Puts all other mums to shame

‘Sheffield Pink’ mum (Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’)
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil

‘Sheffield Pink’ mum has stood the test of time. Sometimes listed as just ‘Sheffield’, ‘Single Apricot’, or ‘Hillside Pink Sheffield’, this hardy mum has lovely, soft green foliage and dark burgundy stems in spring and summer. In early fall, it sports cute pink buds, which eventually detonate into 3-inch-wide, peachy pink blooms in midfall. The perfect companions are ‘Little Joe’ Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium dubium ‘Little Joe’, Zones 3–9) or a purple-blooming aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium cv., Zones 3–8), each of which mixes well with the floral display of ‘Sheffield Pink’. To keep this mum looking tidy, cut back the stems several inches after the first flush of growth to encourage a compact habit and to increase flowering.

Thrives in unlikely spots

Looks like it is covered in bubblegum

‘Welch’s Pink’ American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana ‘Welch’s Pink’)
Zones: 5 to 9
Size: 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil

As other deciduous shrubs start to fade with cooler temperatures, American beautyberry hits its stride. A curveball from the common purple- or white-fruited cultivars is ‘Welch’s Pink’. Gobs of cotton candy–colored berries cling to each stem of this shrub from early to late fall. The fruit color fades in full sun, so give this shrub some afternoon shade. ‘Welch’s Pink’ is best placed among other large shrubs, like oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia and cvs., Zones 5–9), which help support its fruit-laden stems. American beautyberry sports sprays of bright green foliage in spring and summer and likes to be pruned back to 6 inches in late winter or early spring.

Provides a transparent cloud of color

Boasts out-of-this-world coloring

‘Neon’ sedum (Sedum spectabile ‘Neon’)
Zones: 3 to 9
Size: 18 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil

If you type the name of this plant into an online search engine, you might think the photo results have been doctored. This is truly one of the most eye-catching, neon pink plants you can get for late-season masses of shocking color. Because you don’t want any surrounding neighbors to compete with its unique blooms, I like surrounding ‘Neon’ sedum with perennials that complement its foliage during the growing season, like ‘Elijah Blue’ blue fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’, Zones 4–8) and ‘Walker’s Low’ catmint (Nepeta racemosa ‘Walkers Low’, Zones 4–8). This sedum is a rock-solid hardy perennial in almost every region of the country. To encourage stout stalks and a later bloom time, I like to cut it back by half early in the growing season.

Not an ordinary ho-hum lily

Surprise lily (Lycoris squamigera )
Zones: 6 to 11
Size: 18 to 24 inches tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; fertile, well-drained soil

True to its name, surprise lily jumps from the ground sometime between late summer and midfall. Lycoris squamigera is a true pink, while L. radiata—which you might also see in nurseries—is a red that eventually fades to pink. Morning sun and light afternoon shade will lead to the longest-lasting flowers. This plant has no foliage to speak of, and its beautiful blossoms are perched atop long stems. To hide those bare legs, I like to pair surprise lily with billowy ground covers, like ‘Angelina’ sedum (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’, Zones 6–9) or ajuga (Ajuga spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9).

Keeps getting better as the temperature drops

Adds a little bit of exotic flair

Pink velvet banana (Musa velutina)
Zones: 7 to 11
Size: Up to 5 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun; moist, fertile, well-drained soil

If you plant this beauty in your garden, you’ll possess an unrivaled conversation piece. Pink velvet banana is a hardy plant that forms a multistemmed colony. Its broad foliage resembles that of cannas during spring and early summer. To highlight its bold form, I like to pair it with fine-textured Arkansas bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii, Zones 5–8). From late summer through late fall, this banana gets large, highlighter pink flowers, which transform into finger-size fruit covered in vibrant pink velvet. For those living in the cool end of its zones, you may want to mulch the plant heavily in winter until it gets fully established to ensure its hardiness.

A tree unusual for its unending interest

Korean sweetheart tree (Euscaphis japonica)
Zones: 6 to 9
Size: Up to 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, fertile soil

This small tree is anything but commonplace, but if more people knew how wonderful it is, it would surely gain in popularity. Its dark, emerald green leaves and rosy pink fall seed heads make Korean sweetheart tree a late-season star. As fall approaches, showy heart-shaped capsules burst open to reveal shiny, bluish black seeds, which persist for several months. Although spectacular in fall, this tree offers year-round appeal: In late spring, attractive sprays of yellow flowers appear; in winter, the mocha-colored bark with pronounced white stripes is stunning. Because every part of this tree is beautiful, you won’t want to obscure even its trunk, so flank it with medium-size ornamental grasses, like ‘Morning Light’ miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis* ‘Morning Light’, Zones 4–9).

*Invasive in some regions

Birds love it, but deer don’t