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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm A Believer

If the date wouldn't convince me this past weekend certainly did the trick.  Previous to this I think I thought that this was the summer that would never end.

Now I feel I must hurry up to get everything done, frost has nipped most of the tender annuals and pulling out will take almost as much time as planting.

Indian Summer Coleus (holds up well to a light frost) with Bedazzled Bronze Mum

 

I think this is the time of year that we need to notice which annuals and perennials go slowly into the fall season.  I have other coleus that have definitely been nipped, turning brown and will need to be pulled.

 

PJM (Elite Variety)

The wonderful attribute of this variety is that the leaves turn red in the fall and then revert to a rusty brown for the winter.  Note that mine is sending out very small flowers after this unusual summer.

 

Azalea Karen

This is an evergreen azalea and stays a beautiful warm brown color all winter.

 

Ninebark Summer Wine

It is in it's darkest color right now, almost a black/brown in the garden.

 

It looks so good with Gerald Darby Iris.

 

North Side Front

This is the area I put in last spring after removing the Euyonmous Wintercreeper.  Amsonia Northwind Select is slow glowing and will need some pruning next spring to keep it compact.  The Pennestium Piglet is a wonderful addition.

 

Pennestium Piglet

What a surprise this one was, much more feathery and showy than the other Pennestiums.

 

 

 

This is my designer pumpkin and so far it is still intact.  I think it has been tested by the squirrels but so far they can't get through it!

 

Miscanthus Little Kitten is a late blooming grass and I am so glad to see that its plumes are opening.

This is not a "little" grass, at least three feet tall and over three feet wide. 

 

This is the front area looking through Miscanthus Little Kitten.  I love it this time of year but it does need more room than what they say in the catalogs.

 

I was not thrilled with the Alley Garden this year as many of the plants flopped, even with supports, and learned that a lack of water will cause this to happen.  I have since put in a water drip hose system and will prune plants in the spring to spread rather than grow tall.  We will see if this is a remedy or a sign to replant something more adaptable like all sedums.

 

Panicum Shenandoah is spaced throughout my back garden hopefully to give a four season effect rather than seeing just the sticks of the rose bushes.  Shenandoah is usually more reddish this time of year, but I am afraid that I do not get the right amount of sun to give me this effect.

 

Phlox Franz Schubert

I do not want to constantly talk about this phlox, but it is still around and wanting to re-flower, what could be better?

 

I have many varieties of phlox but there are only a few that would still be performing in October!

 

Phlox Blue Paradise is the other one that is a consistent performer in my garden, with deadheading goes into the cooler weather of fall.

 

Bob's Blunder has become one of my favorite geraniums because it is a non intrusive plant just working through whatever is there.  Notice the muscari just coming up through wherever!  It also has two sets of leaves, larger and darker on top.

 

Heuchera Autumn Leaves

 

Heuchera Southern Comfort

Just beginning to develop its wonderful reddish colors

 

 

 

 

Cantigny

Cantigny was an area in France that Colonel Robert R McCormick (1880-1955) wanted to memorialize by naming his twenty-nine acres in Wheaton, Illinois, "Cantigny."  He had fought at this area in France during World War I and was intent on making his property a War Museum to honor the brave soldiers who stood beside him.  At Cantigny he had experimental gardens that tried new species of plants and tested theories of planting and harvesting.

Colonel McCormick became the editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune Newspaper.

He was 6 feet 4" tall, 200 pounds and an excellent horseman.  His grandfather was Joseph Medill a publisher who the Medill School Of Journalism is named after at Northwestern University.

Robert thought of himself as an aristocrat who came from a long line of famous people, John and Cyrus McCormick, inventors of the reaper and owners of a company that would later become International Harvester.  He was an older cousin of Madeline Albright former secretary of state.

The visitors come now to his home, children climb on the tanks, visit his home and the war museum on the grounds.  However, the most beautiful areas are the many gardens.

The pumpkin people are already set up for all to enjoy.

 

King Tut Papyrus

 

The display areas are a gardeners delight because just about everything is labeled.

 

Mums, asters, carex and daisies

 

The interplanting of kale and grasses was very effective breaking up the placement of mums.

 

Cleome Seniorita Rosilita and Castor Bean

 

It was important this year to see the annuals that have held up to the summer heat.

 

Begonia Fortune Pink

 

These Begonias (Party Pink) are in full sun.

 

Dahlia Mystic Illusion

I grew this one and it performed great all summer.

 

Gomphrena Audray Pink

 

Gomphrena Fireworks

 

 

Verbena Bonariensis

 

This variety of Cosmos was not labeled, but still going strong.

 

Zinnia Uproar Rose

This is one I will be looking for next year.  Horticulturist on staff said this was one of the best they have grown.  My little fingers were dying to deadhead, even if just for looks!

 

Tamarix with Fine Wine Weigela

The Tamarix is a large tree like plant with red flowers, you need room for this one.

 

New Zealand Sedge Prairie Fire

 

This was the most beautiful cranberry red mum with a fascinating grass, could not find the name on either of these.  We couldn't tell if the grass was a Molinia or a Pennestium?

 

 

Pennestium Piglet

The use of smaller grasses in the middle of beds really works.

 

Pennestium Jade Princess

Isn't this a great looking plant, would remind you of cattails.

 

Calamagrostis brachytricha (Korean Feather Grass)

This was a most impressive grass!

 

I don't usually plant annual groundcovers but I will have to rethink this for next year.

 

Alternanthera Little Ruby

This is a great groundcover that easily goes into fall, however, it is an annual.

 

Purple Sage (used as an annual groundcover)

 

Almost forgot to mention the hawk that was swooping around our heads supposedly looking for a mouse!