Wouldn’t it be nice to add some eye-popping color to your fall garden? There are a multitude of perennials that can do just that. Some even reward with all-season color and winter interest.

Ornamental grasses: They provide dramatic punctuations with their seed-heads of many colors — from the mauve-pink clouds of Muhly “Undaunted Ruby” and the rose-purple flower spikes of Fountain Grass “Karley Rose” to the golden wheat of Karl Forester Feather Reed Grass and the silvery tassels of Maidenhair Grass.

Some grasses not only put on a colorful display of seed-heads but also have colorful leaves. There’re the blues of Blue Oat Grass, Blue Fescues and Little Bluestem “The Blues”; the reds of Big Bluestem “Red October” and Switch grass “Shenandoah”; and the rust of Little Bluestem “Standing Ovation.” Ornamental grasses also add texture, movement and winter interest to a garden.

Year-round gardening: Creating winter interest

Ground covers: Virginia Creeper (a vine as well as ground cover) has lush green leaves in the summer that turn a blazing crimson in the fall. It can be quite aggressive so give it plenty of room. Creeping Three-Leaf Sumac has chartreuse flowers in spring with glossy green foliage that turns an amazing amber yellow in the fall. Pawnee Buttes Sand Cherry also delights with spring flowers and fabulous glossy foliage that turns a beautiful mahogany-red in the fall.

Flowering ground covers include Giant Flowered Soapwort “Max Frei,” ice plants, wine cups and shade-loving Spotted Dead Nettles.

Shrubs: Ever-blooming double knockout roses are easy-care and reliable bloomers. Blue Mist Spirea and Russian sage come into their prime in the fall. Rabbitbrush is a wonderful addition to any garden with its narrow, thread-like light grayish-green leaves and delicate texture. In the late fall it explodes with vibrant yellow flowers that attract butterflies and bees, plus it will add winter interest as a bonus. Rose of Sharon and potentilla continue blooming well into the fall. Ninebark “Diablo” and “Summer Wine” have stunning purple leaves all season.

Year-Round Gardening: Annual weeds make unwelcome return

Fall-blooming perennials: Perk up your garden when the early bloomers start fading. Hyssops (a hummingbird favorite), Purple Poppy Mallow, Prairie Mallow, New England Asters and Two Row Sedum all are good choices.

Ever-blooming perennials: Blanket flowers are prolific bloomers all season. Stella D’Oro Daylilies, Catmint, Salvias, Coreopsis, Coral Bells, Shasta Daisies, Speedwell, Bee Balm, Garden Phlox, Yarrow and Jupiter’s Beard are all standout performers. To keep the blooms coming, most require dead-heading. In late July, prune back the Salvias and Catmint to revitalize and promote new growth.

Submit gardening questions to csumg2@elpaso.com or call 719-520-7684. The in-person help desk is open 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 17 N. Spruce St. Find on Facebook at Colorado Master Gardeners — El Paso County.