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

The post Outstanding Fall Foliage appeared first on Garden Makeover Company.

Besides the drier soil in the fall compared to spring, fall is optimal for installing most plants because the cooler nights and good sunlight allow new plantings to grow easily without the stress of summer heat.  Many plants use their energy to send out roots through the fall while the soil is still warm.   Planting in the fall will give them more time to become well established before facing the cold, wet winter and then hot, dry summer.

Timing.  Plant trees and shrubs 6 to 8 weeks before the ground begins to freeze; perennials, 4 to 6 weeks before frost.  Plant bulbs as long as you can work the ground.

Water.  New plants must be kept well-watered going into the colder winter months.  The cooler weather though will make your watering chores more manageable than during summer heat.  In general, plants installed now will need about an inch of water per week until the ground freezes (which is later in the year than the air freezes).  Evergreen trees and shrubs need extra watering in the fall to hold them through winter months when watering may not be feasible.  Deciduous plants do okay without supplemental water once they have dropped their foliage in the fall.

Unfortunately, garden center plant stock may not be optimal in the fall because nurseries prefer to sell as much plant stock as possible before winter.  However, discounts can often be found at that time.  Therefore, do not delay your plans. Shop around for plant material early.    

The post Fall is for Planting appeared first on Garden Makeover Company.

Plant Clean Up. Key to promoting your garden’s health is removal of plant debris that shows signs of fungus or insect damage, to prevent infecting the soil and other plants. Be sure to send this material to the trash, rather than recycling. You should disinfect your pruner blades with bleach after contact with diseased plant material to prevent carry over to other plants. If not cleaned up, problem pests will otherwise overwinter in dead material and infect plants the following spring. Non-evergreen perennial foliage should be cut back to within 6” of the ground once it deteriorates. Beware that certain plants are cold sensitive and should not have their foliage cut back until the end of winter.

Leaf Removal. Be sure to rake leaves from lawns and gardens. A thick leaf layer can smother and kill grass and create a habitat for disease or insects. The leaf mat will absorb moisture and turn into a dense, soggy mass lying against the stems of plants. This constantly wet environment can soften bark and break down stems, making them vulnerable to pests, disease, and frost breaks. It is recommended to chop leaves on the lawn with a mulching mower and leave them to add trace elements to the soil as they decompose. It is also good to reapply chopped leaves to the garden bed as mulch. They should be shredded finely, however, which may mean going through the vacuum or shredder two times. Of course, chopped leaves, combined with green plant trimmings, are the basic ingredients of compost.

Transplanting & Dividing. Some plants can be divided in fall if needed (rampant spreading, dying center) provided the plant bloomed in spring or early summer. For hardy plants, division and transplanting may be useful at this time while the plant is fully visible and a need for reorganization is fresh in mind. The cooler fall temperatures are gentler on delicate transplants.

Remove Peony foliage with fungus and dispose in the trash.

The post Key Fall Garden Tasks: Cleanup, Leaf Removal, Etc. appeared first on Garden Makeover Company.