One of the goals in planting a perennial garden – besides sustainability – is to have plants that bloom for every month, from spring through fall. I thought about this as I walked around the garden yesterday trying to find fall chores but realizing the plants just weren’t ready yet. And, many plants are still blooming! Here are some ideas for fall-blooming plants you may want to add to your garden…in Zone 6:

New England Aster

The toad lily (Tricyrtis), is one of my favorites. It is a very hardy herbaceous perennial that sends up small, orchid-like blooms along the stem in late September and early October. The flowers are usually spotted in different shades of purple. This is a shade plant and looks wonderful with hostas and astilbes.

Toad Lilies

Hostas generally bloom in the summer but I found a cultivar that blooms in October. It is called ‘Red October.’ It is a shade perennial with red stems and only grows to about 20 inches wide.

Then you might also consider hydrangeas, roses, and dahlias (not a perennial, of course). While these plants first set blooms in the summer, they are continuous bloomers and will keep producing flowers into November.