Fall At Gatsbys Gardens

Spring is my favorite time of year but Fall runs a close second.  The colors this time of year are quite magnificent and almost rival the display of spring and summer.

The front garden is just beginning to change and again, I just couldn't resist some mums to color up the season.  This is Bedazzled Bronze a mid-season variety.

The urns are simple, ivy from the summer arrangement, a large cabbage, rudbeckia, Vertigo grass and a sedum which will go into the garden in November.

This is Flame Red under the mailbox, not a long lasting mum but if you keep it deadheaded it should rebloom this season.

The front concrete boxes are filled with two different types of Kale, cabbage, mums, sedum which will transfer to the perennial garden, ivy from the summer, pansies and faux gourds.

Dichondra from the summer, with some cabbages, mum and pansies.  This was a simple one mostly from Home Depot for the hayracks on the back shed.

The Sweet Potato Vine is left from the summer but is tender and will not hold up to the frost.

One faux pumpkin, one real with Hannah mum and a carex grass, dichondra falling down the sides.

Simple again, a Hestia Red Mum in the patio concrete planters

 

 

 

Bloom And Rebloom

It always amazes me this time of year that some plants  have just begun to bloom after a long spring and summer.  We need to seek them out to make our gardens span three seasons.

Actaea Black Negligee

 

Obedient Plant Vivid

 

Anemone Robustissima

Hydrangeas blooming late really add to the late summer and fall garden.

Unique Hydrangea

 

Limelight Hydrangea

I left most of the blooms on this year until they turn that wonderful white with pink hues.

 

Little Lime

 

The grasses are wonderful especially the late season varieties that are just beginning to open up.  They are late coming up in the spring which means that bulbs and earlier perennials can be planted with them.

 

 

Miscanthus Udine

Late season reddish plumes

 

Miscanthus Little Kitten

 

Pennesitum Hameln, Ruby Ribbons

Newly Planted Fothergilla

 

Amsonia Hubrechtii Northwind (trimmed down to eight inches after flowering), Pennesitum Piglet, Gerald Darby Iris With Ninebark Summer Wine

Plant for late season color not just flowers!

 

Sedum Matrona With Sedum Angelina

This sedum blooms in the summer with great dried flowers through the fall and winter.

 

Reblooming only happens with most plants if you deadhead consistently, not really a difficult task if you walk your garden to see what's happening.

 

Phlox Candy Store Bubblegum

What more could you ask for with this display of September blooms?

 

Franz Schubert

 

Blue Paradise

 

There are many more reblooming phlox in my garden but this just gives you an idea of the color you can have in the fall.

 

Dicentra Exima

 

Rainbow Knockout

 

Sunpatiens

Planted between Max Frei Geraniums and Plumbago

 

Carefree Beauty

One of the roses that keeps going until frost

 

Pink Knockout

 

Many clematis rebloom is you give them a little trim after the main bloom.  I cut down all my type II's to get rebloom in late summer and fall, lightly trim type III's to get some late summer blooms.  I do not trim type II's again until after flowering in the spring.

 

Fireworks Type II In Late Summer

 

Henryi Type II

 

Bees Jubilee Type II

I have never done well replanting for fall in the veggie garden.  It seems everything gets eaten as soon as it sprouts!  I had some wonderful peppers again this year with Mariachi (medium hot) and with a grafted tomato I am trialing.  Improved Whopper was tasty but very inconsistent fruit size.  I love that Golden Jubilee, lower acid tomato!

 

Heirloom Purple Tomato, Fanfare Cucumber, Golden Jubilee Tomato, Deuce Determinate Tomato, Mariachi Pepper

 

 

 

 

A Summer's Goodbye

There are certain signs in the garden that announce the end of summer.

When Limelight Hydrangea blooms I know fall is not far behind.  This is a hydrangea you can count on to bloom consistently each year.  It does like sun and water, fertilize with an acid fertilizer in the spring and after blooming.

Unique Hydrangea loves part shade on the north side, not as full as Limelight but turns to a beautiful rose color in the fall.

 

I'm thinking of pumpkins when I begin pulling out spent annuals and replacing with plants that will not only take our present heat and last through the first frosts.  The ivy is left from my summer plantings and will take the cooler weather.

Zinnia Uproar and late blooming daylily Sandra Elizabeth

Sandra Elizabeth is a great late blooming daylily!
 

 

Zinnia Magellan Coral

They are in their glory this time of year but will not withstand a frost.

 

Cleome Hot Lips

 

Iris Gerald Darby

I love the light green color against the dark ninebark, however, it has gotten so large it may have to be moved.

 

My new favorite Pennisetum Piglet

Much lighter, smaller and more free flowing than Hameln

 

I redid the north side last year putting in a variety of interesting plants.  It has been a learning experience with one side being sunnier than the other, lots of moving plants around adding some full sun plants.

 

Sedum Autumn Fire

 

Sedum

This is a sedum I used in my fall containers last year, planted them along the back walk in November and they are just beautiful!  Don't hesitate to use perennials in your containers for repurpose in the garden later.  I can't find the name for this one, not Vera Jameson!

 

Rudbeckia Harry Eilers

This is a plant I added this year, tall, see-through, great popping up through zinnias, daylilies, etc.

 

Deadheading really does extend the seasons, take a little time as you walk by to snip, snip, snip!

 

Blue Paradise Phlox after deadheading, not as full but certainly worth the effort.

 

Clematis Bourbon

Type II Clematis will rebloom in late summer if cut down after the spring bloom time.

 

 

Allium Millennium

Similar to Summer Beauty, a little shorter, better color and larger fluffier flowers

 

Huge Purple Heirloom Tomato

This is a grafted tomato sent by Harris Seeds, hope it turns purple before frost!

 

Heirloom Italian Parsley (Renee's Seeds)

It has a much stronger flavor than the new varieties.

I have carrots planted with it, good luck in harvesting the carrots!

 

AAS Winner Mascotte

This is the bean for me, only sixteen inches tall, produces beans in five weeks and works well doing two plantings, late  spring and middle of summer.  It will be available as seed for 2014.  I received these seeds from Harris to evaluate in my garden.