The Fall Pollinator Garden: Keep the Buffet Open

As summer flowers begin to fade, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are still busy searching for food. Late-season blooms provide valuable nectar and pollen at a time when fewer flowers may be available.

For Connecticut gardeners, keeping something blooming into fall is a simple way to support pollinators while adding beautiful color to the September landscape.

Why Late-Season Flowers Matter

Pollinators don’t stop working when summer ends. Many continue foraging well into fall, and some butterflies are preparing for migration.

A garden filled with late-blooming plants can provide:

• Nectar for butterflies and other beneficial insects
• Pollen and nectar for bees
• Food during a season when blooms become less abundant
• Seeds for birds later in the season
• Shelter and habitat as temperatures cool

Think of your fall garden as one last buffet before winter arrives.

Plant Fall-Blooming Perennials

Perennials are an easy way to provide dependable late-season flowers year after year.

Consider adding:

• Asters
• Goldenrod
• Sedum
• Rudbeckia
• Joe Pye Weed
• Coneflowers

Planting several varieties with overlapping bloom times helps keep food available longer.

Don’t Forget Native Plants

Native plants can be especially valuable additions to a pollinator-friendly landscape because they have long-standing relationships with local insects and wildlife.

Native asters and goldenrods are particularly valuable late in the season. They also blend beautifully with ornamental grasses and other fall perennials for a natural-looking autumn garden.

Add Annuals for Even More Color

Don’t be too quick to remove healthy summer annuals that are still flowering. Many can continue providing nectar until cold weather arrives.

Zinnias, lantana, verbena, salvia, and other long-blooming annuals can help bridge the transition from summer into fall.

If they’re still blooming, let them keep working.

Plant Flowers in Groups

Instead of scattering individual flowers throughout the landscape, consider planting several of the same variety together.

Larger groupings create a stronger visual impact and make flowers easier for pollinators to find. Combining several types of plants also creates a longer and more diverse blooming season.

Leave Some Seed Heads Standing

Once flowers finish blooming, they can still contribute to the garden.

Consider leaving healthy seed heads and stems on plants such as coneflowers, rudbeckia, asters, and ornamental grasses. They add winter interest, provide seeds for birds, and can offer habitat for beneficial insects.

Fall cleanup doesn’t have to mean cutting everything to the ground.

Provide More Than Flowers

A pollinator-friendly garden is about more than nectar.

You can make your landscape more welcoming by providing a shallow water source, limiting pesticide use when possible, including a variety of plant types, and leaving some natural areas for shelter.

Even a small garden or collection of containers can contribute valuable resources.

Keep the Buffet Open

September is a beautiful time in the Connecticut garden, and there’s no reason for the flowers to stop when summer does.

By adding late-blooming perennials, preserving healthy annuals, planting natives, and leaving some stems and seed heads behind, you can create a colorful fall landscape that benefits both you and your garden visitors.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some good fall flowers for pollinators?

Asters, goldenrod, sedum, rudbeckia, Joe Pye Weed, and coneflowers are excellent choices for extending the season.

Should I remove summer annuals in September?

Not if they’re healthy and still flowering. Let productive annuals continue blooming until cold weather ends their season.

Are native plants important for pollinators?

Yes. Native plants can provide important food and habitat for native bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.

Should I deadhead all my fall flowers?

Not necessarily. Leaving some seed heads provides food for birds and adds winter interest to the landscape.

Can a small garden help pollinators?

Absolutely. Even a small bed or collection of flowering containers can provide useful nectar and pollen.

Visit Cropley’s Garden Center

Keep your garden blooming and buzzing this fall. Stop by Cropley’s Garden Center for late-season perennials, fall color, and inspiration for creating a beautiful pollinator-friendly landscape.

Cropley’s Garden Center
1262 Boston Turnpike
Bolton, CT 06043

Fall Hours
Monday to Friday: 10 AM to 5 PM
Saturday: 9 AM to 5 PM
Sunday: 10 AM to 4 PM

We’re grateful for our customers, friends, and growers, and we’re here to help you enjoy every last bit of the Connecticut gardening season.