How2Day: Fall Color Flower Beds

Chrysanthemums are colorful fall flowers. Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Just because the summer comes to an end doesn't mean that you can't have a flower bed filled with color. Several types of flowers reach their peak bloom time during the fall season and provide brilliant color for your landscape. Fill a flower bed with these flowers and be the envy of your neighbors when fall approaches.

Chrysanthemums are among some of the most colorful fall flowers. There are about 30 species of this flower, which belongs to the family Asteraceae. They are a hardy flower, consisting of woody stems that grow erect. On the base of the stems grows green foliage and at the top of each stem blooms a flower. So many flowers can bloom on one plant, making the stems and foliage difficult to see. The flowers come in an array of colors, including white, yellow, copper, purple, orange and maroon. Though they are forgiving plants and can survive even when they don't receive adequate care, they do best when planted in a sunny area with soil that is well drained and moist.

Sedum 'Autumn Joy', more commonly known as "Stonecrop" is a succulent perennial that offers interest in a garden from late summer through late fall. The stems of this plant are light green succulent and the flowers are reminiscent of the heads of broccoli. When they first bloom, the flowers are pink in color and as they mature, turn a copper color and are known for attracting butterflies. The plant can reach two feet in height. They thrive in areas that receive full sun and moist soil, but they will adapt to a drier climate and are fairly easy to care for.

Also known as the blue cardinal flower, the great blue lobelia is a perennial flower that belongs to the genus lobelia. The blooms of this flower will provide color in your garden from late summer until the middle of autumn and as the name suggests, the flowers are blue in color, though they may also appear to be lavender. They grow in a clump form with upward facing, leafy stems. The plant grows an average of one to three feet tall and spreads about 6 to 12 inches wide. In order for great blue lobelia to thrive, it should be planted in full sun or partial shade and should receive a fair amount of water.

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