Mums are a fall favorite in Georgia gardens, bursting with color when many other plants start to fade. Pairing them with the right companion plants can make your garden even more stunning and help everything grow healthier together.
The best companions thrive in Georgia’s climate while complementing mums beautifully. Ready to discover which plants will make your mums shine brighter this season?
1. Asters
Asters bring a wild, natural charm to any garden bed, with their daisy-like blooms appearing in shades of purple, pink, and white. Georgia’s warm days and cool fall nights create perfect conditions for these hardy perennials to flourish alongside mums.
Both plants share similar water and sunlight needs, making care incredibly simple for busy gardeners. Asters bloom at the same time as mums, creating a stunning color explosion that attracts butterflies and bees. Plant them about twelve inches apart to give each room to spread and show off their beauty without crowding.
2. Ornamental Kale
With ruffled leaves that look almost too pretty to eat, ornamental kale adds texture and color that mums alone cannot provide. The cool tones of purple, cream, and green create beautiful contrast against warm-toned mum blooms.
Georgia’s mild autumn weather actually makes ornamental kale more vibrant, as cooler temperatures intensify its colors. This plant tolerates frost better than mums, extending your garden’s appeal well into late fall. Position kale in front of taller mums to create layered interest that catches every visitor’s eye.
3. Pansies
Pansies are like the friendly neighbors of the garden world, happy to grow just about anywhere you plant them. Their cheerful faces come in nearly every color imaginable, making it easy to find shades that complement your mum collection perfectly.
Georgia gardeners love pansies because they handle temperature swings like champions, blooming through fall and even mild winters. Plant them around the base of mums to fill empty spaces and add ground-level color. They need similar watering schedules, so maintenance stays wonderfully simple.
4. Sedum
Sedum might just be the easiest companion plant you will ever grow, asking for almost nothing while giving so much visual appeal. Its thick, fleshy leaves store water efficiently, making it drought-tolerant even during Georgia’s occasional dry spells in fall.
The variety called Autumn Joy produces pink flower clusters that deepen to copper-red, echoing the warm tones of many mum varieties. Sedum’s low-maintenance nature means you can focus attention on your mums while it quietly does its thing. Plant it along borders for a polished, professional-looking garden edge.
5. Russian Sage
Russian sage towers above most mums with airy, lavender-blue flower spikes that sway gently in Georgia’s autumn breezes. Its silvery-gray foliage provides a soft backdrop that makes bright mum colors pop even more dramatically.
This drought-tolerant perennial thrives in Georgia’s heat and handles the transition to cooler fall weather without missing a beat. Deer and rabbits typically avoid Russian sage, offering natural protection for your entire planting area. Position it behind shorter mums to add height variation and create a more dynamic, layered garden design.
6. Fountain Grass
Fountain grass adds movement and texture that flowering plants simply cannot match, with arching blades that dance at the slightest breeze. The burgundy or tan plumes create a soft, feathery contrast against the dense, round mum blooms.
Georgia’s warm growing season helps fountain grass reach impressive heights before fall arrives, creating dramatic backdrops for your mums. This ornamental grass requires minimal water once established, making it perfect for lower-maintenance garden areas. Plant it in clusters of three or five for maximum impact and a more natural, flowing appearance.
7. Marigolds
Marigolds are the workhorses of the garden, offering both beauty and pest-fighting abilities that benefit neighboring plants. Their pungent scent naturally repels aphids, mosquitoes, and other unwanted insects that might bother your mums.
Georgia’s long growing season means marigolds will bloom continuously from summer straight through fall alongside your mums. Choose French or signet varieties for compact growth that will not overshadow your chrysanthemums. The warm yellow and orange tones create a cozy, harvest-inspired color scheme perfect for autumn landscapes throughout the state.
8. Salvia
Salvia sends up tall spikes of tubular flowers that hummingbirds and butterflies find absolutely irresistible during migration season. The vertical growth habit contrasts beautifully with the rounded, bushy shape of mums, creating visual interest through form as well as color.
Georgia’s climate suits many salvia varieties perfectly, especially heat-loving types that bloom prolifically through fall. Purple, blue, and red salvias provide cool-toned options that balance warm-colored mums wonderfully. Space plants appropriately since salvia can spread vigorously in favorable conditions, giving both plants room to flourish.
9. Dusty Miller
Dusty miller earns its place through stunning silvery foliage that looks almost frosted, providing neutral ground between competing flower colors. This soft, velvety plant helps tie together different mum shades that might otherwise clash in your garden design.
Georgia gardeners appreciate how dusty miller handles both heat and cooler fall temperatures without losing its attractive appearance. The silver leaves practically glow in evening light, adding unexpected drama to your landscape after sunset. Use it as edging along pathways or between color blocks of mums for a sophisticated, designer look.
10. Goldenrod
Goldenrod gets unfairly blamed for allergies when ragweed is the real culprit, so do not let myths keep you from enjoying this native beauty. Its cheerful yellow plumes bloom exactly when mums do, creating a quintessentially autumn combination throughout Georgia landscapes.
As a native plant, goldenrod supports local pollinators better than many non-native options while requiring virtually no special care. The bright yellow pairs especially well with purple, burgundy, or bronze mums for high-contrast drama. Plant it toward the back of beds since it grows taller than most mum varieties.
11. Coral Bells
Coral bells offer incredible foliage variety in shades ranging from deep burgundy to bright lime green, with some featuring stunning metallic sheens. While mums steal the show with flowers, coral bells provide consistent color through their leaves from spring through fall.
Georgia’s humidity can challenge some plants, but many coral bell varieties handle it beautifully, especially in partially shaded areas. The delicate flower wands that appear add subtle charm without competing with showier mum blooms. Choose darker-leaved varieties to create depth and make lighter-colored mums appear even more luminous.
12. Black-Eyed Susans
Black-eyed Susans bring sunny, cheerful energy to any garden with their golden petals and distinctive dark centers that resemble friendly faces. These tough native wildflowers handle Georgia’s heat, humidity, and occasional drought without complaint, making them ideal low-maintenance companions.
Their bloom time overlaps perfectly with mums, creating weeks of continuous color from late summer through fall. The daisy-like form contrasts nicely with the fuller, more complex mum flowers, adding variety to your garden’s texture. Plant them in drifts rather than rows for a more natural, meadow-inspired appearance.
13. Dianthus
Dianthus charms with fringed, often fragrant blooms that look like miniature carnations scattered throughout your garden beds. The spicy-sweet scent adds another sensory dimension that most mums cannot provide, making your garden a multi-sensory experience.
Georgia’s fall weather suits dianthus perfectly, as cooler temperatures encourage abundant blooming and stronger fragrance. The compact, mounding growth habit makes dianthus perfect for edging in front of taller mums or filling gaps between plants. Choose varieties in pink, white, or red to create romantic, cottage-garden combinations with your chrysanthemums.