Linnea
what is blooming for me- hostas, aconitums, anemones- I have lots of different ones so they will continue for while, calamintha, geranium wlassovianum, several asters- like woods and new england. Lobelias vedrariensis/ gerardii still giving nice show as well as end show of various phloxes. Goldenrod doing great- planted and unplanned. Bottle gentian is starting to bloom now and herbaceous clems
like stans, davidiana. I also supplement bloom with annuals and my Jungle bells impatiens are competing with impatiens balfouri and morning glories for beauty.
Also Cerathoteca triloba, browallia americana and multiple begonias doing great. I have begonia grandis reseed for me so it is blooming for while now.
Coleus has been my favorite for many years and I grow it from seed and overwinter from cuttings.
Sedges while do not have flowers offer seed heads that bring in interest. Some grasses turn nice red color by now, giving additional interest. As well as my viburnum Cardinal Candy getting ready to shower me with all those sparkling red berries. I have some campanula that still blooming,it is Samantha. Some campanulas I manage to get blooming on and off for more that 2 months with proper deadheading/ the only plant I deadhead/
And I am not even talking about trycirtis- I am done with summer blooming yellow latifolia, and strange form macropoda, now it is for the rest of them.
My neighbor has ironweed, black eyed susan, multiple asters, fall blooming clematis like tangutica, turtle head blooming now.
I also like to supplement fall blooming crocus while am not sure how it does with heavier drainage.
By design I do not orient my garden on blooms- it is more about shape, leaf form and leaf color. My shade is not going to be good for dahlias so I have to concentrate on what works for my landscape. If you have plenty of sun with your moisture I think you can do a lot better than I am with blooms.

Add to the list of August-September blooming and water loving plants chelone glabra (white) and chelone obliqua/lyonii (pink). Of course, ligularia dentata, kirengeshoma, actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group), all kind of gentians, aconitum carmichaeli and hardy hibiscus (if hardy for you).
From the less known, leucosceptrum stellipilum and rabdosia longituba are the last to bloom here (toward the end of September-October). Though they are listed as z6 plants I know at least two people who grow them in z5 (in MI and MA). Both would love to be in a moisture retentive soil.

Right now this is what I have blooming in the gardens.

Phlox Paniculata
Eupatoriums (Joe Pye Weed)both Maculatum and Chocolate.
Cimicifuga Brunette (name has been changed to Actaea)
Buddleias (Butterfly Bush)
Inula
Rudbeckia Goldstrum and loads
Astilbes (Purple l;ate flowering)
Aconitum (Monkshood)
Sedums
Echinaceas
Chelone (Turtlehead)
Heliopsis Summer Sun - after the first bloom I shear it and a second flush comes about at this time. Coreopsis Domino also does this as well as Achilleas.

add to the list:
persicaria lance corporal
corydalis lutea
geranium rozanne
clematis princess diane and cystal fountains
phlox
rudbeckia herbstsonne
ornamental grasses
trycyrtis(sp.)
eupatorium chocolate
lobelia
lespediza
persicaria red dragon
perilla- great black/ppl foliage color too
lonicera pericl......
liriope
malva
fragrant hostas
best,
mindy

A few more:

- you said "besides asters,", but just a couple of those that are stunners in my garden - (1) 'Bluebird' (used to be Aster laevis, now called Symphyotrichum laeve) is marvelous for me from the middle of September through October - 4-5' tall, very wide and open, glowing blue flowers about 1 to 1 1/4" in diamter in great profusion; (2) Aster tataricus 'Jindai,' the latest perennial to start in my garden (except for the Pineapple Sage, which is annual), will open the first flower in about two to three weeks, 4 to 6' tall, very upright with closely packed spikes of medium purple flowers.
- Gaillardia is back for another show.
- hardy Cyclamen.
- 'Clara Curtis' Chrysanthemum (now correctly called Dendranthema x rubellum 'Clara Curtis')

- Steve

I extend bloom all season long by staying on top of the deadheading of spent blooms. This is what is in bloom now:
Rudbeckia
Echinacea
Aster laevis
Petunia
Lavender
Chives
Garlic Chives
Ageratum
Golden Marguerite
Cosmo
Dianthus
Sweet Alyssum
Snapdragon
Cleome
Geranium
Clarkia
Verbena bonariensis
Solidago 'Fireworks'
Ratibida
Gaillardia
Knautia
Sunflower (no deadheading...just multi-branched blooming types)
African Daisy (various speices)
Salvia
Morning Glory
Autumn Joy Sedum
Blue Flax
Marigold
Zinnia
Coreopsis tinctoria
Maximillian Sunflower (just about to start blooming...blooms a few weeks earlier when not cut back early in the season)

You've gotten some great suggestions. All I can add is 'Limelight' Hydrangea and caryopteris. These are dieback shrubs, but they flower now and into fall, while their foliage looks good from spring on.

I think most of what I have in bloom right now has been mentioned. My salvia gregii and salvia ulignosa are the most spectacular, and the helianthus angustifolius are about to bloom.

My white butterfly ginger is blooming great and smells terrific. You'd probably have to lift that one over the winter in your area.

My lantana are blooming like crazy, as are the buddleia.

My colocasia (another one to lift in your zone) are about to bloom and they are fragrant, too.

I just posted a photo from Gottagarden on my blog today as a guest "Garden Inspiration". She has a great purple and white fall display that is so incredible!

Cameron

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Inspiration: Who Says Fall has to be Red & Gold?

I second Aster tataricus--I don't have it and haven't been able to track down any local sources, but I always drool over it at the Chicago Botanic Garden (a huge sweep of it on Evening Island).

For sun, has anyone mentioned patrinia? It's flagging now, but all through August it was a great tall hit of chrome yellow. Montauk daisy is nice too, but it may not like moisture-retentive soil. If you like grasses, and you like odd fragrances, you've got to get your sniffer into some sporobolis/prairie dropseed. My sweet autumn clematis is stunning right now, even if it is eating everything beneath it. The Austin 'Dark Lady' rose always starts looking decent again about now, now that the Japanese beetles seem mostly through with it.

I have a salvia Koyame that blooms pale yellow late in the season and is good in the shade--and it likes more moisture than it gets under the trees in my sandy yard.

Is your Alma Potsche mature? Mine is at least three feet tall and really bushy--I have no problems with small flowers when there are so many of them over such a large area. Especially when they're such a good, loud pink.

Besides what has been mentioned (unless I missed when I read) I bank on foliage first, grasses, hostas, ferns, heucheras, cannas etc. For annuals, castor bean 'Carmenita' has fabulous red seed heads, celosia Purple Flamingo Feather, amaranth 'Oeschberg'. They all have lovely dark foliage. There are also some shrubs that have wonderful fall color.
For perennials, persicaria 'Firetail', boltonia, gypsophlia 'Pink Fairy', burgandy gaillardia, euptorium 'Prairie Jewel', limonium latifolium - Sea Lavender in addition to all those mentioned.

Thanks so much for all the ideas. I will be busy looking all these up.

Thanks especially for things that will tolerate a moister environment. ItÂs been a real problem. My main garden is a raised island bed: youÂd think it would have good drainage but no. Another problem with a raised bed is there is no room to expand. The advantage is thereÂs very little bending and grass canÂt grow in. But itÂs full.

I love grasses but I would have to dig out lawn for them. I think I will have to anyway next year.

I do love my heuchera: I have a lot but most are in a special bed because they would be overwhelmed by my main perennial bed. The dark foliage plants I want too: I love purple leaves. I have been using purple and chartreuse sweet potato vines but want something more vertical. Michelle, did you grow these yourself (amaranth, celosia, castor bean)? IÂm a rotten seed sower. I start them then never get them planted out until they are rootbound.

I have been impressed by what is growing at the Chicago Botanic garden too and always take notes, but IÂm not sure how easy some of their plants are to find. I am not fond of yellow-gold, which is most of what I see growing at this time of year. My garden runs more pink-peach-blue. But I think I will have to change my mind if I can figure out a way to transition one color combination into another. Most of the pink is gone now except for a little phlox. My white phlox is blooming again after deadheading: thatÂs a surprise.

IsnÂt lantana an annual? I have seen 2 different kinds, one with a wider head in pinks, purples, reds, white: which I have in my hanging baskets (which has basically stopped for the year) and this brighter yellow orange one I see going like gangbusters in public gardens. What is the difference?

Maybe I should get some other colors of asters. But not so tall or huge as my Alma P. IÂm tired of pruning and propping it up.

Anemones - It's unfortunate you don't have luck with them. Don't give up - sometimes it takes a few tries before they settle in. Anemones are really long bloomers from late August well into October and would go a long way for fall color.

Goldenrod (Solidago) - I have 'Fireworks' and wow - what a great perennial for fall. It's long lasting, sturdy and full of blooms.

Orange crocosmia/Montbretia - I bought this plant on a lark one year and am really glad I did. It blooms later but lasts much longer than Lucifer. I have the specific variety name somewhere, but if you did a search, you'd find it. Still blooming quite strongly.

Heliopsis helianthoides 'Loraine Sunshine' - A great large perennial for fall. It doesn't go into full bloom until early September, but when it does, watch out. It can get up to 7 feet tall, but I find it unmanageable at that height. So I cut mine back by half in summer and let it peak at 5-1/2 tall. I have mine behind my pond and it really fills in the blank landscape after the lilies are done blooming.

Asters - You should try different varieties. I've got New England asters and some others whose names elude me right now. Alma P. got too out of control for me.

Boltonia - It's a nice larger perennial for fall - although mine needed to be staked. Looks like a really big Baby's Breath.

Annuals - Try some with more color. Some annuals are hardier than others and will keep going until frost stops them. Orange marigolds do quite well until a few hard frosts. And the orange color ties right into fall. My nasturtiums are going full blast right now, too. Some people like to plant ornamental cabbage. I tried some one year and they lasted well into early winter. I had to pull them out before they died!

Grasses are good for fall and many don't bloom until now. As you mentioned, dahlias are great and well worth the effort, as are cannas. Elephant ears tolerate cold weather until frost (but need to be pulled for me), roses will also bloom until frost.

Joe Pye Weed is another perennial that comes to mind. It's just about to bloom. Sedums are peaking now. Hardy cranesbills (if kept tidied) will bloom into October.

Don't forget 3 season shrubs. It's sometimes hard to find perennial fall bloomers that standout, so you have to also rely on foliage. Many shrubs or perennials have fall color or interest that will keep your garden looking nice into winter. A couple shrubs I have are oak leaf hydrangea, viburnum and caryopteris. "Jack Frost" brunnera is still going strong with its silvery foliage. And my hosta foliage is still looking ok.

You have lots of options, don't despair. Good Luck!

Montauk daisy, mine are just budding up. Lantana is perennial in the proper zone.

you don't have to accept taxi yellow. a lovely helianthus i have, thanks to vt skiers,- is a lovely light yellow.it is in its 3rd week of bloomiing profusely( began a bit later than rudbeckia herbstsonne)and is 4-5'H.
best,
mindy

I second the caryopteris. You might love its airy blue blooms. I have blue mist and it's a long bloomer. Early Aug. at least through Oct. It is technically a shrub that dies back to the ground in our zone so doesn't look great in the spring. And someone else mentioned sedum. Beautiful in the late summer to fall. I also love ninebark which is a shrub that probably grows taller than what you would want but the foliage is beautiful with lovely spring flowers.

Mindy, what is the name of the helianthus Sue gave you? And do you have any photos? I'd love to see it!

:)
Dee

dd, i THINK i got it from sue, but you'd have to verify that. the flower looks like this but the leaves aren't grey or folded so i think it's not this exact one.it is very vigorous and blooming strong while the rudbeckia herbstsonne are passing. come up and get some!
best,
mindy

Here is a link that might be useful: helianthus photo

Mindy that is very pretty. The color is indeed lovely. Thank you for your generous offer! I do mean to make it up there every year, so maybe next spring, lol...

;)
Dee

Add to the above: helenium, gaura, agastache, nepeta, roses, clematis, salvia, balloonflower. My garden looks its best this time of year. I love boltonia and the aster frickartii (Monch).

I can't believe no one mentioned plumbago (unless I missed it) - lovely, clear blue flowers and the foliage turns red as it gets cold. For moisture area - I have a perennial lobelia "Compliment Red" and it has been blooming for many weeks and is a very showy red-magenta and seems to love the moist area. I also have perennial lobelia "Queen Victoria" with dark foliage and more of a true red but they are in a different (drier) area and not doing as well.