Perennials
Fall Is For Planting Trees, Shrubs, Perennials and Lawn Seed
While it may seem that the gardening season should be over, fall is actually a perfect time to plant. Yes, things above ground may look bleak, but below ground root growth is still in full swing.
- Planting success is all about the roots.
- You can plant later than you may think.
When you plant in the fall the soil is still warm from summer. Warm soil temps encourage new roots to grow. Fall is also the time when plants naturally shift their energy from top growth to root growth. This helps plants establish faster. Rainfall is more plentiful and predictable in the fall. New plantings require moisture for optimal growth. In addition, annual weeds that compete for nutrients and moisture are finishing their life cycle, which reduces this competition. And fall’s ample rainfall encourages roots to grow more deeply. Deeper roots are better able to find water now and next spring.
Another counter-intuitive benefit to planting in the fall is the cooler air temperatures above ground. Cooler temps mean less stress and fewer pest and disease problems.
Last but not least, roots continue to grow until the ground freezes. The results are that plants that are put in the ground in the fall will have stronger roots to start off next spring. Then when summer comes, they will be better equipped to deal with heat and drought.
Some things need to be planted in the early fall
There are many plants that will thrive when planted about four weeks before the first hard frost. These plants – grass seed, turf and cool season vegetables – need to establish a root system before the ground starts to cool in late fall.
Seeds or seedlings of lettuce, radishes, broccoli and spinach can be planted in early fall. To extend the harvest later into the fall, a row cover of black plastic can be added for further protection once heavy frost arrives.
Early fall is the best time for rejuvenating your lawn or for planting a new lawn. Grass seed germinates at cooler temperatures than summer can provide. Weeds are not germinating now making it the perfect time for lawn work. Ideally, new grass seed should be planted about a month before the first hard frost predicted for your area.
Groundcovers such as Vinca or pachysandra will develop strong root systems when planted in the fall. When spring arrives your fall planted beds will be thick and full of healthy plants.
Some things can be planted even into late fall
Any perennial, shrub or tree that has been grown in a container or ball and burlapped can be planted late into the fall – right up until the time that the ground freezes. Later plantings will benefit from a protective mulch once the ground is frozen. This insulates the soil and keeps it from freezing and thawing.
Tulips, Daffodils and other spring flowering bulbs are best planted from mid-October through ground freeze. Planting too early can cause the bulbs to send up top growth at the wrong time. Planting bulbs in the fall ensures a good root system and a beautiful garden when spring arrives.
Final benefit
Savvy shoppers know that plant prices come down as the year comes to an end. Perennials are an especially great bargain because most people see a perennial that has passed and assume it’s dead. Fact is planting perennials in the fall means you’ll get a great price, and the plant will have the fall months to grow a strong root system. Next spring you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic, established plant and some extra money in your pocket to boot.
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PDFTwo new, made-for-the-shade perennials: Sweet Tea and Golden Zebra
Heucherella Sweet Tea 
Heucherella Golden ZebraThere is never a shortage of choices for full- or part-sun plants, but if you have a shady spot and want to try something a little different, consider these two very new Heucherella: ‘Sweet Tea’ and ‘Golden Zebra.’
Heucherella (aka Foamy Bells) are a cross hybrid, and have the amazing foliage colors of Heuchera plants and the impressive flower stalks of the Tiarella plants. What I personally love about these Heucehrella is their multi-season beauty. Both will bloom in early spring with copious long-lasting small pink flowers. Then their stunning foliage color will maintain its appeal throughout the summer, fall and into early winter. Heucherella are also very flexible in the garden because they form a very tidy clump and remain compact. You can plant them in the front of perennial beds or under shade-loving shrubs and you won’t have to worry about the plants outgrowing their situation – a big benefit if you’ve experienced other plants outgrowing their original purpose. Heucherella are easy to grow, and tolerate either dry shade or sunny but moist conditions. How great is that?
Asters, Agastache and Anemones Bloom for Halloween
Who says Halloween has to be all orange and black? For gardeners, it can be just as multi-colored as spring or summer, right? Below is an example of a gloriously messy October garden scene of asters, Sedums and chrysanthemums (the in-ground, come-back-next-year kind of mums).
Next, I love these Agastaches, still blooming and looking fine paired with some Miscanthus grass, also in bloom. (And don’t worry; these late-blooming Miscanthus aren’t invasive like some of the early bloomers are.) But the best thing about the Agastache? They attract hummingbirds like no other plant I’ve ever grown! So I’ll be planting even more of them - in a spot close to my garden chairs where I can get a good look at those hummers.
And here are the Japanese Anemones strutting their stuff, causing neighbors to stop and admire them.
14 Awesome Plants for Fall, and Book Giveaway!
Jennifer Benner by Mahoney’s very first guest blogger - Jennifer Benner, co-author of The NonStop Garden Gardener: A Step-by-Step Guide to Smart Plant Choices and Four-Season Designs.
Many plants, and gardeners, breathe a sigh of relief once autumn arrives. Typically, the hot, dry days of summer have passed, and pleasing cool nights and seasonal rains have settled in. Hopefully, this will certainly be the case after the brutal heat of summer 2010 in New England. The onset of cool temperatures makes autumn an especially colorful time of year as they trigger leaves to change and late-season blooms and fruit to come into their own. It is not unusual to also see tired annuals perk back up. For me, autumn in the garden is the next best thing to summer (if not better) when it comes to the swirl of ornamental attributes that take center stage.
Plants clockwise from upper left: Japanese anemone, Caryopteris, Geranium, Sedum, Aster, Amsonia Photos by Jennifer Benner
We are naturally drawn to whatever is in flower when we visit the nursery or garden center. Because we often find ourselves purchasing plants in spring, we sometimes forget that we need some VIPs (very important plants) for fall. When it comes to flowers, Japanese anemone (Anemone × hybrida cultivars, USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 7) and sedum (Sedum species and cultivars, Zones 3 to 11) are excellent perennial choices for shade and sun, respectively, while caryopteris or bluebeard (Caryopteris species and cultivars, Zones 5 to 9) is a great sun-loving shrubby option. Asters (Symphyotrichum species and cultivars, syn. Aster, Zones 3 to 9) and hardy mums (Dendranthema species and cultivars, syn. Chrysanthemum, Zones 3 to 9) are among the kings of the autumn bloomers.
Foliage is a top fall attribute, as well. Redbuds (Cercis species and cultivars, Zones 4 to 9) produce a lovely yellow fall color, while shrubs like Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica and cultivars, Zones 5 to 9) have gorgeous red leaves. Hydrangeas (Hydrangea species and cultivars, Zones 3 to 9) also produce attractive fall foliage as well as striking blooms from summer to fall. All three will take some shade, but the leaf color is more intense when the plants are given more sun.
Keep in mind that woody plants are not the only show in town. Some perennials celebrate the season in colorful hues, too—bluestars (Amsonia species and cultivars, Zones 3 to 10) and geraniums (Geranium species and cultivars, Zones 3 to 9) are excellent choices for fall interest.
Ornamental grasses are great for long-lasting, fine texture, while foliage plants like coral bells (Heuchera species and cultivars, Zones 3 to 9) provide reliable leaf color. Sprinkle in a few seasonal beauties like annual flowering tobacco (Nicotiana species and cultivars, Zones 10 to 11), dahlias (Dahlia species and cultivars, Zones 7 to 10), and impatiens (Impatiens species and cultivars, Zones 10 to 11), and you have yourself the makings of a nonstop garden.
The Nonstop Garden: A step-by-step guide to smart plant choices and four season designs, by Stephanie Cohen and Jennifer Benner
HOW TO WIN THE BOOK
Just leave a comment at the bottom of this post and we’ll choose one at random to win the book. What should you say in the comment? Anything at all, but we’d love to hear something about YOUR fall gartden. Entries close midnight EDT, Sunday, October 10th.
It's Showtime for Ornamental Grasses
Just look at them, in their September glory. And remember they move, too. Here are some grassy scenes from the personal garden of Mr. Ornamental Grass Himself, Kurt Bluemel of Bluemel Nursery. It’s not far from me in Maryland and I finagled a short interview and a longer tour - whatta day! Here’s a wonderful story about Kurt by the Human Flower Project.
I’m sorry I can’t identify all these grasses for you, but if you explore these gorgeous and nearly sustaining plants at all you’ll find dozens of great ones that are available these days, thanks in large part to their biggest champion - Kurt Bluemel.
Can you believe these colors? Someone tells me that’s Japanese Blood Grass and on the right, Little Bluestem.
Once I start feasting my eyes on photos of grasses, it’s hard to stop, so how about one from Portland, Oregon? I love the bright skirt of Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa ‘Aureola’). 
And this last scene shows the feather reed grass ‘Karl Foerster’ still standing tall in an artsy front garden in my neighborhood.
Easy Care Perennials for Late Summer
As summer winds down in late August and early September, the perennial border can look a bit sparse, a bit dry and a bit tired, but there are several sturdy perennials which can bridge the gap and add color to the border between the blooms of the daylilies and asters.
The following featured perennials are all drought-tolerant, full-sun plants that have the flowers of a supporting cast member rather than being sassy showgirls, although Helen’s Flower could qualify as a showgirl depending on your point of view. The flowers of this plant are small, about an inch across, but there are many and this plant stands a good four to five feet tall. Helenium autumnale is a vigorous clump-forming perennial. It does best in full sun and seemed to barely wink at the dry conditions of this August. It starts to bloom in late August and continues through the bulk of September. There are several cultivars to choose from at the garden center and their color ranges from deep mahogony through yellow. This plant is native to Eastern and north central North America and the butterflies and bees love it.
Leadwort or blue plumbago, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, is a low-growing, spreading groundcover which tolerates dry conditions. Its blooms are electric blue highlighted by a reddish tinge of the stems. This plant could be used in a curb garden, in the front of the perennial border, or as a groundcover. Blue plumbago actually thrives in well-drained soil in full sun and its late blooming attribute only adds to its charm. Blue plumbago hails from China and is quite a hardy plant, growing well in Zones 5-9. I find that it does spread to a larger clump fairly quickly. I have underplanted it with spring-blooming Scilla siberica, which works well as the plumbago is late to emerge and leaf out. When the blue plumbago finally does send out leaves, the scilla is past bloom.
Calamint is a plant growing in popularity due to its low-maintenance attributes. It has small, glossy green leaves with upright stems and a stalk of tiny white to pale pink/lilac flowers. It hails from Southern Europe and has a minty fragrance when the leaves are bruised. 
It makes a great edging along a walkway in addition to blending into the border, where it remains shy until it is covered in flowers in late summer.
Hardy geraniums, or the cranesbills, are indispensible to the perennial border and there are over 400 species of hardy geraniums. There is a geranium for just about every different garden location and soil type, but one that has been developed and is used almost to the point of overuse is Geranium ‘Rozanne’. Can a plant which blooms for three or four months be overused? Probably, but this geranium is a welcome addition to any border. I find that in richer soil, Rozanne gets a bit gangly but with pinching and clipping, it produces a wonderful pinky purple flower all summer long. It can be a bit of a weaver with its blooms appearing above or entwined in other border flowers. That just makes it a great cottage garden plant. In average soil it remains quite well behaved, forming a good-sized clump with respectable flowers. 
‘Rozanne’ I include it because it received no special treatment this dry season and it is still loaded with blooms. Do you have any sturdy perennials to add to this list? Please feel free to share.
The Gardening Challenges of August
This week, a friend came to visit my garden for the first time. It is always a treat to show someone around the garden but, I must confess, August is really not the best time for a showing at Ledge and Gardens. Her comment was ‘Your garden wears August well’. What a nice thing to say, especially to a gardener whose eyes have wearied of the view. I see the crabgrass gone viral in the lawn, wilting and browning foliage from drought, and a lack of color in the borders. It is very easy to have a colorful garden in May and June. The peonies and roses are at their best with full, lush blooms. August requires a definite plan. In August, the thick heavy air and languid heat combined with the rhythmic chirping of cicadas and crickets inspire this gardener to hit the lounge chair with a good book and that is as it should be.
Every gardener needs a bit of a break but the garden should always be a pleasure to view. It is difficult to plan for the changes nature imposes on us in the form of moisture or lack thereof. Each season has its own challenges and rewards and the garden responds accordingly. This year, August has been very dry, requiring a daily struggle with the hose. The coneflowers, Russian sage and hyssop have barely noticed while the phlox and astilbe have sulked and shriveled.
Hyssop Fortunately, planning can be done during the heat of these shortening days while any preparation, planting, or dividing of perennials can be done as the temperatures moderate in late summer and then be continued in springtime as the days lengthen. This season I did not mulch the gardens. Since last season was so wet, and the foliage of the garden perennials always fills in the gaps, mulch just seemed to be non-essential. This year, however, we have had a very dry August and mulch does help to retain moisture in addition to suppressing weeds. I think the garden would have suffered less with a layer of mulch and the plants would have been happier. Mulch also adds a layer of organic matter to the soil, improving it as it decomposes. Lesson learned, yet again.
I usually add annuals to my mixed borders to fill the gap. Some would say this is cheating. Hogwash! My garden, my rules. I like the color they add to both the border and the bouquet. Last year it was balsam, Impatiens balsamina, which is an old fashioned annual and one which blends well in a perennial garden. 
This year, I added zinnias and, to their credit, they seemed quite indifferent to the dry weather. Next year will include a wider variety of annuals for both color and texture in the August garden and they will include dahlias and cannas, which do extend the season, add bold foliage, and flowers for cutting. One more goal is to keep up with deadheading the perennials, which just helps to lengthen their bloom time. 
The bee balm has been continuously deadheaded and is still blooming as it has been since June, which the hummingbirds and bees also appreciate.
A garden can always be improved upon and that is one of the great joys of gardening. That said, it is also important to try to see your own garden through the eyes of another. One who has not seen it before and one who is obviously delighted to be invited into your imperfect sanctuary. That can be the ultimate satisfaction.
What's Blooming in August
In honor of Gardenblogger Bloom Day, of course. Click here to see what’s blooming on August 15 in 100+ other gardens around North America and possibly farther afield.
First up, here one of my favorite combos in a border that frankly, doesn’t have enough good ones (you know how borders are works in progress? Well, this one could use some more progress, absolutely.) At the top you see the panicle-shaped white blooms of the Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’. Nice long blooms. In the middle there are some just-fading blooms of the Globle Thistle (Echinops) with a tiny bit of Salvia ‘May Knight’ bloom showing on the left. And covering the ground in front is some of a great-performing Lamb’s Ear - Stachys ‘Helene von Stein’. 
Above, a mighty fine rebloom on a Spirea ‘Anthony Waterer’. 
Above, a new acquisition, the Agastache ‘Tutti Frutti”, hardy to Zone 6. It’s attracting hummingbirds, the first ones I’ve seen in my garden in ages. 
Who doesn’t love Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’?
And moving to my front yard we see a mishmash of color here. One Knockout rose (which I should never have planted in front of perennials, so I’ll be moving it this fall), with some black-eyed susans (Rudbeckia ‘Goldstrum’) and the lovely Russian sage (Perovskia), which I should never have planted in this space, where it gets no notice. I’ll be moving it, also - to my curbside garden, where it’ll be noticed.
Finally, I love the Alyssum blooming in what used to be my front lawn. I planted this annual by seed in 2009, and this year it seeded itself. Looks mighty pretty with these creeping sedums.
Delphinium Days
There are few perennials as stately and showstopping as the delphinium. This is the Delphinium elatum and subsequent cultivars which are the six foot plus delphiniums. These are a staple in many English borders. I say this knowing full well that English borders don’t always translate well to other parts of the world but if they do work at all in the U.S.A., it is in New England or, perhaps the northwestern U. S. I have found that one of the chief problems with delphiniums available to gardeners, both seed and potted plants, is their tendency to be shortlived. Much breeding has been done in the past century and many varieties such as the ‘Pacific Giant’ series are more annual than perennial. There are over three hundred species of delphinium and there seems to be as many named cultivars, making choices difficult. Seven years ago I sent for seed from the Royal Delphinium Society. The seed was expensive.
Given that and my tendency toward inattentiveness where seedlings are concerned, I gave the seeds to a grower friend who grew them on and gave me some plants in exchange for selling the rest of the seedlings. I have one plant which is sited in full sun and well drained soil which has bloomed consistently for the past seven years. It tops off at six and a half feet tall and is a rich, deep, royal purple. I have to believe that this seed was superior to most of the varieties which are more easily available in the seed racks and perennial benches.
There are a few ‘must dos’ with delphiniums. The primary one that I have learned is that delphiniums should be staked. Should is the operative word here. As gardeners we all try to find the time to get all the basic chores done but some, inevitably, fall by the wayside. I have staked this plant in the past but for the last few years it has flowered on thick stalks which seem so very sturdy when they are developing. They are sturdy until the flowers open from the bottom of the spike upward to the last dancing dolphin bud. The volume of the flowers can catch the wind and the rain of a sudden thunderstorm and in just a few moments of unbridled nature’s passion, those six foot spikes bend and break along with one’s heart. Heartbreak which could be avoided.
Last year the delphiniums looked like this and this year the gardener has once again been taught a lesson as the delphinium takes the fall.
The delphinium received its name from the Greek word delphis which means dolphin. 
The delphinium flower has a characteristic spur on the back of the flower and flower bud which does look a bit like a swimming dolphin or a school of dolphins, especially if one squints.
If you have ever seen rows of delphiniums such as these in the trial gardens at Wisley in England, 
Wisley Trial Gardensyou will be unable to resist the urge to try a few in your border. Site them in an area of full sun, rich, well drained soil, and out of reach of strong winds. It is important to site the plants correctly as established plants do not transplant easily. Delphiniums do prefer neutral pH but they will tolerate slight variations from neutral. Compost is a great addition to the planting area as delphiniums are heavy feeders.
Do you have delphiniums in your garden? I am currently trying to devise a better staking method than bamboo stakes and string which always looks unsightly. If you have a better staking method to share, please share it here.
Shrubs and Perennials to Light up the Shade
I’m a big fan of shade gardens, and of the many, surprisingly colorful plants that tolerate shade. So it makes me crazy when I see people buying flats of annuals every year (impatiens, anyone?) and nothing else for their shady spots, missing out on all the fabulous shrubs and perennials that bring light and color to shade gardens. So I give you a few of the “Best and the Brightest” in my own shade garden.
Above left, the variegated Euonymus fortunii stays nice and short – under 18″ – so it’s useful in small spaces. Super easy-care, it doesn’t even need pruning (at least in the 10 years I’ve grown this one.)
The bottlebrush buckeye on the right grows to 8 feet tall by 10 feet wide, and spreads into an actual grove of them. A great woodland plant, it’s just as low-care as the Euonymus, and an Eastern native, too.
Above are two plants that are commonly found in gardens today, precisely because they’re such do-ers. Hostas are about the toughest perennials in the world and foolproof for any gardener – unless there are deer in the garden. Towering over them here is a contender for the title of toughest, most self-sustaining shrub in the world – the Acuba. It can take sun OR shade and survives both severe drought and record blizzards with nothing but the occasional storm damage, followed by fast and full recovery. Barely hardy in Zone 6, it’s fine on the Cape but best grown as a houseplant in most of Massachusetts.
Now have you all heard of these next perennials? Clockwise from upper left, Euphorbia amygdaloides, is about 2 feet tall and evergreen. The chartreuse blossoms you see (actually bracts) look great for months. Visitors are awed by this plant – I’m telling ya.
Next is Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum) – not the common type but this variegated green-and-white type, which really does brighten even the darkest shade, all season long. Its spring flowers are nice but short-lived; we grow this one for the leaves.
On the bottom right is hardy begonia (Begonia grandis) with lovely foliage and these stunning flowers in late summer. They seed freely so once you have a few, you’ll soon have as many as you want (and ones you don’t want are easy to yank).
Finally, Hakonechloa grass is a stunner, paired here with the perennial Geraniums ‘Johnson’s Blue’, which can take light shade or full sun.
