The last few weeks of summer are a bittersweet time in the garden. The abundant perennials of mid summer have faded and the borders are suffering from a distinct lack of color. As we cut back our perennials they may reward us with a modest re-bloom but for the most part they are finished. Even our containers look a little sad. There really is a lot of summer left in spite of the doom and gloom we hear at every turn, and there are a number of things we can do to prolong the garden season.

Containers can often fill in a blank spot in the perennial border. I always plant containers with this in mind. In the past week I have moved three large containers of annuals into uninteresting spots in the perennial border. Keep your containers pruned and fertilized. If you are going on vacation or are expecting company for Labor Day you may want to remove all the blooms. This will allow your containers of annuals to rejuvenate and in a couple of weeks should be in full bloom. Impatiens respond very well to this technique.

Take a good look at the blank spots in the border. The garden centers in Warren County have very nice fall perennials. You can see them in bloom and decide which ones will fit into your garden plan. Carefully check the garden tags. Make sure they are hardy to your zone. Warren County is zone 5 but some outlying areas are zone 4.

One of my favorite fall perennials are asters. You can quickly freshen up your containers or borders with this autumn favorite. Most asters are hardy to zone 3, 4 or 5. The asters can be taken home and planted immediately. The new plants will quickly adapt and give a good showing.

Another autumn standard is the dahlia. These fall bloomers grow from tubers that must be planted in the spring. They can become very large plants that need room to grow or miniature plants that can be used as a border. They come in many colors and will bloom vigorously until a killing frost. They are not hardy and must be dug, dried and stored until spring when they need to be replanted.

The classic hydrangeas are blooming their hearts out right now. Their voluptuous flowers make a beautiful cut flower arrangement. The flowers can be dried and enjoyed for weeks. Hydrangeas come in white, blue and shades of pink. They like morning sun and afternoon shade. Check at the garden center to find the right one for your garden.

Mums will start appearing in the garden centers soon. These wonderful late blooming flowers will stretch the gardening season. Even though they are marked hardy mums I have never found them hardy in my zone 4 garden. I buy them at my garden center and pop them into my garden urns. The deer at our house love them so if deer are a problem keep the spray handy. If you are going to plant them in the garden make sure to give them enough time to get established. Question the people at the garden center. Make sure they are hardy to your zone.

I love the fall pansies, sometimes called icicle pansies. I plant them in the urns, pick them as they bloom and enjoy them to the fullest. Their bright little faces look nice in my containers near the door.

Another fall bloomer is Echinacea or coneflower. These wonderful tall plants come in colors of dark pink, yellow and white and a new coconut lime. They are a daisy type flower with a large golden cone center. Be patient with coneflower. It takes a few seasons to get established. They are hardy in our zone 4-5 and will give seasons of delight.

Solidago is a goldenrod cultivar. Hardy to zone 5, this ladylike goldenrod will arch gracefully downward. It mixes well with other fall blooming perennials. The small solidago cultivar makes a nice border flower.

Joe Pie Weed is a native wildflower that can reach 7 feet in height. This dark purple flower likes partial shade. You often see them growing along the roads.

The Japanese anemone is indispensible for the shade garden. It is a graceful plant that grows 2-4 feet in height and blooms in white or pink.

No fall border would be complete without the Rudbeckia or black-eyed susan. The yellow orange flowers bloom on three foot stems. Goldstrum, the most common cultivar of this plant, will quickly reseed itself and give the gardener drifts of bloom.

There is lots of summer left and fall gardening can be a whole new adventure. Your favorite garden center staff will help you pick out your fall perennials. Our growing season in Northwestern Pennsylvania is all too short. I am not going to give up even a single day of gardening.