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. The flowers are so abundant that they literally blanket the entire bush and cover the foliage of coarse, dark green leaves. Often called a showstopper,'Lemon Queen' is a valuable addition to the landscape with its spectacular floral display that lasts about 6 weeks from late summer to fall. Forms a dense, arching mound up to 6-7 ft. tall (180-210 cm) and 30-36 in. wide (75-90 cm). Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society

Marking the end of summer with its sprays of bright yellow flowers, Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' (Rough Goldenrod) is a clump-forming perennial that provides a bold splash of color in the late season garden. Blooming for weeks from late summer to late fall, this eye-catching beauty features arching flower panicles that resemble fireworks cascading off the plant. They are a great source of nectar and pollen, attracting various species of insects, including small bees, wasps, flies, small butterflies, skippers, and beetles. The fine-textured leaves emerge burgundy in spring and change to dark green in summer. Ornamental throughout the season, Fireworks is subject to less spreading than the species, and can be mixed with other perennials without fear of it becoming invasive.

Incredibly pretty and exotic-looking, Tricyrtis formosana (Toad Lily) is a shade-loving perennial with small, orchid-like flowers, 1 in. long (2.5 cm). The blooms feature six showy white tepals, heavily sprinkled with purple freckles and a yellow throat. Quite showy, they are born in lax clusters at the top of erect stalks and sparkle in the garden in late summer to early fall. The foliage of shiny, lance-shaped, dark green leaves usually remains attractive throughout the growing season. Tricyrtis formosana is regarded as a top performer in the 2001 Chicago Botanic Plant Evaluation study as a result of its superior floral display, robust habit, winter hardiness and disease resistance.

Providing an outstanding late-season show with its masses of violet or lavender daisy-like flowers, New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae) is one of the tallest and most spectacular of the Asters. Native to North America, it is easy to grow, long-lived brings cheerful fall color, and is a great source of nectar for butterflies.

When many perennials are fading toward the end of the season, New York Asters (Aster novi-belgii) burst into bloom and deliver an outstanding show of color in the late summer and fall gardens. Native to North America, they are easy to grow, long-lived, bring cheerful color to the dull landscape, and are a great source of nectar for butterflies.

Native to North America and Central America, Helenium is a great perennial for the late season garden as it provides weeks of splashes of color, from early summer to early fall, when many other perennials are starting to fade.

Often called the 'perfect perennial' because of its numerous qualities: showy flowers, wide array of vibrant colors, drought tolerance, heat stress immunity, ability to grow in most hardiness zones and low care requirements, Daylily (Hemerocallis) is a remarkable and stunning addition to the garden! Each flower typically lasts no more than 24 hours, opening up in the morning and withering during the forthcoming night, possibly replaced by another one on the same flower stalk the next day.

Late summer and early fall often represent a challenge to gardeners as summer-blooming plants begin to fade while fall bloomers have not quite reached their apex. Fall-blooming anemones, commonly called Japanese Anemones or Windflowers, are fabulous perennials, helping with this transition from one season to the next.

Monarda has very distinctive, brightly colored flower-heads that create impressive border displays and provide a great impact when used in a mass planting. The blooms consist of asymmetrical, two-lipped tubular flowers borne in dense, globular terminal heads, which rest upon a whorl of decorative bracts that attract scores of butterflies and hummingbirds. It is also grown for its aromatic foliage that can be enjoyed in salads or simply by passing by.

Providing fantastic warm colors in the late summer garden, Rudbeckia fulgida are herbaceous perennial boasting golden yellow flowers with prominent, brown or black central cones. Blooming profusely from mid-summer through early fall, they are borne atop sturdy stems and literally cover the foliage of lance-shaped, deep green leaves. Their joyous color range is fairly limited - from yellow to orange-yellow - but they differ in height and habit. Extremely easy to grow, they look stunning next to the cool blue colors of Geranium, purplish Asters, or the soft tan ornamental grasses.

Rudbeckia hirta, commonly known as Black-Eyed Susan, Gloriosa Daisy or Yellow Oxeye Daisy is a cheerful, widespread wildflower that belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is renowned for its showy golden-yellow or orange-red, 2-3 in. wide (5-7 cm), daisy-like flowers with dark chocolate central cones. The single or double blooms rise atop sturdy, upright, scattered stems. Their foliage of oval green leaves is covered with bristly hairs that give it a slightly rough texture. Black-Eyed Susans flowers are attractive to butterflies, bees, and other pollinators and beneficial insects. They are considered deer-resistant plants due to their typically rough leaves and stems.

Sedums are almost the perfect plants. Vigorous, carefree, good-looking, with a season of interest lasting more than 6 months, who could resist? Even the bees and butterflies can't! These standout perennials grow more or less erect, up to 2 ft. (60 cm), and form a clump of thick, fleshy sage green to blue to dark red foliage topped with flower buds resembling broccoli. Gradually, these densely clustered buds reveal tiny, star-like flowers, in shades of white, pink or red, in late summer or early fall. As the weather cools, their colors grow deeper and richer. Both foliage and dead inflorescences remain attractive through winter, providing some additional interest.