The plant spreads by rhizomes, and it is useful where groundcover is needed to cover a sizable area, e.g., along the front of a border;  it is recommended for rock gardens.  The plant grows well in full sun to partial shade.  It will likely do best in a spot protected from hot afternoon sun, such as an eastern exposure.  The plant grows to about 10″ in height, and it will spread about 2-3 feet.  It can be divided every few years if needed.  It is mat-forming, and it can be controlled very easily if necessary.  It seems like a nice plant to grace the base of a mailbox close to the road.

geramium biokovo photo by: bestrunningshoe.com

Geranium Biokovo fall foliage color photo by: torontogardens.com

For the second year in a row, the PPA selection is a plant that I have not grown previously.  The 2014 selection was Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’, and based on the PPA designation, it was widely available in nurseries this year.  I used it for the first time, and I was delighted that it lived up to its hype.  It is an ornamental grass that I will continue to recommend when a good upright, fiarly large, ornamental grass is needed.

I am hopeful that the Biokovo geranium will likewise be a pleasing addition to landscapes in our area, and I plan to add it to my repertoire of flowering spreading low-growing groundcovers with nice foliage color, for sunny areas, where I’ve used plants such as Plumbago, Dianthus, and Sedum.

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The Japanese Beetle has a complex life cycle that is complete in about a year.  Evidence of a problem would be the appearance of the larvae (small white grubs) in your soil (garden and turf).  Beetles in our area begin emerging in mid June and peak in early July.  They remain active for 4-6 weeks.  Adults feed in the daytime.  You may first notice the damage to leaves that appear skeletonized because the pests eat leaf tissue between the veins so the foliage looks like lace.  They devour leaves as well as flowers.  The adult beetle is just under 1/2 inch long, with a shiny metallic green body and bronze-colored outer wings.  The adults lay eggs through July or early August.  The beetles remain close to the emergence area, and lay their eggs (40-60 each) near their feeding site.  The eggs hatch in about 10 days and grubs begin feeding on grass roots during August and early September, sometimes extensively damaging turf grass before moving down about 6-18 inches into the soil where they remain inactive until spring.  In late March or early April, they return to the surface and briefly feed on roots.  During late May, they stop feeding, pupate and emerge as adults in June.  You will be most successful at attacking the problem if you identify and remove the beetles as soon as possible once they appear.  They tend to start eating at the top of the plant and work downward.  While unsightly, and potentially extensive, the plants affected are not usually otherwise harmed.

Because of the complex cycle, there is no quick simple solution.  Since infestations typically are limited to certain areas or plants, you can rid them by hand picking them from leaves and

Grub (Japanese Beetle larvae)

dropping them into a bucket of soapy water (or quickly knocking them into the bucket before they can fly away).  This is particularly effective when activity is low, because the presence of beetles on a plant attracts more beetles.  When you remove them daily, you limit the numbers of new beetles that will be attracted to the plant.  Do this in early morning when they are sluggish.  If you prefer to use chemicals, insecticides (e.g., Sevin) are effective;  however, this approach is discouraged because such chemicals also kill beneficial insects (i.e., pollinators and those that prey on other insects that are harmful to plants).  For plants that you know are typically attacked, it can be effective to spray them in advance of infestation with Neem oil (or other products labeled for this purpose).  Repeat sprayings will be needed over the several weeks of activity.  Be vigilant in looking out for them.  Plants that I have seen badly affected include Rose, Crapemyrtle, Fig, Rose of Sharon, Witchhazel, Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick, and a variety of flowering perennials mostly in sunny areas.

Leaf Damage from Japanese Beetles

     Baited Japanese Beetle traps are not recommended for effective control (but can be useful to assess the existence of a problem).  Frequently, a single trap attracts beetles from an entire neighborhood, increasing the damage to the site around the trap and damaging adjacent plants that might not otherwise have been affected.  Finally, if high grub populations are found in the soil around turf grass (easily assessed in early August), lawn insecticides can be applied.  In the past, the neonicotinoid, Imidacloprid, was the most effective solution;  however, this systemic substance has been linked to injury to honeybees and, therefore, is not recommended.  A newer class of chemical, Acelepryn, has very low toxicity.  This should be applied in August to be effective.  Keep in mind that lawns stressed by drought are most susceptible to grub damage.  Some people have good results with milky spore, an organic approach, albeit a time-consuming one.

A full understanding of the life cycle and environmental conditions is helpful for control.  Since moist soil makes it easier for grubs to move down into the soil, where they overwinter, a particularly wet summer is a good predictor of high grub populations and thus Japanese Beetle activity the following summer.  Since the summer of 2013 was very wet, it is no surprise that the summer of 2014 is turning out to be among the worst in recent history for Japanese Beetles.  Take action now, and be prepared next summer.   Grub damage to turf in the form of patches of browned turf is an indication that treatment would be useful at this time.

Below:  Live photos of Japanese Beetles feeding on plants (Connie Bowers, Silver Spring, MD):

Crapemyrtle flowers with Japanese Beetles

Photo credits:  above, top to bottom:  (1) Purdue University Extension; (2) www.greenthinking.ca; (3) hyg.ipm.illinois.edu.

Knock-out Rose with Japanese Beetles

Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick with Japanese Beetles

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Certain types of plants are hit the hardest in this type of winter — e.g., broadleaf evergreens, whose large exposed leaf surfaces are dehydrated by damaging winter winds.  I’ve seen numerous shrubs and trees, which typically have fared fine over recent winters, exhibiting a lot of damage this year.  These include Holly, Magnolia, Camelia, Cherry laurel, Rhododendron, Viburnum, Sweetbox, Nandina — the list goes on and on.  Most of this damage will not result in plants dying.  Soon, the dead foliage can be removed — branches/twigs that are dead can be cut off — to make way for new growth.  It may be several months — almost into summer — but many plants will rejuvenate nicely.  If in doubt about a plant’s viability, you can try to scratch the stems of affected plants, and if tender (usually green) tissue is present, the plant still has life.

Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis (Sweetbox) Winter Damage

If you are now, or might in the future be, in the market for new evergreen plantings, take note of how things look during a terrible winter such as the winter of 2013-2014, and perhaps consider adding to your landscape those specimens that survived well.  Buxus ssp — Boxwood (many varieties), Mahonia bealei, and Cephalataxus harringtonia (Japanese Plum Yew), along with other conifers, held up exceptionally well.

Erica x darleyensis (Heath) in April 2013 – typical end of winter show

Erica x darleyensis — same planting — April 2014 after winter damage  – it had flourished for many years until now

For the past several years, plants that previously had thrived in more southern landscapes, have become commonplace in Maryland due to the generally warming winter trends.  These may not have survived this brutal winter (examples would be Crapemyrtle, certain Camelias, and the repeat blooming Azaleas.).  Some may need to be replaced.  Some plants may not exhibit their full damage until later in the spring (i.e., a delayed reaction).  Some plants are damaged from root rot (e.g., Rhododendron do not tolerate a lot of soil moisture, which they’ve had this winter). As the effects move up from saturated roots through the plant, it may exhibit a slow deterioration (and maybe demise) later in the spring.

In addition to plant damage or death due to the extreme cold and wet, many trees and shrubs were badly damaged by heavy snow and ice.  This happens in nearly every winter.  Just be sure to take stock of such damage.  Broken branches should be carefully removed, and any ‘stubs’ evenly sawed off at the appropriate juncture point to help prevent insect and disease damage from taking hold.

Note: all photos by Connie J. Bowers, Garden Makeover Company, unless otherwise noted.

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The caterpillars are varied in color, hairy, with paired dark spots along the back.  The adults are small white moths.  When fully mature, the larvae seek a protected location to pupate, and spend the winter in a cocoon in bark, building crevices, or debris on the soil.  The adult moths begin emerging in late spring and then lay eggs.  In this area, there may be a few generations through the summer.

The heaviest and most obvious incidences seem to be at the end of the summer, when webs as long as 3 feet wide can be seen.  Since they affect deciduous plants

Fall webworm on Kwanzan Cherry tree

that will soon lose their leaves, the damage is mostly aesthetic, but bad infestations can defoliate trees.   Since it is a native pest, predators such as various tiny wasps, often keep the population at bay.  To encourage predators, make sure you have favorable host plants, such as those in the daisy family, in your landscape.  If the damage is extensive or bothersome, the best action is simply to prune out the tents, destroy (crush) the caterpillars, and dispose of them in the trash (not recycling).   As with many other caterpillar species, the bacterial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), can be effective when the larvae are still small, and is an organically acceptable approach, as long as you can break the nest open to spray the disease onto the pests.   Additionally, as coated leaves are incorporated into the tents and eaten, the Bt will be ingested. Photo on right of Kwanzan Cherry Tree shows more mature instars of the catepillar, which may not be impacted by insecticide.

In sum, the fall webworm does not typically cause extensive damage to trees and shrubs, and since it is a native pest, it is susceptible to natural control by local pests.  The defoliation that they cause is often late enough in the season not to be terribly detrimental.  If you find the webs at a reachable area, then best to remove and destroy them to prevent their overwintering and causing more damage next year.  Otherwise, let them be and, instead, look out for the many more destructive non-native pests that plague our landscapes.

All photos by Connie Bowers

Fall webworm on Forest Pansy Redbud leaf

Large Fall webworm tent

Smaller caterpillars in this Fall webworm tent

Fall webworms appear at tree branch tips

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An excellent article explaining how salt damages plants has been published by Purdue University.  The article also includes lists of more salt tolerant plants and de-icing products recommended as alternatives to salt.   Purdue Article:  https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/id/id-412-w.pdf .  The following explanation is based on material in that article and elsewhere:

Salt is composed of sodium and chloride, both of which are toxic to plants in high concentrations.  When salt dissolves in water, the sodium and chloride ions separate, and the sodium ions in the salt replace other nutrients in the soil that plants need (potassium, calcium, and manganese), making these nutrients unavailable to plants.  Rock salt absorbs the water that would normally be available to roots, thus dehydrating the plant roots.  This changes their physiology and causes additional plant stress.  The chloride ions that are absorbed by roots are transported to leaves, where they accumulate and interfere with chlorophyll production and photosynthesis.  Further, when passing vehicles spray salt on plants, it can damage a plant’s leaves, buds, and small twigs, which in turn can reduce the plant’s cold hardiness, making tissue more susceptible to freeze damage.

Salt injury symptoms resemble drought or scorch stress.  Foliage can yellow and look stunted. Leaf margins may turn brown and curl.  Damage becomes evident through spring as new growth starts.  Evergreens react more rapidly to salt injury.  Conifer needles will turn yellow and brown.  If plants suffer leaf or needle damage only on the side of the plant facing the roadway or sidewalk, then salt damage becomes obvious.

Yews with damage from salt spray (Photo by Purdue University Extension)

What to do about salt damage?  If you have valuable plantings close to streets or other areas pelted by salt products, you can try to flush the areas with water (or, in the future, pile clean snow onto the area if that is still around).  A soil test can be conducted to indicate the actual soluble salt content, and if it presents above specified limits, gypsum can be applied to soil under the root zones of trees and other affected planted material.  This will help move the sodium through the soil.  If plantings near areas affected by salt have not survived, it would be prudent to replace them with plants that have reported salt tolerance in order to prevent a recurrence.  Deciduous planting may work better adjacent to roadways.  Some local jurisdictions that operate salt trucks are willing to reseed damaged turf grass.  (Unfortunately, this would be done in the spring, and reseeding is best done in the late summer/early fall, but it is worth a try).  Alternatively, the homeowner can re-sod the area that contains damaged turf grass. 

Be mindful that healthy plants can withstand salt injury more readily.  Therefore, it is imperative to always prepare the soil properly for planting, and to provide ample watering and nutrients (if needed) to promote plant health.

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In bad years, this creature can be found on roses, beech, birch, witch hazel, and poplars, to name a few. The eggs hatch in early April, producing young black caterpillars, which enlarge and spin silk tents.

EasternTentCaterpillar photo by bugguide.com

The eggs hatch in early April, generally when leaves start appearing, producing young black caterpillars, which enlarge and spin silk tents.  The mature caterpillar is recognizable by a distinct white stripe down the back (usually evident by late May).  After feeding on the leaves, they leave the tree and spin cocoons from which emerge brown moths in early summer, which mate to produce overwintering eggs.

Control:  Developing caterpillar tents should be ripped out and destroyed by hand.  Any twigs with egg masses found during the dormant season can be pruned out and destroyed.  If chemical control is needed, it must be applied to leaves (that caterpillars will eat) in early spring as soon as the silk tents are observed.  Bacillus thuringiensis (b.t.) is a natural insecticide harmless to humans and animals, and it is a very effective control.

As spring progresses, be on the lookout for Eastern Tent Caterpillars that may have migrated to other plants.  The photo of the tent on a Cherry Laurel was found in May last year.  While not a common site for this pest, the Cherry Laurel is a member of the Prunus family.

Eastern Tent Caterpillars on a Cherry Laurel – Photo by Connie J. Bowers

   To be proactive, in winter or early spring before the tents appear, look out for the egg masses on tree twigs, and prune them off to prevent larvae (caterpillars) from hatching.

Egg mass of Eastern Tent Caterpillar – photo by msue.anr.msu.edu

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This area is a space that the homeowners see whenever they leave from or return to the house.  It is the first area the visitor sees, and often is a very open area that casual passersby hone in on — in short, a focal point.

There are challenges inherent in how to decorate such areas.  They tend to be small.  Typically, they are on the lower side of a front walkway, which defines the front foundation bed — a primary hot spot that was the first area to be developed and should not be hidden or overshadowed.   Other areas around driveways that benefit from garden decorating include at the base of the driveway (perhaps around the mailbox) or at the top of a driveway that does not reach the house.

Decorating Mailbox at Foot of Driveway

Between Head of Driveway and Front Sidewalk

Front Foundation – from Driveway to Front Door

Here are some key elements that have influenced how I’ve designed plantings for these driveway gardens:

(1) Appropriate (usually small) scale.  It is imperative in such a space that the mature size of each plant be taken into account.  There is no room for sprawl.  It is often more difficult to select plants for a small space than a large one because each plant (from the bulb to the small shrub) must be carefully selected to carry it’s weight appropriately.

(2) Layering.  These garden spaces are typically seen from various angles, so that the most comfortable design is often one that places taller items/anchors in the middle, and layers down to the edges.

(3)  Connect the garden bed style to the house architectural style.  (A grouping of neatly clipped plants looks better with a formal Colonial style house.)  More liberty can be taken in garden rooms or spaces off to the edge of the property.  Driveway gardens should complement the front architecture of the house.

(4)  Year-round interest.  The space could contain small evergreen shrubs.  It might highlight colorful flowering bulbs and long-flowering perennials — and if that is the case, simply add some small ornamental grasses or evergreen edging that will provide interest in winter months while the flowers are dormant.

One of my favorite driveway gardens is a very small and challengingly irregular-shaped space on a Bethesda property, a space formerly filled with turf grass that was quite cumbersome to mow.  The property is mostly heavily wooded, with plantings appropriate to that setting (deep shade, heavy — poor draining — clay soil).  The spot in the front yard between the house and driveway is one of the only spaces on the property that enjoys a lot of sun and soil that drains well.  The house style is contemporary split-level.  Therefore, the little garden could be designed to accommodate the homeowner’s yearning for a very colorful, lively perennial garden.

Bethesda Driveway Garden Before

Bethesda Driveway Garden under Preparation

Since the space is small, in order to provide variety and blooms through the seasons, the plants had to be selected very judiciously.  The bed only runs parallel to the house foundation for a short space;  it extends down several feet parallel to the driveway.  Converting a long-time turf area to a perennial bed may necessitate addition of amendments to meet the different nutrient needs of the plants, so a soil test should be done and additions made before planting.  In this case, a good deal of good compost was added because of the very low organic matter in that area.  (View the landscape planting plan for this garden here:    Driveway garden plan drawing

Soil amended per soil test and compost generously applied

In the center area (top to bottom lengthwise), we placed some Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Becky’ (Shasta Daisy) to provide height, bordered top to bottom with a pair of Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hamln’ (dwarf fountain grasses that provide important year round interest).  Note:  the Shasta daisies spread, and we have subsequently cut off chunks to install in a nearby area that also has some sun, to provide continuity/repetition. The composite (‘daisy-like’) flower form of the Shasta daisy was the model for other selections.  We placed Echinacea purpurea ‘Kim’s Knee High’ (Coneflower) in a space below the daisies.  Kim was selected because it is shorter than the Becky daisy and provides nice structure on that secondary scale.  We inserted some Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’ between the Echinacea, to repeat the composite flower type.  Further up, alongside the Shasta daisies are some Geranium ‘Rozanne’, which spreads nicely to fill in empty spots on that ground plane.  This is a nice edging plant, albeit sizable.  On other edges, mostly at the corners, can be found Dianthus gratianopolitanus — we used the ‘Neon Star’ variety of these Cheddar Pinks because of its dark pink/magenta flowers that blend with the Echinacea and are the same tone of ‘hotness’ as the Coreopsis and Geranium flowers.  The Dianthus was chosen because its powder blue grasslike foliage is evergreen, providing interest in the winter as well.  In the upper corner closest to the house, stands a dwarf Nandina, which serves as an anchor.  This was a transplant from the garden caty-corner to the new one that contained several Nandina and could easily spare one to situate in the new bed, providing the connection between those two spaces.

Bethesda Driveway Garden with mature flowers

Bethesda Driveway Garden Soon After Installation

Flagstones set above garden for walking access between driveway and door

This small palate of plants was carefully selected to provide a variety of textures and heights.  A simple pastel color scheme (not too busy) includes pink/purple, yellow and white inflorescenses.  All plants share the same cultural needs (full sun and well-draining soil).  They tolerate dry conditions and the adjacent hot concrete and car exhaust.

Hence, an awkward bland-looking space was easily transformed into a vibrant colorful area that provides interest in all seasons and offers great curb appeal for this home.

View the landscape planting plan for this garden:  Driveway garden plan drawing

Driveway garden plan drawing

The post Driveway Garden Creation appeared first on Garden Makeover Company.

Cover Cold Sensitive Plants

Protect Young Plants from the Cold.    Should warm weather occur later this winter, it could cause early new bud growth on such shrubs.  If so, you should monitor the weather forecasts, and if dramatic low temperatures with frost are predicted, it would be sensible to cover the most affected plants (e.g., Hydrangeas) during such nights (using row covers, or simple bed sheets).  Regardless, most shrubs thusly damaged last winter recovered nicely in the spring, particularly if simply left alone, despite their wilted appearance, until the temperatures warmed up.

In Case of Snow….  If we do have prolonged heavy snowfalls, it is important to check on any fragile shrubs and trees that could be harmed.   Newly installed plants are particularly delicate and susceptible to damage from heavy snow.  If there should be a lengthy snowstorm, periodically – e.g., every few hours – it would be wise to go outside and brush snow off of shrubs and trees (yes, even though trees look nice with snow covering their branches).  You can also shake plants to dislodge snow.  It is best to use a broom and sweep the snow lightly upwards off of the branches, starting at the top of the plant and working down. 

Remove Snow from  Evergreens.    Broadleaf evergreen shrubs are most susceptible to heavy snow damage (e.g., Nandina, Rhododendron, Mahonia, Viburnum, Pieris, Boxwood, Japanese Holly, Cherry Laurel, Azalea, Euonymus, Aucuba, etc.).  Conifers — such as Yew, Juniper, Falsecypress, Arborvitae, and Cryptomeria – are a bit hardier, but still can suffer branch breakage from the heavy snow that accumulates particularly at the top of the plant.  In fact, if tall, such plantings can be bent down to the ground by heavy snow, and it is imperative to ‘release’ them.  Otherwise, the bark can be damaged from the stress of the snow.  They may be crooked after being released, but they should straighten in the spring.  They should be viable if addressed quickly rather than letting the snow remain and damage them.   If they are young and fragile, it is worth tying them to stakes or fencing temporarily to help straighten them.  Particularly vulnerable specimens might benefit from some physical support prior to the onset of winter, particularly if heavy snowfalls are predicted.

Leave Ice Alone.  If shrub and tree branches are covered by ice, rather than light snow, then it is best to leave that until it melts, because small branches could easily be broken by efforts to dislodge the ice.

Freezing and Thawing Cycles.  Alternative freezing and thawing can also harm perennials.  This can cause plants to heave out of the ground, leaving roots exposed, causing damage or death to plants.  If it becomes very cold and snowy, plants should be inspected after temperatures moderate above freezing.  If you see any plants that appear to be lifted above the ground with roots exposed, you should try to temporarily fix this by digging up some soil and placing it around the base of affected plants to cover the roots.  Later on – late spring – it may be helpful to dig out such plants and reinstall them deeper into the ground.  A good layer of mulch should protect against this occurrence.

Snow is an Insulator.   Snow on the ground at the base of plants is actually helpful by providing insulation.  So leave it be.  Just take care not to compact the ground adjacent to your plantings by walking through the snow that is in the gardens or near the trees (except as needed to remove the snow from those plants.)

Enjoy the beauty of snow in the landscape.  But as you head out to shovel your walkway or blow the snow off of your driveway, don’t forget to sweep the white frosty covering from your precious plantings to protect them for seasons to come.

Photo credits:  (1)  Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp (Hoosier Gardener); (2) Better Homes and Gardens

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We’ve had many warm days this winter, and these are opportune occasions to go out and pull up these winter weeds.  Otherwise, if left to mature, they will produce flowers that will bloom in the spring and produce seed pods that will broadcast and drop seeds and increase your weed problem manifold.   Another imperative reason to remove these weeds is that many can harbor undesirable insects such as aphids that will attack your desirable herbaceous plantings or shrubs once they begin to sprout in the spring.

Some of the more common winter annual weeds include:

Bittercress

(1)  Hairy Bittercress.  The plant produces flowers in clusters at the end of stems, which will produce seeds that will spread many feet from the parent plant.

Deadnettle

(2)  Purple Deadnettle.  The bottom leaves are dark green, but the upper leaves appear purple or red, and whorls of purple flowers will develop in them.  It will produce purple flowers in the upper leaves.

Creeping Charlie

(3) Creeping Charlie is a spreading weed that appears in shady as well as sunny areas and can easily overtake lawn and garden areas.  It is extremely invasive and should be removed when apparent.

Since we seem to have a day or two of fairly warm weather each week, you’d be well served by using such days to go out and simply pull these winter annual weeds.  Otherwise, if you wait until they flower and then explode in seed in the spring, your weed problem will increase dramatically.  Removing the weeds now before they produce flowers (and in the future, applying weed preemergents seasonally — including in the fall) will reduce your weed maintenance needs in the future.

Photo credits:  Bittercress and Deadnettle:  Connie J. Bowers;  Creeping Charlie:  University of Georgia

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Each year, the Perennial Plant Association (PPA) names an outstanding plant its “Perennial of the Year.”  The selection for 2014 is Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’,  an ornamental grass that was a runner-up in 2012.  This is one of the first PPA winners in recent history that I have not personally grown and used in landscapes, so I cannot address it’s attributes first-hand.  I can vouch for other Panicums – for example, I use ‘Shenandoah’ very regularly — and the stated virtues of Northwind are impressive.

A North American native, P. virgatum ‘Northwind’  is hearty in much of the eastern United States.  It is a stately Panicum, reaching 4-5’ tall (6’ in flower) and 2-3’ wide.   A key attribute is that the plant retains its straight upright habit even through winter.  It provides color through the seasons – attractive olive- to blue-green foliage in summer (photo top left: Plant Delights Nursery) that turns golden yellow in fall, and produces the typical Panicum airy flower panicles – these appear yellow in late summer, turning beige into fall and winter.

Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ in fall (photo: Univ. of Richmond)

Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ flowers (photo: Horticulture Magazine)

Panicums are lovely in masses and provide both a nice facer for evergreen trees and a backdrop with contrast for perennials and small shrubs. Because of its stature, Northwind also is nicely used as a specimen – vertical accent. Like other Panicums, Northwind thrives in part to full sun, is reliably deer resistant, and rarely is impacted by insects or disease. Plants are cut back to the ground in early spring, and clumps can be divided every few years.

The PPA’s Perennial of the Year program is designed to showcase, each year, a perennial that is a “standout among its competitors.” These chosen plants are “suitable for a wide range of growing climates, require low maintenance, have multiple-season interest, and are relatively pest/disease free.”

Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ in winter (Photo: http://blog.lib.umn.edu)

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A unique and practical holiday gift for the gardening afficionado, or anyone who could use a hand in the garden, is a custom gift certificate.  Garden Makeover Company offers gift certificates in any denomination, tailored to the sender’s request — e.g., for a garden consultation or coaching session, or for any hands-on gardening service.  It can be used to purchase a nice floral gift item, such as hanging baskets or containers, or an array of annuals that can be planted on site.  We can tailor and mail the certificate directly to the recipient or to the gift-giver.

Flower bulbs for forcing indoors make nice winter gifts.

Paperwhites and Amaryllis bulbs forced indoors in winter. Photo: thegtguide.com

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We all appreciate the fall colors of trees and shrubs that are most ubiquitous in landscapes — Dogwood, Sugar Maple, Burning Bush Euonymous. (In fact, the latter shrub is quite invasive and, frankly, does not provide much interest in other seasons).

Here are some of my favorites for excellent fall color, recommended partly because they offer special interest during other seasons as well (e.g.  pretty flowers or ornamental bark that stands out in the winter).

Trees.  Starting at the highest plane, there are many deciduous trees that provide a focal point for an area of the landscape and particularly stand out in autumn by displaying brilliant foliage, in addition to other attributes to grace various seasons, be it colorful flowers or bark.

Kousa Dogwood

Dawn Redwood

Paperbark Maple

Crabapple

The Cornus kousa (Chinese Dogwood) offers lovely white flowers in early summer, and beautiful exfoliating bark in a mixture of cream and gray splotches.  The large berries provide color in September before the fall foliage in red or purple hues.  Resistant to disease that plagues other Dogwoods, the Kousa provides outstanding 4-season interest in a small flowering tree.

The Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn Redwood) is a larger specimen that, while a deciduous conifer, is very ornamental in winter by virtue of its reddish brown exfoliating bark that stands out in the winter landscape.  The orangish- to reddish-brown needles in fall appear to be on fire, and then settle nicely at the base of the tree to provide mulch and colorful interest into the winter.

Acer griseum (Paperbark Maple) is another small tree, ideal as a picturesque specimen close to the front of the house, providing interest in all seasons.  True to its common name, this maple produces striking copper-red bark that exfoliates dramatically (like peeling paper).  The rich bark stands out when the tree produces its outstanding red leaf color and during the summer with the delicate foliage that covers a shapely, graceful tree habit.

There are numerous Malus (Crabapple) species that provide stunning red to orange fall foliage, as well as ornamental fruit, outstanding floral displays in summer, and ornamental peeling bark through the year.  There are many maples that provide year round interest in addition to outstanding fall color.  The Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’ (Fullmoon maple) — just 8-10 feet in stature, can fit easily most anywhere.  This and other maples sport foliage that turns a brilliant array of intense colors in fall — from red-brown, to striking red, to brilliant scarlet to purple.

Shrubs.  Shrubs fill in the important middle layer, and there are outstanding choices to use in groupings or as specimens.  Some of the most colorful for fall foliage are:  (1) Chionanthus virginicus (White Fringetree), a native multi-stemmed small tree or large shrub that glows a vivid yellow in the fall; (2) Hamamelis x intermedia (a hybrid Witchhazel) with varieties producing winter flowers in yellow, copper or red, after an outstanding fall foliage display in orange and red; and (3) Fothergilla gardenii (Dwarf Fothergilla), a nicely compact native shrub with leaves that glow brilliantly for several weeks in the fall, capping off multi-season interest by its rich corrugated summer leaves and prolific ‘bottle-brush’ white flowers in early summer.

Fothergilla gardenii ‘Mt. Airy’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’ (Witchhazel)

Chionanthus virginicus (White Fringetree)

Ajania pacifica

Amsonia hubrichtii

Perennials.  There are many perennials that provide interest into the fall — primarily with late year blossoms.  One of the latest flowering perennials is Ajania pacifica (Gold-and-Silver Chrysanthemum) that flowers through November.  While its foliage does not produce fall color, this perennial provides interest from spring through fall (and often through winter) with attractive variegated foliage (stem and underleaf is bright white/silver), and leaf edge is white/silver).  An outstanding perennial for fall foliage is the Amsonia hubrichtii (Arkansas Bluestar), a large, nearly shrub-sized perennial that glows a brilliant golden yellow well into fall.  This plant is also a star in spring when it displays panicles of tiny sky-blue flowers (‘blue-star’), and through the summer its soft willow-like mid-green leaves, reminiscent of asparagus fern, provide an excellent contrast to surrounding broadleaf plants.

All photos by Connie Bowers taken of plants she installed

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