Our menu of showy Northeastern native plants leans heavily to fall bloomers, and asters and goldenrods are undeniably the main event. I look forward to them every year, as my yard is mostly native. One of my favorite aster species is shade tolerant Large leaf aster (eurybia macrophylla) because it does double duty as both ground cover with its large heart shaped leaves and late summer bloomer. It combines nicely with the shade tolerant zigzag and bluestem goldenrods. Aromatic aster (symphotrichum oblongifolium) is another I couldn’t do without. ‘October skies’ is a favorite cultivar because it’s so late! 
A new goldenrod for me this year is stiff goldenrod (solidago rigida), which hasn’t bloomed quite yet, but I’ve admired the bluish foliage all summer. 
Do you have any aster and goldenrod species you look forward to? Any favorite cultivars?