In Bloom
Natives: Cardinal flower, coneflower, coreopsis, eupatorium, goldenrod, helianthus, heliopsis, Japanese anemone, Joe Pye weed, milkweed, monarda, rose mallow, rudbeckia, Russian sage, stonecrop
Annuals
Zinnia, black-eyed Susan and sunflowers are excellent blooms you can cut fresh from the garden and use in flower arrangements. Cut blooms early in the morning, place them in water immediately and keep your floral arrangement in the shade to make it last longer.
Fall mums begin to arrive at the garden center this month.
Trim leggy annuals, replace struggling plants and fertilize with a bloom booster to keep your containers and beds full of blooms.
Protect cut flower arrangements from direct sun to help them last longer.
Perennials
Late summer is the best time to divide and transplant bearded iris and daylilies. Do this once every 3 to 5 years, and replant immediately.
Plant evergreens shade perennials such as ferns, coral bells and foam flowers now so that they have time to establish roots before the winter arrives.
Now is a good time to plant ornamental grasses such as miscanthus, pennisetum and hardy pampas grass. There are many native options in our region, and they are generally easy to care for.
