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Fall isn't Just for Pumpkins,
Mums and Cornstalks
by Danielle Smith
 Many wonderful flowering shrubs are often forgotten because they tend to bloom in the fall when many people aren’t thinking about gardening. Homeowners have been told that shrubs should be planted in the spring, but fall is actually a wonderful time of year to garden as well. The weather is cool and watering is not a daily chore.
We often forget about shrubs because many garden centers have closed down for the year and, for some, gardening is limited to pumpkins, mums and cornstalks. I can say this because I fall victim to the same décor. Let’s break out of that pattern and look at some wonderful varieties that can make our gardens glow and look beautiful ‘til the first snowflake dances from the sky.
Let’s start with Hydrangea paniculata. This species of Hydrangea is wonderful for those living in colder climates. Many are hardy to zone 3. They are also perfect for beginning gardeners because they bloom on new growth. So there is no indecisiveness about when the plant needs to be pruned. There are several different varieties that stand out in the group....
Fall color is often derived from spectacular foliage color. Not only do trees have beautiful fall colors of yellow, orange and red, but shrubs also display this kaleidoscope of colors.
The secret to having a garden that pops with pizzazz through out the seasons is to look for plants that have different colored foliage. Shrubs today range in foliage colors from black to burgundy, from golden to copper, with a wealth of variegated types also available. This means it doesn’t have to be fall to have impressive foliage....
My Monet™ Weigela – new for retail in the spring of 2007 – is sure to create a mad rush to the garden center. My Monet only reaches 12 to 18 inches in height. It has incredible green and white variegation with new growth highlighted in pink when planted in a partly sunny location. Blooms of beautiful pink, tubular flowers grace the plant in early summer and hummingbirds flock to get their share of the nectar.
Now we can’t forget about the plants that have beautiful berries in the fall like the Winterberry (Ilex verticillata). Both Berry Nice® and Berry Heavy® bear brilliant red berries starting in fall and persisting into winter. The berries will entice birds to come and feed, such as the bluebirds that exploded in shards of bright blue from my bushes in mid-winter last year.
Spring through fall beauty is front and center in every garden, but what your garden will look like in the winter is also important, especially if you have a room with windows looking out into your garden. Selecting plants that look good dormant – when all their leaves have fallen – becomes essential to having an interesting winter garden.
For example: White Dome® Hydrangea – right now I know you are thinking what? A hydrangea? But the dried seed heads of this variety look stunning in a winter garden. They almost look like dried Sedum, but in larger masses. These seed heads look beautiful as a dried cut flower for inside décor as well.
There are many more varieties that can be planted to have a beautiful fall and winter garden. Look for these varieties in garden centers. They may not be in bloom in spring, but when you plant them and get an incredible performance in the fall you will be glad you found them.
We thank Ms. Smith, of Spring Meadow Nursery in Michigan, for the above article. At the Garden Writers Association annual meeting, which was held this past August in Valley Forge, PA, we were delighted to receive samples of My Monet Weigela (mentioned in the article) to trial in our own gardens. We look forward to documenting their progress. Spring Meadow is the exclusive introducer of all the Proven Winners ColorChoice flowering shrubs.
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