After a long, hot summer, the autumn garden doesn't have to end in a sigh. The best gardeners plan for blooms from spring all the way through autumn. By planting fall-blooming perennials that add color when summer annuals and perennials start to fade away, you'll be able to keep enjoying your garden long after the last barbecue of the summer.

Some of the trees in your yard will provide beautiful fall foliage, but these perennials will create color and interest throughout your entire garden. Fall is also a good time to plant new perennials, so if you don't already have some of these favorites as part of your landscape, there's no time like the present to plant a few.

1. 'Fireworks' Goldenrod

'Fireworks' goldenrod (Solidago rugosa) is an award-winning classic for almost any fall garden. It's a reliable, tough plant, and pollinators love it. Goldenrod can grow to a whopping 8 feet, making it an eye-catching autumn perennial in an open landscape. This fall perennial is deer-resistant and drought-tolerant. The best part: It won't aggravate your allergies (goldenrod pollen often gets incorrectly blamed for your seasonal sniffles, when it's actually the pollen from ragweed, that blooms at the same time).

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: Up to 8 feet tall

Zones: 4-8

2. 'Adagio' Maiden Grass

Autumn is the time when many wispy ornamental grasses shine. Although there are many varieties of maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis), one of the most popular for modern gardens is 'Adagio' because of its dwarf habit. It's also a sterile cultivar, which means it won't reseed all over the garden and become invasive.

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: Up to 5 feet tall

Zones: 5-9

3. 'Standing Ovation' Little Bluestem

This popular native warm-season grass often flops over unless it's growing close together with other plants. But not 'Standing Ovation' little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), which will stay upright in the fall garden. Plus it's deer-resistant and handles drought well.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil

Size: Up to 4 feet tall

Zones: 3-9

4. Leadwort

Hardy plumbago is also called leadwort (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides). Its bright blue flowers provide an unexpected bit of color in the fall as the rest of the landscape fizzles. It's also a drought-tolerant groundcover that can fill in dry, bare spots in your landscape.

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: Up to 12 inches tall

Zones: 5-9

5. Pitcher Sage

Pitcher sage (Salvia azurea) is a North American native that provides an alternative to Russian sage. This deer- and drought-resistant perennial also attracts birds with its beautiful blue blooms. (Unlike other varieties of salvia, pitcher sage is not an herb meant to be eaten.)

Growing Conditions: Part sun and well-drained soil

Size: Up to 5 feet tall

Zones: 5-9

6. 'Lidakense' Sedum

Hardworking, drought-tolerant sedums come in a variety of sizes, from upright perennials to groundcovering varieties like this one called 'Lidakense'. This low-growing succulent welcomes fall with small pink flowers that contrast beautifully with the blue-gray foliage with hints of purple.

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: Up to 6 inches tall

Zones: 2-9

7. 'Honorine Jobert' Windflower

Windflowers (Anemone x hybrida) come in shades of white, lavender, and pink. They have been popular perennials in American gardens for well over a century, and for good reason. They're easy to grow, even in some shade, and bloom after many other plants have faded. 'Honorine Jobert' is an especially popular variety that will produce white blooms with yellow centers on long, thin stems that will dance in the breeze.

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Zones: 4-8

8. Mexican Bush Sage

Hitting its peak bloom when cooler temperatures set in, Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha) produces numerous wands of beautiful pinkish-purple blooms. They'll attract an abundance of hummingbirds and butterflies.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Zones: 8-10