Grow These 11 Perennial Plants With Your Mums For A Showstopping Fall Garden

As summer winds down, you'll have noticed an uptick in the availability of pumpkins, gourds, and chrysanthemums (or mums) in garden centers, nurseries, or the box retailers you purchase from. And while mums are undisputably the poster child of a bustling fall garden, they don't have to be the only ones tasked with catapulting your garden into ethereal beauty. Cue: companion plants.

From experience or plant labels, you'll know that mums usually perform well when they receive full sun exposure, or over six hours of direct light. Plus, they prefer soils that are organically rich and well-draining. As such, fall-blooming perennials with similar inclinations, such as sneezeweed, goldenrod, asters, ironweed, swamp sunflowers, and plenty more discussed below, will usually pair well with mums.

But before loosening any purse strings, note that not all mums are naturally winter hardy. To ensure they return every year, you must look for "garden mums" or "old-fashioned mums" that can survive the winters of zones 4 through 8. To give them a better chance of surviving through winter, apply a 4-inch-thick mulch layer after flowering terminates, and leave the withering foliage in place. With that said, include any of these 11 perennial plants with your mums for a showstopping fall garden.

Hardy in zones 3 to 8, autumn sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) can team well with garden mums since it similarly enjoys fertile, moist soils and ample sunlight. Native to the eastern U.S. region, autumn sneezeweed produces wheel-shaped, bright yellow flowers that look right at home in cottage gardens. However, if you want a more groomed look, opt for cultivars, as they're bred to be better behaved and offer more color options — try 'Hot Lava,' 'Mariachi Salsa,' and 'Potter's Wheel.' Do note that its flowers, seeds, and leaves are toxic if consumed and may cause skin irritation.

Play up on foliage contrast by coupling mums with coral bells (Heuchera spp.). Although some cultivars can be encouraged to bloom into fall when deadheaded timely, coral bells truly shine when their leaves are the star. With mahogany, chartreuse, black, burgundy, and silver colors bred into their design, they fill out the space beautifully, regardless of whether your mums are in bloom or not. While they do enjoy organically rich soils, be sure to check the plant labels for sun exposure, as not all perform equally well in full sun. Varieties are variably hardy in zones 3 through 9.

Aptly named, 'Fireworks' goldenrod (Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks') sports a dense mound of oval green foliage atop which tiny yellow flowers explode out (like fireworks) from late summer through frost. These non-aggressive perennials pair well with pink garden mums growing in zones 4 to 8. 'Fireworks' is also important from the standpoint of pollinators. Butterflies seek their nectar, while the birds consume their seeds. Better still, native bees use their hollow stems as overwintering habitat if you push their pruning to early spring. They also attract beneficial insects, which may take some pest pressure off your mums.

Sun-loving ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) can spruce up the appearance of garden mums with its deep purple blooms that remain on display mid-fall. Pollinators can also get plenty of action well into the winter when the seeds replace the nectar-rich flowers and the foliage dies back, enabling the stem-nesting bees to successfully overwinter in the stalks. Ironweed can grow quite tall, sometimes reaching 8 feet in height, though you can prune it to keep it more manageable. Plant it in beds and borders in zones 5 through 9 to deter deer, but beware that it self-seeds profusely and can take over the area if not regularly deadheaded.

Since they become commercially available for fall planting right around the same time as chrysanthemums, it should be an indicator that Japanese anemones (Anemone x hybrida) can be outstanding companions for them. You'll especially find them useful if your garden mums are situated under tall trees, for these perennials thrive in dappled shade. However, morning sun exposure works just as well. Saucer-shaped, purple or pink flowers bloom through summer and fall. Japanese anemones can be treated as tall, deer-resistant groundcovers in zones 4 through 8. Locate them in beds on the drier side, or they'll monopolize the resources.

The lance-shaped, white-variegated, green leaves of 'Morning Light' eulalia (Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light') can serve as a gorgeous backdrop to your garden mums. They may also add complementary color with their tassel-like, red flowers that form during mid-September, with the ornate interest lasting through the winter, with them standing tall as silverish plumes thanks to the seedheads. These ornamental grasses are perennial in zones 5 through 9. Note that they can spread in mild climates and feature on invasive lists of some states on the East Coast, where their planting must be avoided.

Give your garden mums a striking background and your landscape a vertical dimension with New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae). Standing tall at over 3 feet, these end-of-summer plants will keep your garden full of pollinators through fall. Monarch butterflies and bees are attracted to their huge, yellow-eyed, purple blooms, while birds flock in later when seeds become available. Retaining the foliage through the winter in zones 4 to 8 enables purple crescent butterflies to lay their eggs. If you notice the plant slumping, either pinch its stems or cut back the foliage after the blooms terminate.

Russian sage (Salvia yangii) can be an excellent companion for garden mums, considering both plants share a penchant for full sun and well-draining soil. Starting in summer through October, this low-maintenance perennial is decked in lavender blooms, enough to keep your fall garden buzzing with pollinators. Plus, it keeps deer and rabbits from venturing inside, effectively providing a pretty shield to your prized ornamentals. Leave the silvery stems on for winter interest, but prune these plants in spring to keep them happy and healthy. Russian sage thrives in zones 5 through 9.

In moist sites receiving over six hours of direct sunlight, consider teaming hardy mums with swamp sunflowers (Helianthus angustifolius) for an airy, layered arrangement. In bloom through the first frost, swamp sunflowers grow almost 8 feet tall when their fringed stems are crowned with yellow ray flowers. If you can't bring yourself to brave the cold in early mornings to fill out the bird feeder, retain these flowerheads to keep your backyard birds happy. Bear in mind that swamp sunflowers host the broods of silvery checkerspot butterflies, so the foliage can eventually grow tattered. It thrives in zones 5 through 9.

In well-draining sites located in zones 3 through 9, consider combining chrysanthemums with sedum or stonecrop (Sedum spp.). Their stellate flowers, available in a rainbow of colors, will headily enhance the overall display and lure in diverse pollinators. They can also tolerate some pedestrian traffic, and these low-growing perennials are one of the best ground covers for flower beds — the SunSparkler series is particularly popular. You may alternatively pop sedums in planters housing mums, but ensure proper drainage, or the roots will rot and gastropods may infest the plants.

Autumn sage (Salvia greggii) or Texas sage teams well with old-fashioned mums in zones 6 to 9. While it enjoys full sun exposure, down south, when the beams can be too intense, it may need protection from the afternoon sun. Two-lipped red or pink flowers bloom all fall and spring, drawing in many hummingbirds, butterflies, and birds. Like garden mums, autumn sage that's planted in early spring is better at surviving winter temperatures in cold regions, so bear that in mind before planting. Mass them in borders or around beds to create a mini, deer-resistant hedge.