Thinking Outside the Mum

Fall has arrived, and along with it, the rich, jewel-toned foliage and flowers associated with autumn that I eagerly anticipate every year. If you haven’t guessed already, fall is my very favorite time of year. Is it because I am a native New Englander? Perhaps. There’s definitely something to be said about a season that tourists the world over come to see!  

Now I realize that the mum will forever be the quintessential fall flower of New England. However, with so many other beautiful, colorful options arriving daily by the truckload, I set out to inspire customers with plantings that showcase the diverse selection of material available for autumn. Evergreens, annuals, perennials and even herbs all work well together, and below I suggest some of my favorites. 

Evergreens 
Any type of cypress works great. They range in color from blues, greens and yellows (like Hinoki, Boulevard, and Goldmop/Thread).  The Arborvitae variety ‘Rheingold’ is gorgeous! 

Herbs 
Cold-tolerant herbs include the many types of thymes and also sage. These particular herbs work so well because they add texture AND color.

Annuals 
Cabbages and kales look great with just about any combination. Million Bells are offered in an array of colors, too many to name.  Ornamental peppers come in very festive colors and have either green or purple/black foliage. By far, the best and most cold-tolerant annual are pansies. Pansies thrive in the cooler weather and don’t mind a light frost. There are varieties available that even return in the spring.

Perennials 
Ajuga, Sedums, grasses (Hakonechloa is quite lovely) and of course, Heuchera. Heucheras have THE prettiest foliage and look fabulous with just about everything. Check out ‘Peach Melba’, ‘Licorice’ and ‘Key Lime’. Perennials can be used in the same manners as annuals, or planted in the ground to return next spring.

Come to our Brighton store and see these specially designed plantings by Pam Rajpal, created for our “Thinking Outside the Mums” seminar.   We hope these inspire you to “think outside the mum”!