What’s in Bloom

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’, is a standout late-season bloomer that brings a splash of vibrant lavender-blue flowers to the fall garden. Native to the central and eastern U.S., this tough, drought-tolerant perennial forms a tidy, bushy mound and blooms profusely from late summer into frost, providing crucial nectar for pollinators when few other flowers remain. The foliage lives up to its name—crush a leaf, and you’ll notice a pleasant, minty aroma. ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ is often praised for its long bloom time, resistance to mildew, and ability to thrive in poor or rocky soils. It performs best in full sun and well-drained soil, and makes a beautiful, low-maintenance addition to native plant gardens, borders, or naturalized areas. Bonus: it's also deer-resistant!

Chrysanthemum 'Sheffield Pink' is a charming, hardy perennial known for its soft, apricot-pink daisy-like blooms that appear in late fall, often blooming well into November. Beloved by pollinators and gardeners alike, it adds a welcome splash of color when most other flowers are fading. This heirloom variety is believed to have originated in the UK in the early 20th century, possibly introduced from Korea, and has since become a cottage garden favorite for its easygoing nature and graceful, informal habit. Once established, Sheffield Pink returns year after year, thriving in full sun with minimal fuss. 

Autumn crocus is a striking autumn-blooming bulb, native to regions around the Black Sea, including Turkey, the Caucasus, and northern Iran. Unlike its spring-blooming cousins, it flowers in fall with large, lilac to violet-blue petals often appearing before the leaves. It's a hardy bulb that naturalizes well in gardens, bringing unexpected color late in the season. It also provides a valuable late nectar source for pollinators preparing for winter.

Pumpkin displays found throughout the Gardens bring the colors, shapes, and textures of the harvest season to Longwood. Pumpkins belong to the genus Cucurbita, which is native to the Americas and includes many familiar squashes and gourds. The orange-skinned Cucurbita pepo pumpkins commonly carved as jack-o’-lanterns, trace their domestication to Mexico about 10,000 years ago, making pumpkins one of the earliest cultivated crops in the Americas. 

Dahlias are bold, beautiful bloomers known for their dazzling variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, ranging from petite pom-poms to giant dinner-plate-sized flowers! Native to the highlands of Mexico and Central America, dahlias thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, blooming from mid-summer until frost. With over 40 species and thousands of cultivars, there's a dahlia for nearly every garden style. They're not just garden showstoppers, they also hold cultural significance. The dahlia is the national flower of Mexico, celebrated for its vibrant beauty and indigenous roots. Although they grow as perennials in warm climates (zones 8–10), gardeners in cooler regions often dig up and store the tubers over winter. With a little care, dahlias reward growers with months of spectacular blooms.  Find a variety of dahlias on display along the Flower Garden Walk and the Idea Garden.  

Beautyberry is a deciduous shrub with tiny, lavender flowers in summer, which form into showy, bright purple fruit that cover the arching slender branches in autumn. This tall shrub makes a lovely impact in the Garden with its burst of autumn color, whether as a single specimen or when planted in mass.  The fruit also provides a food source for many birds.

This class of Chrysanthemum blooms features long tubular petals that curl or hook at their tips. Their texture can range from very fine to coarse. The chrysanthemums in our collection are not your everyday garden varieties. Our collection features more than 180 cultivars representing all 13 chrysanthemum classes recognized by the National Chrysanthemum Society. To ensure the continuation of this collection, our research staff maintains more than 1,500 test tubes holding virus-free mum stock.