7 perennials to plant in September for spring blooms – have glorious displays throughout the season with our expert selection

September is an ideal time to plant perennials, and what a wide selection there is to choose from. The weather is cooler as we hit September, but the soil is still warm from summer, and there is usually abundant moisture around this month to make establishing plants that little bit easier.

If you want to add spring flowers to your garden, the time is now, as any new plants can bed down roots before the temperatures drop for winter. There is ample time to plant perennials and get them established before the frosts, and they will flower in spring to provide delightful early-season color in flower beds, borders, or containers.

There are perennials to plant in September that can provide blooms throughout spring, from the early weeks when there is little else out, to those that bridge the gap between the spring bulbs going over and summer perennials kicking in. If you are looking for new plants to add to your backyard ideas, this guide reveals some great perennials to plant in September that will provide dazzling blooms come spring.

1. Hellebores

Hellebores are one of the earliest spring-flowering plants, coming to the fore in late winter and early spring, offering delightful color when the garden may otherwise look a little bare.

With their nodding, saucer-shaped blooms and hellebore varieties coming in a range of colors, they make an ideal addition to provide interest in early spring. And September is an ideal time to plant hellebores.

Grow hellebores in a spot with dappled shade and rich soil, with lots of organic matter added ahead of time. Once established, they require little maintenance, though you can fertilize hellebores in spring for better blooming, and you should prune hellebores to control leaf spot.

You can choose from many different hellebores, but this FrostKiss Moondance Lenten Rose at Nature Hills has a very early blooming period and produces white blooms that turn an intriguing pale green with age. It will make a romantic addition to any border and is a deer-resistant plant.

2. Winter aconite

Winter aconite, also known as Eranthis Hyemalis, is another really early bloomer. The bulbs appear with their yellow buttercup blooms in late winter and early spring, and they are often even seen poking their heads through frost and snow.

The sign of these winter flowers can be a warming sign that spring is just around the corner; they appear in early February and can bloom through to late spring, depending on the variety.

You can purchase winter aconite bulbs to plant in early fall, and they should be put in a sunny or lightly shaded spot. They are ideal bulbs for under deciduous trees and woodland gardens, but can be planted in borders and container gardens.

Winter aconites are loved for their ability to reliably flower year after year and spread naturally over time to bring glorious displays to brighten up cold mornings.

You can order winter aconite bulbs at Dutch Grown in quantities from 25 to 1000 to plant in the fall.

3. Pasque flower

The pasque flower, also known as Pulsatilla vulgaris, wind flower, or Easter flower, may be small, but it always impresses.

One of the first perennials to bloom in spring, the pasque flower has purple trumpet-shaped blooms that are furry on the outside and smooth on the inside. Uniquely, the majority of the flowers develop before the soft leaves.

The pasque flower only reaches 12 inches tall, so it is best utilized at the front of flower beds or in rock gardens. While the majority of the cultivars are purple, new modern breeding has developed cultivars with red or white blooms.

The pasque flower can be grown from seed sown in fall, which gives the seeds a natural period of cold stratification they require to germinate. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil, and keep your fingers crossed for germination in spring.

If you want to try growing this perennial from seed, you can get purple pasque flower seeds at Amazon

4. Daffodils

What can one say about daffodils that hasn’t been said before?

They are classic spring bulbs and potentially the most popular blooms the season has to offer. Narcissus come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors, with early varieties starting in February and later types extending the show until May.

September is an ideal time to plant daffodil bulbs, with the typical window extending through to November. Plant each bulb at three times the height of the bulb, usually between 4-6 inches, with the pointed end upwards.

You can either use a trowel or get yourself a bulb planter to make the task easier – like this long handled bulb planter at Amazon that even removes the need to bend.

See the range of daffodil bulbs to plant at Amazon

See the range of daffodil bulbs to plant at Walmart

See the range of daffodil bulbs to plant at Dutch Grown

5. Alliums

If you are looking for high-impact perennial bulbs to plant in the fall, then look no further than alliums. These statuesque and architectural plants always impress with ball-shaped heads that stand atop tall stems, with varieties of allium bulbs reaching up to five feet in height.

Alliums bloom in late spring, after many other spring bulbs, and their purple, pink, yellow, or white blooms help knit together your border displays between the seasons, as they can complement both spring and summer-flowering plants.

Plant alliums from September to November in a sunny spot with rich and well-draining soil. If you have a heavier soil type, add compost and grit to boost the drainage. Plant at three times the depth of the bulb, with the pointy end upwards.

A perennial favourite is Allium 'Purple Sensation' that reaches 30 inches in height and, as the name suggests, has rich purple blooms. You can get Allium 'Purple Sensation' bulbs at Dutch Grown to plant this month.

6. Bleeding heart

Bleeding heart, now known as Lamprocapnos spectabilis, but it was Dicentra spectabilis for many years, is a unique perennial grown for elegant heart-shaped sprays of pendant flowers on arching stems in the spring.

Most people picture pink blooms when you mention bleeding heart, but this Dicentra Spectabilis 'Alba' at Nature Hills has bright white heart-shaped flowers instead, as well as lime green foliage to make it stand out in a bed.

Bleeding hearts are great part-shade perennials that thrive in those often-tricky cooler and shadier spots in the garden. They can grow in full sun but will require lots of water to avoid drying out.

They often don’t need much watering or feeding once established. One of the main maintenance tasks is to cut back bleeding hearts after they have finished blooming in midsummer.

7. Coral bells

Coral bells, commonly known as heucheras, are evergreen perennials that flower in late spring and early summer.

Grown primarily for being attractive foliage plants, they also put out delicate bell-shaped flowers, and you get heuchera varieties with spikes of blooms in beautiful shades of white or pink.

The plants prefer semi-shaded planting spots and will look their best with 4-6 hours of direct sunlight.

This position can be at the front of beds, where they can make an attractive foliage backdrop to other brighter, more dominating, spring or summer plants, or you can grow coral bells in pots in smaller spaces.

A celebratory example of a stunning variety is Champagne Coral Bells at Nature Hills. This cultivar has golden foliage with shades of yellows and pinks, and white blooms on deep red stems that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

FAQs

Is September too early to plant bulbs?

No, you can plant spring bulbs like daffodils, hyacinths, or crocuses in September. It is too soon to plant tulip bulbs, though, as you want to wait until October or November to prevent tulip fire.

September is also a good window to move and divide plants, offering a chance to rejuvenate older clumps of perennials.

Our guide to perennials to divide in September reveals seven popular backyard favorites that you can split to get new clumps for free to plant around the garden.

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