Color In The Fall Garden

You can have just about every color imaginable in a fall garden.  I was never much for fall gardening and just figured it was over after the July burst of color.

Dwarf Fothergilla

I just planted two of these this fall, had a difficult summer at the nursery but I love all of the colors it has turned in the fall.

 

Clematis Barbara Jackman

This clematis has not bloomed all season, cut it down and voila!

 

Clematis Comtesse De Bouchard

I also cut this one back slightly and I am getting lots of new flowers.  I think next year I will cut back the type III's after blooming and see what happens!

 

I have been cutting back some of my type II's and do get rebloom but it is sparse with lots of new vines for a full plant next spring.

 

Eryngium Big Blue

I just put this in the raised border on the south side about six weeks ago and it has rewarded me with several blooms, and they are BLUE!  For some reason, I did not think it would be this pronounced.  Eryngium Big Blue is a middle of the border plant.  I have it planted in between Chicago Apache Daylily and Heliopsis Loraine Sunshine.

 

Ruby Perfection

I love this color in the border, not my containers.  It is a little fussy and can lose a few leaves until it settles in until the snow files.

 

I think my favorite centers are the bright pinks.

 

Yuck, brown!

Not my favorite color but does provide a nice background for all of the striking hues.

 

Ajuga Black Scallop

 

Weigela Wine and Roses

 

Purple and black are also great colors for a backdrop of all the rich fall colors.

 

Hydrangea Starlight

Looks better than it has all summer!

 

I didn't think I would see white in the fall garden, but here it is, think it is in the mushroom family.

 

Amsonia Blue Ice

This is a low growing spreading plant with blue flowers in the spring and turns yellow in the fall, looks great in front of the Ninebark.

 

Amsonia Northwind Select is just beginning to turn a lovely yellow.  I am still evaluating this Amsonia in comparison to Hubrechtii.  We will see how it fills out next year as they are slow to reach maturity.

 

 

 

Ninebark Summer Wine continues to amaze me with the range of colors throughout three seasons and a fourth season of exfoliating bark.

 

Azalea Karen will turn a little darker than this and remain with full leaves all winter.  It doesn't do much during the summer but remain green, but the spring and fall show is worth planting this specimen.

 

Chanticleer Pear

The leaves have always turned a purple/red at first and then slowly dropped, last tree to drop leaves.  However this year it is turning a bright orange/red and it is early for it to be turning any color.

 

My Magnolia turns a bronze color in the fall, not much summer interest but another plant that performs in spring and fall.

 

Panicum Shenandoah

 

Panicum Northwind

 

Panicum Ruby Ribbons

 

I am just thinking to myself, did I ever have any reason for not having color in my fall garden?

 

Don't overlook those perennials that have been sitting quietly all spring and summer, they can star in the fall, but you have to cut them back to produce new leaves!

 

Pulmonaria

 

Heucherella Stoplight

 

Heucherella Golden Zebra

 

I am on a mission to have color through all four seasons!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside, Outside!

Every year at this time I try to make the inside of my home resemble what I want to remain outside.  I am looking for the rich colors of fall and the spirit of the holidays that are forthcoming.

The spiders have moved indoors quite at home on an orb web tablecloth.

My favorite rose Rainbow Knockout suffered through much of the summer, Japanese Beetles, Rose Midge and mildew.  It is putting forth a great effort to add some color until November but nothing like its previous fall shows.

Jerusalem Cherry is a great fall plant to give a little zing to your indoor decor.  It is toxic so keep it away from pets and children.  The fruits are not edible but the color is wonderful and will last through November, can be kept as a houseplant.

Ninebark Summer Wine is showing its many fall colors with reds popping up in the middle of the shrub.

Azalea Karen is at its height of color, something I would love to bring inside!

Bring that color inside, some faux some real and dried. 

 

 My favorite local nursery person suggested making a small bow for my corn.  She was right, it really makes it special.

 

Henry's Garnet Itea

 

Plumbago is a late blooming groundcover with bright blue flowers, but it has an added attribute in that its leaves turn red in the fall.

 

Faux but lovely on the dining room buffet, never complete without some birds.

 

Tor Spirea

I said I would never buy another spirea until I saw this one, low maintenance, white flowers in the summer and fall color (purple, red, coral).  It grows about two to three feet tall and wide with a mounding habit.

 

They are not on a tree but hang from my mantle, fall ornaments add a special feeling in the fall.

 

 

 

I love doing real with faux intermingling real pumpkins with faux fall decor.

 

 

Clematis Bourbon (Type II)

 

Anemone Andrea Atkinson is a new one that I planted on the north side of my home where I used to have the Carex grass, so much more interesting.  The buds are as interesting as the flower.

 

Jacobs Ladder (Brise D'Anjou)

This one was a total surprise, not necessarily for the blooms but for the ability to withstand the heat and look great all summer and fall.

 

Variegated Solomon's Seal

This is a plant that is stunning in its decline!

 

Endless Summer Hydrangea is not a star in my garden only one bloom cycle in my garden.  It was full but smaller blooms this year and then nothing.  At least the fall color is interesting.

 

Unique Hydrangea Paniculata

This is a beautiful hydrangea but does not hold up during the winter, needs to be cut early for drying.

 

Snapdragon La Bella

I first saw this one at the Chicago Flower Show, grew it from seed and it came back last spring.  I will leave it in the ground and see what happens this year.

 

Phlomis Russelina on the south side, did not bloom this year.  It is a wonderful blue green fuzzy leaved plant that is interesting even without blooms.  I think it was overshadowed by the Lythrum and Helianthus.  I will try to give it more room next year.

 

Faux in the Fireplace

This could be a title of the above vignette, safe and forever.

 

Heuchera Pinot Gris

 

Eupatorium Chocolate

I always appreciate this plant in the fall!

 

Eryngium Big Blue

I planted this in the raised bed on the south side, revamp this summer and it is so trying to bloom, but I don't think it is going to make it.

 

Green Velvet Boxwood

The is not the time of year when you would trim boxwood in zone 5 and colder.

 

 

 Ramona (Type II)
Trim in the spring but do not cut down.

Allysum

Lasts through all but a killing frost.  If you leave in place it will reward you in the spring, pull up and sprinkle wherever you want allysum and it will reseed for you.

This is a Maidenhair  fern that just fried during the summer but it has come back strong.

 

This is truly the last great rose of summer, Pink Promise, a winner some years back.