With fall around the corner, you might be looking for a couple of seasonal blooms to add to your existing cohort of flora. Not only will this give your garden a whole new look but it's also a clever move to set your yard up for the soon-to-come weather shifts.
As it happens, this is the perfect time to take plants that flower in the fall and give them pride of place in raised beds. And we have the best expert recommendations for fall garden grows that are uber-compatible with bed-style gardening.
With this list of flowers in hand, your garden will have a floral face-lift before you know it. And it'll put you in the mood for all this soulful season has to offer.
1. Chrysanthemums
If you fancy yourself a gardening pro, then you're probably well aware of the fact that chrysanthemums are a certified autumnal grow. Commonly known as mums, these stunning blooms are a no-brainer when it comes to fall flowers to plant.
Alex Betz, landscape designer at Plant By Number tells us that mums are classic fall bloomers that thrive in garden beds due to their ability to withstand cooler temperatures and light frosts. "Their dense, bushy growth habit makes them perfect for filling in raised beds," he says. "Hence providing vibrant fall color in shades of yellow, orange, red, pink, and white."
Hardiness Zones: 5 - 9
2. Pansies
Besides being beautiful to look at, pansies are also one of the best edible flowers to grow in your yard. In conversation with Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of Park Seed's From Seed to Spoon app, she tells us that pansies are beloved for their ability to thrive in cool temperatures, making them a great choice for fall garden beds.
"Their vibrant, often bi-colored blooms add a cheerful splash of color," she says. "And their compact size makes them ideal for raised beds, where they can be easily arranged to create colorful patterns or borders."
Hardiness Zones: 6 - 10
3. Violas
Known to be a great option as shade plants for containers, violas also happen to thrive outside pots and right in the ground. Plus, they're seasonally compatible with fall, so there's no reason to keep them from your garden over the next few months.
Alex explains that violas are incredibly hardy and can bloom through the fall and winter in milder climates. "Their compact size makes them ideal for raised garden beds," he notes. "And they thrive in cooler weather, which is perfect for fall planting."
Hardiness Zones: 3 - 9
4. Snapdragons
As a prized recommendation for fairy-tale garden plants, snapdragons are undoubtedly an incredibly versatile bloom. Carrie suggests giving these vertical blooms a go in raised beds and points out that these cool-weather annuals bloom beautifully in fall.
"Their tall, spiky flowers add vertical interest to garden beds and are available in a wide range of colors," she explains. "Also, they are relatively frost-tolerant and can continue blooming even after the first light frost."
Hardiness Zones: 7 - 11
5. Cyclamen
Among Alex's list of top flowers for raised fall beds is the beautiful cyclamen. He tells us that some varieties of cyclamen thrive in cooler temperatures, allowing us the luxury of adopting them into our gardens around this time of the year.
"Their attractive upswept petals and marbled leaves add a touch of elegance to garden beds," he points out. And as one of the best flower bulbs for shady backyards, Alex tells us that it's best to plant them in partial to fully shaded spots.
Hardiness Zones: 4 - 11
6. Aster
You might know asters as the flowers that bloom in summer, but these dainty blooms are also known to prosper well into fall. Asters are classic fall flowers that provide a burst of color in garden beds as the days grow shorter.
Carrie tells us that aster's daisy-like flowers attract pollinators with ease. She also tells us that they're very easy to grow, especially when planted in raised beds. If you love a whimsical gardenscape, these flowers are likely right up your alley.
Hardiness Zones: 3 - 8
7. Goldenrod
According to Alex, goldenrod is a hardy, low-maintenance native plant that adds a bright yellow color to fall garden beds. "Its tall, upright growth makes it a striking addition to raised beds, and it thrives in full sun with minimal care," he says.
Alex also tells us that these flowers are known for their innate ability to attract pollinators. So if you're looking for the best plants to attract butterflies but you want them to do well in fall, then we recommend giving goldenrod a go.
Hardiness Zones: 2 - 9
FAQs
How do you arrange flowers in a raised bed?
The trick to curating beautifully bloomed flower beds is to ensure that no one plant is overshadowing the other. Besides this being a general hazard that could prevent smaller plants from getting air and sun, it also ruins the visual appeal of a raised bed.
To masterfully cultivate your raised flower beds, layer your plants in ascending order of their expected heights, with the tallest plants sitting at the back of the bed. This will allow all your plants to get their fair share of love.
How deep do raised beds need to be for cut flowers?
When it comes to growing your flowers in raised beds, depth is definitely a key factor to consider. Too shallow a bed will result in your blooms having no room to grow their roots and too deep a bed and you'll lose the appeal of the raised beds in the first place.
It's ideal to aim for a depth of 12 to 18 inches. This will give your flowers enough space to flourish and prosper with time.
This list includes some of the best flowers for raised beds and they come with the experts' seal of approval for fall growing. Amidst the classic autumn colors, these flowers will stand out and cheerfully enliven your garden.
So why not get ahead of the curve, take on a bit of a weekend garden project and get to planting these gorgeous seasonal blooms?
