When much of the garden starts winding down, asters step into the spotlight. These hardy, daisy-like perennials bloom in late summer through fall, adding brilliant color just when most landscapes begin to fade. With shades ranging from lavender and violet to bold pinks and whites, asters are a must-have for gardeners looking to extend their season of interest.
Colorful and Pollinator-Friendly
Asters are more than just pretty—they’re pollinator magnets. Their abundant blooms provide a late-season food source for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Monarch butterflies in particular rely on asters as a nectar source during their fall migration. By adding asters to your landscape, you’re not just brightening up the garden—you’re actively supporting your local ecosystem.
Low Maintenance and Cold Hardy
Asters thrive in zones 3–8, making them well-suited to Wisconsin’s climate. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil, but they’re forgiving of less-than-perfect conditions. Once established, they require minimal care—just cut them back in late fall or early spring to keep them tidy. Some taller varieties may benefit from staking or pinching back in early summer to prevent flopping.
Great for Borders, Meadows, and Naturalized Areas
Thanks to their wide range of heights and forms, asters fit beautifully in mixed borders, prairie-style plantings, or woodland edges. Varieties like Aster novi-belgii and Aster novae-angliae (New York and New England asters) can reach up to 4 feet tall, making them great background plants. Shorter cultivars like ‘Purple Dome’ stay compact and work well at the front of beds or along pathways.
Easy to Pair with Fall Favorites
Asters pair beautifully with other fall bloomers like sedum, goldenrod, ornamental grasses, and rudbeckia. Their fine-textured foliage and delicate blooms offer a nice contrast to bolder plants and seed heads. Together, they create vibrant and dynamic garden compositions that carry interest through to frost.
If you’re looking to extend your garden’s color and support pollinators into the fall, asters are an easy and beautiful choice. With minimal maintenance, strong seasonal impact, and ecological benefits, these dependable perennials deserve a place in every Wisconsin garden.
Contact Us
Landmark Landscapes of Sheboygan Falls, WI is a full-service landscape company. Based out of Sheboygan County, with a Green Lake, Wisconsin, satellite office. We are centrally located and uniquely positioned to service the areas of Sheboygan, Elkhart Lake, Fond Du Lac County, Green Lake County, Ozaukee County, Manitowoc County, and Door County. We can manage your property with our Total Property Care system, and design and build projects large and small. Contact us today at 920-467-6442 to learn how we can care for you.
