Choosing Perennials for Fall and Winter Interest...on the Prairies

A perennial garden does not have to become an empty patch of soil once the first frost arrives.

Some of the most interesting Prairie gardens are designed with fall and winter in mind from the very beginning.

Flowers may be what initially catches our attention at the garden centre, but perennials can contribute much more than blooms. Seed heads, sturdy stems, colourful foliage, ornamental grasses and interesting shapes can all keep a garden looking beautiful long after summer is over.

This matters particularly here in Southern Saskatchewan. Our growing season is relatively short, with the first fall frost often arriving around mid-September. If we design a garden entirely around summer flowers, we may only enjoy its best display for a few months.

Choosing some perennials for fall and winter interest can help extend the garden season well beyond that.

What Does "Winter Interest" Actually Mean?

Winter interest simply means having something visually interesting remaining in the garden after the growing season ends.

That does not necessarily mean having plants that stay green all winter.

Instead, look for plants that provide:

• Interesting seed heads
• Strong upright stems
• Ornamental grasses
• Colourful fall foliage
• Interesting shapes or textures
• Seed heads that catch snow or frost
• Food and shelter for birds
• Foliage that remains attractive into late fall

A dried perennial can be just as valuable to a winter garden as an evergreen.

Picture a coneflower seed head covered in frost or the feathery seed heads of an ornamental grass poking through fresh snow. These are completely different from summer flowers, but they bring texture and life to an otherwise quiet landscape.

Start by Choosing Perennials That Are Truly Prairie Hardy

Before considering winter appearance, we have to consider winter survival.

Our winters are demanding, and cold temperatures are only part of the challenge. Plants can also experience drying winds, fluctuating temperatures, limited snow cover and periods of drought during the growing season.

For dependable perennial gardens, choose plants hardy for your location.

Much of Southern Saskatchewan falls within roughly Zone 3 conditions. A perennial labelled Zone 3 or colder (lower zone numbers) is generally a safer choice than one sitting at the very edge of its hardiness range.

Snow cover also makes a difference. Snow acts as insulation around perennial crowns and roots. Gardens exposed to strong Prairie winds may lose their snow cover and experience more severe winter conditions than protected beds.

A plant that survives beautifully in a sheltered yard may struggle in an exposed location only a few blocks away.

1. Coneflowers

Coneflowers, or Echinacea, are wonderful examples of perennials that continue working after their flowers are finished.

During summer, they produce their familiar daisy-like blooms. As the petals eventually fall, the raised central cones remain.

Instead of cutting those stems down immediately, leave some standing.

The dark seed heads add structure to the fall garden and can look beautiful when covered with frost or a light layer of snow. Birds may also visit the seed heads looking for food.

Prairie growing tip

Coneflowers prefer a sunny location and soil that drains reasonably well.

This is particularly important during winter. Heavy clay can hold a considerable amount of moisture, and many perennials tolerate winter cold better than they tolerate sitting in cold, saturated soil.

Improve very heavy soil with organic matter and avoid planting coneflowers in low spots where water collects.

2. Sedum

Upright sedums are among the hardest-working plants in a fall perennial garden.

Their flower clusters develop during summer and often become increasingly attractive as the season progresses. Depending on the variety, flowers can deepen into shades of pink, rose, red or bronze.

Once they dry, the flower heads remain standing.

They can persist well into winter and look particularly beautiful with frost or snow resting on top.

Sedums also have thick, fleshy leaves that store water. This makes established plants relatively tolerant of dry Prairie conditions.

Prairie growing tip

Give upright sedums plenty of sun. Too much shade or overly rich soil can result in weaker stems that flop rather than remaining upright.

Strong stems are especially useful when you want winter structure.

3. Ornamental Grasses

Few plants can transform a winter perennial bed as effectively as ornamental grasses.

During summer they provide movement and texture. In fall, many develop golden, tan or bronze colouring. Through winter, their dried stems and seed heads can remain standing above the snow.

They also move in the wind, giving a winter garden something many perennial beds lack: movement.

Look specifically for ornamental grasses that are reliably hardy for Prairie conditions.

Do not cut them down in fall

If the grass is healthy, leave it standing over winter.

Cut it back in spring before new growth begins.

Leaving ornamental grasses standing allows you to enjoy their winter structure and can also help trap snow around the garden.

4. Rudbeckia

Rudbeckia produces cheerful yellow flowers in summer and develops dark central seed heads as the flowers mature.

Those dark centres can remain standing after the petals disappear.

Rather than thinking of the finished flowers as something that immediately needs to be removed, consider how they contribute to the garden later in the year.

The contrast between dark seed heads and snow can be especially attractive.

Leaving some seed heads also provides a potential food source for birds.

5. Yarrow

Yarrow is a particularly useful perennial for Prairie gardens because it combines summer flowers with drought tolerance and interesting dried flower heads.

Its flat flower clusters can remain surprisingly attractive after flowering.

As they dry, they take on muted tan and brown tones that work beautifully alongside grasses and darker seed heads.

Yarrow generally prefers sun and good drainage and is quite comfortable in drier conditions once established.

That makes it useful for hot, exposed Saskatchewan gardens where plants that require consistently moist soil can be difficult to maintain.

6. Russian Sage

Russian sage provides a different type of winter interest.

Its fine branching structure creates an airy appearance, even after its soft purple-blue summer flowers are gone.

It is also well suited to sunny, relatively dry locations.

Good drainage is important, particularly in heavy soils.

Because Prairie gardeners frequently deal with clay, pay attention to where water moves during spring snowmelt. A dry-loving perennial planted in a low, wet area may have more difficulty surviving winter.

7. Peonies

Peonies are not normally the first plants people associate with winter interest because their foliage eventually collapses.

Their contribution comes earlier.

After flowering, healthy peony foliage creates a substantial green mound through summer. Depending on the variety and conditions, the foliage can develop red, burgundy or bronze tones as autumn approaches.

Peonies are therefore useful when designing a garden that transitions gradually from summer into fall.

Unlike many other plants on this list, however, peony foliage is usually best removed after frost rather than left standing all winter.

Removing dead peony foliage can help reduce the amount of diseased plant material remaining around the plant.

Winter-interest gardening does not mean that everything needs to remain standing.

8. Hardy Geraniums

Hardy perennial geraniums can provide excellent fall foliage colour.

Depending on the variety and weather, their leaves may develop shades of red, orange or burgundy as temperatures cool.

They are particularly useful near the front of perennial beds where their lower-growing foliage can contrast with taller grasses and seed heads behind them.

This illustrates an important design principle.

Fall interest does not have to come from flowers.

Foliage can be just as important.

Think in Layers, Not Individual Plants

One of the easiest ways to improve a perennial bed is to stop choosing plants individually and start thinking about how they work together throughout the year.

Imagine a bed containing:

Front: Lower-growing perennials with attractive foliage.

Middle: Sedums, coneflowers and other sturdy flowering perennials.

Back: Taller ornamental grasses or structural perennials.

During summer, flowers provide much of the colour.

In fall, foliage changes and sedums become more prominent.

After frost, seed heads and grasses become the focus.

During winter, the remaining stems provide texture above the snow.

One garden has now produced several different displays throughout the year.

Choose Different Shapes

Texture becomes increasingly important once summer colour disappears.

Try combining several different forms.

For example:

• Round coneflower seed heads
• Flat yarrow flower heads
• Large sedum clusters
• Fine ornamental grass seed heads
• Upright stems
• Low mounds of colourful foliage

These differences may seem subtle during summer when everything is flowering, but they become much more noticeable after frost.

Should You Cut Perennials Down in Fall?

Not necessarily.

The traditional approach of cutting every perennial down to ground level in fall creates a very tidy garden, but it also removes much of the potential winter interest.

Many healthy perennials can remain standing through winter.

Leaving plant material also has ecological benefits. Hollow stems, seed heads and plant debris can provide habitat for insects and food for birds.

There are exceptions.

Remove plant material that is diseased or heavily infested with pests. Peony foliage is also commonly removed after frost to reduce disease problems.

The goal is not to leave absolutely everything standing.

Instead, be selective.

Keep healthy stems and seed heads that provide structure, wildlife value or visual interest, and clean up material that could create problems next season.

Let Snow Become Part of the Garden

Prairie gardeners sometimes think of snow as something that hides the garden.

It can actually become part of the design.

Seed heads catch small caps of snow.

Ornamental grasses emerge above snowbanks.

Dark stems create contrast against white snow.

Tall plants can also help catch drifting snow around the garden.

This can be beneficial because snow is an excellent natural insulator for perennial roots.

In exposed Southern Saskatchewan yards, where winter winds can move snow quickly, plants that help hold snow in the garden can be particularly valuable.

Do Not Forget About Winter Wind

A perennial that stands beautifully through winter in a protected yard may flatten quickly in an exposed Prairie location.

If your yard receives strong prevailing winds, prioritize plants with sturdy stems.

You can also use the layout of your yard to your advantage.

Buildings, fences, shrubs and trees can create more protected microclimates.

A microclimate is simply a small area where growing conditions are slightly different from the surrounding yard.

For example, a protected bed beside a fence may hold considerably more snow than an exposed bed in the middle of a large yard.

Pay attention to these differences when deciding where your winter-interest plants should go.

Common Mistakes When Planning for Fall and Winter Interest

Choosing everything for its flowers

Flowers matter, but they are temporary.

Before purchasing a perennial, also look at its foliage, shape, seed heads and mature size.

Ask yourself:

What will this plant look like when it isn't blooming?

That one question can dramatically improve perennial garden design.

Cutting everything down in September

A frost does not automatically mean the perennial garden needs to disappear.

Leave healthy plants standing when they provide useful seed heads, stems or habitat.

Choosing tender plants for an exposed location

A perennial may technically be rated for your zone but still struggle in an exposed Prairie garden.

Wind, snow cover, drainage and winter moisture all affect survival.

Ignoring drainage

Poor winter drainage can be just as damaging as extreme cold.

This is especially important in Saskatchewan's heavier clay soils.

If water consistently collects in an area during spring snowmelt, choose plants that tolerate those conditions or improve the drainage before planting species that prefer dry soil.

Planting only one type of perennial

A bed containing plants with similar heights, shapes and bloom periods can look spectacular for a short period and empty afterward.

Mixing foliage, flowers, grasses and seed-producing perennials creates a much longer season of interest.

A Simple Prairie Combination to Try

If you are starting a new perennial bed and want interest beyond summer, consider combining:

• Hardy ornamental grass for height and movement

• Coneflowers for summer flowers and winter seed heads

• Upright sedum for late-season colour and strong dried flower heads

• Yarrow for drought tolerance and flat flower clusters

• A lower-growing perennial with attractive fall foliage

You do not need dozens of different varieties.

Repeating a smaller number of well-chosen plants often creates a calmer, more intentional garden.

Fall Is a Great Time to Evaluate Your Garden

Once summer flowers begin fading, walk through your yard and look at what remains.

Which areas still look interesting?

Which beds suddenly seem empty?

Where could you use more height?

Do you have enough late-season colour?

Are there seed heads worth leaving?

Does everything disappear after the first hard frost?

These observations can be incredibly useful when planning next year's garden.

Take photos.

By spring, it can be difficult to remember exactly where the garden felt empty in October or January.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I deadhead perennials in fall?

Not all of them.

Deadheading means removing finished flowers. If a perennial has attractive seed heads, you can leave them standing. Remove diseased material and anything you specifically do not want self-seeding around the garden.

Do dried perennial stems hurt the plant?

Usually not.

Healthy stems can generally remain through winter and be cut back in spring. Some may even help catch insulating snow around the crown of the plant.

When should I cut back ornamental grasses?

For grasses being grown for winter interest, leave them standing through winter and cut them back in early spring before significant new growth begins.

What perennials provide the best winter interest?

Ornamental grasses, coneflowers, sedums, rudbeckia and yarrow are good plants to consider. The best choices depend on your sun exposure, soil, moisture and available space.

Can I plant perennials in fall in Saskatchewan?

Yes, but timing matters.

Perennials need enough time to establish roots before the ground freezes. Earlier fall planting is preferable to waiting until very late in the season.

Newly planted perennials should also be watered thoroughly and monitored until the ground freezes, particularly if autumn is dry.

Should I mulch perennials before winter?

Mulch can be useful, especially for newly planted perennials and exposed locations.

Its purpose is not to keep the soil warm all winter. Instead, mulch helps moderate rapid temperature changes and conserve soil moisture.

Wait until the soil has cooled before applying winter protection, and avoid burying the crowns of plants under a thick, wet layer of material.

A Prairie Garden Can Be Beautiful in Every Season

We cannot make a Saskatchewan winter shorter, but we can design our gardens to look better during it.

Instead of thinking of perennial gardening as something that ends with the first frost, consider what happens next.

Choose some plants for their flowers.

Choose others for their foliage.

Add plants with strong seed heads.

Include grasses for movement and texture.

Then allow some of those plants to remain standing after frost.

A well-planned Prairie perennial garden changes with the seasons rather than simply disappearing at the end of summer.

Planning Next Year's Perennial Garden?

If you are not sure which perennials will work in your particular yard, bring us a few details when you visit Riverdene this spring!

Knowing how many hours of sun the area receives, whether it is exposed to wind, how wet or dry the soil tends to be and approximately how much space you have gives us a much better starting point.

We can help you choose hardy perennials that make sense for Southern Saskatchewan and create a garden that has something interesting to offer for more than just a few weeks each summer.