Fall is finally here in Arizona! We have broken into our sweater vaults and using the heaters in our cars. Fall is my favorite season because there are so many opportunities to go outside in enjoyable weather.
This also means that if you have a backyard garden you can tend to it comfortably. To celebrate, I wanted to offer my top ten Autumn flower picks!
1. Chrysanthemums
Mums are easy to plot if you keep in mind the distance between each flower. They should thrive through the fall and come back the following spring as long as you have given them time to develop a strong root system. They come in a vast number of color variants and variegations, you’ll have a hard time choosing just one!
2. Michaelmas Daisy
Asters love the sun and thrive in full sun-light. These cuties come in a few colors and have big golden centers. There are tons of different species of Aster. They are easy to grow and simple to maintain. Asters are gorgeous little wildflowers that are a must in your fall garden!
3. Heliopsis
Heliopsis or commonly known as ‘Ox Eye’ are usually a Summer flower, but due to our warmer temperatures in Arizona, they grow into our Fall as well. One great thing about having these in your garden is the amount of butterflies they attract. These flowers remind me of mini sunflowers and love the sun and require little water.
4. Sweet Alyssum
Sweet Alyssum are hands down one of the best smelling flowers for your fall garden! They have a sweet smell and they look like a plush carpet when planted. We actually see a lot of these in Arizona gardens since they are so resilient to heat during our summer months.
5. Dahlias
Fun fact, The National Garden Bureau has picked Dahlias as the bulb of the year! These big, beautiful, and bushy flowers love the sun and cool climates. However, they are not the easiest flowers to grow. While they can be grown in the hotter states, moist and cool weather is preferred for best results.
6. Cornflower
I love Cornflowers! They are my favorite little wildflower. Finches, Rabbits and Bees all flock to these sweet blue flowers. They are super tough and can hold up in freezing temperatures. They add the most beautiful pop of blue to any home garden.
7. Rudbeckia
Rudbeckia is another great wildflower that loves sun and doesn’t need too as much water as some of the others on this list. They are such cute flowers that look like little rays of sunshine. Their beautiful strawberry-like centers attract bees, but they’re worth sharing since they smell so great!
8. Pansies
Another cutie is the Pansy. They come in a huge variety of colors and they are easy to find in your local stores garden section. The reason these are a favorite of mine is because they have cute little faces that add life to your garden. This flower thrives in cool temperature and are sun-loving!
9. Dianthus
Carnations are my favorite kind of Dianthus. You may recognize this flower from store-bought bouquets and notice this flower is usually the last one standing. They are really tough beautiful flowers and they have such a fresh smell. The color and variegation possibilities for this flower are endless and they have many meanings behind their colors. Take a second to look them up!
10. Sunflower
Finally we end this list with my favorite flower, the Sunflower. I absolutely love this flower and they are so easy to grow and manage. If you can beat the birds you can even harvest the seeds! Some sunflowers can grow up to 16 feet and will turn their heads to follow the movement of the sun. I love the idea of having a little sunflower field and selling bunches of sunflowers.
There we are, the top 10 Autumn flowers to fall in love with. I hope you enjoyed this list and leave a comment down below to share your favorite Autumn flower, I’d love to know.
Until next time!
Mindy Erxleben 