The 10 Best Plants to Add Fall Color to Your Garden

Your garden is meant to be enjoyed all year long—so if yours is looking a little sad and faded at the end of a long summer, it’s time to get to work. Don’t put your gardening tools away just yet because autumn is the perfect time to plant perennials, shrubs and trees. Because conditions are mild and rainfall typically is plentiful in the fall, plants get a healthy start on life for next spring. And by growing plants with pretty autumn foliage, you’ll extend your garden’s season, so you can soak in the warm hues for months—whether you glimpse them from your window on a crisp morning, or take them in while sitting around the fire pit on a cool evening.

When choosing plants, make sure they can survive winters in your USDA Hardiness zones (find yours here), and get them in the ground about six weeks before the ground freezes in your area. That way, your plants will have plenty of time to establish healthy root systems before winter. Make sure you dig a hole about two to three times the size of the root ball, then set it in the ground at the same level the plant was in the pot (not too deep, which is a common mistake). Also, water well while planting and whenever it doesn't rain for more than a week. If you add mulch—which is always a great idea to protect the root system over the winter and retain moisture—keep it from touching the plant stems or trunk. That just invites diseases and pests.

Now, pull on your gardening gloves and start adding the best plants for fall color to your garden: