Fall Flowers

Does anyone have any ideas for fall plants for flower beds? I put in new flower beds around the house that I am finally ready to plant. Unfortunately, it is too late to plant most things as the frost will come before they get started. I will probably do some fall mums. I have a really big area to fill though and would end up spending a small fortune if I filled all my new beds with mums. Is there such a thing as fast growing seeds that would still produce flowers/color for fall? If not, I need to invent one!

I just put some Cerinthe "Blue Kiwi" seed into some empty spaces, they grow fast and produce flowers quickly. I've also been know to plant larkspur now and get blooms just before frost. I am, by the way, in zone 5. I have calendula that sprouted in 2 days just showing up and put some pansies in this week as well. I don't have a good excuse like new beds - just didn't get to them until now! LOL
I would think that any fairly fast growing annual should put out something of a show - check the local markets and places that sell plants, if you water even the ones that look mostly gone, they often come back. Also, get some Autumn Joy sedums and asters, Golden rod, but only if you keep it in a pot!

How about using some morning glory vines as a flowering ground cover? Then again, you may regret this years to come when the MG's seed all over the place and choke things out.
Trish

Kathleen, thanks for the advice. I will try to find some of the seeds that you mentioned. I just need to find something that will get me through fall when I can put in some bulbs and start planning for next spring.

Dicentra,yes, morning glories would be an option. I do dread fighting them for years to come though. They are really pretty, but impossible to get rid of when you are ready to plant something new. I am still trying to get rid of morning glories around the front porch that were there when we moved into the house 6 years ago!

As difficult as it is, I'd take the time to look ahead at what you want in these beds long-term (looking at an empty bed is frustrating, but so is digging out rascally seedlings in years to come. Having a good plan in hand when you hit the nurseries and discount centers will save you a lot of toil and trouble later on.

If it's a large area, consider some shrubs, or "shrubby" perennials to fill in some significant spaces - Buddleia (Butterfly Bush); Spiraea and Caryopteris are all nice flowering shrubs or herbaceous perennials that can take up a nice chunk of real estate in a large bed. You may be able to find them marked down this time of year, and they should still put on a nice bloom for you before your last frost date.

Asters are a nice touch, and should flower summer to fall next year. I prefer them to mums, personally (although what is fall without mums?) Also consider other members of the Daisy and Aster families, such as Sneezeweed if you like yellow flowers.

Sedum, as someone mentioned, is a good choice, as it will provide color this year, and hopefully be off to a good start for next year.

When is your last frost date? I'm guessing it's somewhere around the first of October in Ohio. That doesn't give you much time to grow warm-season annuals from seed, although if you can find marked-down bedding plants, that could be a good filler. Depending on the look you want to create, consider Salvia farinacea - a blue salvia whose color will improve with cooler fall temperatures. Gomphrena also gives a nice impact with its purply-red flowers.

Also consider leaving some blank spaces for winter sowing of Nemophila (Baby Blue Eyes), Myosotis Sylvatica (Forget me nots), poppies, and other annuals that will benefit from being direct sown this winter, after your temperatures become reliably cold.

If you are still looking at some "gaping holes" think structure - a wire topiary form, planted with some ivy (be careful unless you really like ivy); or a broken pot, urn or birdbath, tipped on its side and planted with blue pansies "spilling" out will give you nice, big
impact for several weeks this fall.

Good luck, and if you can, please post photos of whatever you decide!

Have you considered ornamental grasses? They can be bought big so would fill a space rather quickly. Many of them will be turning reds and purples soon too. Grasses make nice tall back bones behind other plants and can stay in one spot for years. My neighbor also put in some Euonymus,Russian sage, weeping cherry etc. Like GV said, I would think long term. You won't want to be ripping it all out come spring. :) A couple of years ago, I got a flowering almond tree and a variegated weigelia at Walmart for about two bucks each. They clear out every thing this time of year. Good luck whatever you do. :)
Michele