From MJ: Can you give us some ideas for what to plant for fall color? I’m finally getting the spring/summer blooms right, but I’m not sure about fall. I do like to concentrate on native plants, but not exclusively. Thanks. I enjoy your column.

Thanks for the timely question. Now is a great time to get some fall perennials in the ground so they have time to develop their roots and bring you a lot of color.

Pineapple sage blooms in late summer to early fall. Its fiery, trumpet-shaped flowers are great for cut-flower arrangements, too.

My favorites…

Yellow monkey flower: These little guys start blooming in spring and will truck on through the fall. They are a native to Western Washington and they establish well with little care.

Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’: This is the ideal fall-color plant. It’s a succulent, so it doesn’t require a lot of water and it establishes well in our climate. In the spring and summer the foliage is lime green and very pretty. Come fall the flowers turn pink, then rose then burgundy. Give it lots of sun.

Black-eyed Susans: These daisy-like flowers are bright yellow with dark centers.

Echinacea: The classic purple is always a favorite or look for a variety called ‘Sunset’ which is a breathtaking purple-red.

Pineapple sage: I love this plant. The foliage smells like the fruit from its moniker and the flowers are a deep scarlet red. It was the last flower in bloom in my garden last year, surviving our first really chilly night. This herb grows tall — about 5 feet — so give it lots of space.

For great ideas on landscaping with native plants, visit the Western Washington Native Plant Society page on landscaping. You can find it HERE.

They even have a page just for native plants that bloom in the fall, HERE.

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