8 Seasonal Plantings to Refresh Your Landscaping in the Kansas City, MO, Area

With winter approaching, you may want to enjoy plenty of colors before your Kansas City, MO, landscape turns bleak and is covered with snow. With planning for your landscaping and plantings, you can continue to enjoy color throughout your property into the fall season and even into the winter. Here are eight plantings that you may want to consider if you want to enjoy colorful blooms in autumn.

Mums

Chrysanthemums, also referred to as mums, are a popular fall planting that you likely see in any seasonal display from September through November. They come in various colors, including yellow, red, orange, pink, purple, and white.

While you may see them in potted displays, they are actually a perennial that will come back year after year with proper care. However, mums need to be planted early enough so that the root system can get established before frost.

Asters

Add purple, white, or blue to your landscape with the addition of asters. When planted in the spring, they will bloom in the fall. Blooming asters that are planted in the fall will usually come back the following year, as long as they are planted six to eight weeks before frost. They grow best in full sun with well-drained soil and can grow from one foot to six feet tall.

Russian Sage

This beautiful plant resembles lavender with its purple flowers and sweet aroma. This subshrub comes back each year and thrives with pruning. You can generally expect blooms from spring through fall. It is known to attract butterflies and bees. It also makes for a gorgeous cut flower.

Fall Sedums

Fall sedums produce clusters of flowers. They provide beauty all year round, with lush greenery in the warmer months with vibrant red blooms in the fall that last through winter. This perennial grows best in moist soil.

Prairie Fire Switch Grass

Ornamental grass adds texture to your landscape. Prairie fire has green stems with red leaves that look beautiful all year round. It also provides a habitat for wildlife over the winter. It is also known to help restore soil and to be drought tolerant.

Begonias

This annual typically blooms from summer until frost. You can choose between plants with pink, yellow, orange, red, or white blooms. The beautiful foliage is either green or burgundy. Begonias thrive in full sun, as long as the temperatures aren’t extremely high.

Marigolds

Add autumn colors to your landscape with marigolds, which feature yellow, orange, or yellow blooms. You can generally expect colorful blooms through the fall season if the blooms are deadheaded. Marigolds grow best in full sun in a variety of soil conditions.

Sunflowers

What’s more reminiscent of fall than giant vibrant sunflowers? Beautiful blooms of yellow, red, and orange will grace your landscape. Different varieties grow to different heights, often between a foot to 12 feet tall. You can enjoy watching as the bloom follows the sun throughout the day and either harvest the seeds or leave them for wildlife to enjoy during the winter.