
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early)
Height	8' - 15' (240cm - 4.6m)
Spread	4' - 8' (120cm - 240cm)
Characteristics	Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy, Fruit & Berries

How Many Plants Do I Need?

Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas

Canna Miscanthus (Maiden Grass) Penstemon (Beardtongue) Agastache (Hyssop) Verbena Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker) Sambucus (Elder) Sedum (Stonecrop)

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Alternative Plants to Consider

Penstemon ‘Firebird’ (Beardtongue)

Kniphofia ‘Tawny King’ (Red Hot Poker)

Sambucus nigra Black Lace® (Elderberry)

Sambucus racemosa Lemony Lace® (Elderberry)

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Silberfeder’ (Chinese Silver Grass)

Canna ‘Pretoria’ (Canna Lily)

Sedum ‘Herbstfreude’ (‘Autumn Joy’)

Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ (Purple Fountain Grass)

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.