Fall is one of the very best times to plant in the Pacific Northwest. Cooler temperatures, shorter days, and more consistent rainfall mean less stress on plants and more energy devoted to healthy root growth. Whether you’re refreshing containers, filling gaps in the garden, or planning ahead for spring, fall planting sets the stage for a beautiful year to come.
Each season, our plant buyers search for the most beautiful and unique plants from trusted PNW growers. Right now, our nursery is brimming with colorful foliage and blooms that thrive in the cool seasons. To help you choose, our buyers have highlighted some of their top fall picks — plants that will carry your garden through autumn and even brighten the winter landscape.
Looking for trees and shrubs? Don’t miss our companion post, Fall Favorites: Trees & Shrubs.
Perennials
Aster
Cheerful Asters are one of the prettiest fall-blooming perennials, and a great source of fall nectar for bees and butterflies. Their small, star-like blossoms look beautiful when planted with fall-blooming sedums, rudbeckia, or perennial grasses.
Echinacea
If you’re looking to add pops of bright color to the garden, echinaceas (also called cone flowers) are a perfect choice. These long-blooming perennials come in an array of tropical tones and attract bees and butterflies.
Deciduous Grasses
Few plants glow in autumn light quite like deciduous grasses. Northern Sea Oats, Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass, and others show off shimmering seed heads that persist through fall, while also feeding birds and offering nesting material. Expect them to die back in winter and return strong in spring
Evergreen Grasses
For year-round structure, evergreen grasses are indispensable. Black mondo grass and phormium add bold drama, while carex and golden Japanese rush bring softness and movement. They’re especially striking in group plantings.
Japanese Anemone
The graceful, nodding flowers of the Japanese Anemone add elegance to the garden late summer through fall. Choose from pure white flowers, rose-pink flowers, or white flowers with lavender tones on the back of the petals.
Ornamental Sage
These bee-loving plants thrive in sunny, well-drained soil. The red and white flowers of Hot Lips Sage never fail to delight - and look stunning interplanted with bright yellow yarrow (pictured). Prefer cooler tones? Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia - not a true sage) has airy stems filled with lavender blooms, while May Night Sage has bold spires of dark purple flowers.
Sedum
Perfect for dry, sunny spots, easy-care sedums come ina dizzying array of shapes and colors. A standout is Autumn Joy, with rosy flower heads that age into copper tones — a reliable source of late-season color and pollinator interest.
Annuals & Bulbs
Chrysanthemum
No fall display is complete without mums. Bursting with color from late summer into early winter, they’re ideal for containers or front-porch displays. Just what you need to brighten our grey PNW days.
Pansy & Viola
Who doesn’t love pansies and violas? These cool-weather charmers are among the few flowers that bloom nearly year-round. Their cheerful faces shine in fall and spring, filling in bare garden spots and refreshing containers.
ORNAMENTAL CABBAGE AND KALE
Bold, colorful rosettes of ornamental cabbage and kale bring instant texture to fall plantings. Use them in mass plantings or tuck them into containers for dramatic foliage interest that lasts into winter.
Florist Cyclamen
Florist cyclamen are an easy way to add a pop of intense color to late-summer and fall containers or garden beds. These diminutive beauties can also be brought indoors when the temperatures cool to below 40 degrees and grown as houseplants.
Spring-Blooming Bulbs
Fall is the time to plant bulbs for spring! Choose from snowdrops, crocus, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, and more. Many will naturalize in the garden and return year after year. If you plant your bulbs in containers, transplant them into the ground the next fall or start fresh with new bulbs since bulbs in containers rarely bloom again if left in pots.
Want inspiration? Learn how to plant a multi-layered bulb pot for a months-long spring display!