Top 10 Plants For Fall Color

"Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower."

--Albert Camus

Blue star (Amsonia hubrichtii) yellow

Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensiblis) yellow

Summersweet Clethra (Clethra alnifolia) yellow

Fothergilla (Fothergilla major) yellow-orange-red

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) orange-red

Maple (Acer rubrum & A. saccharum) yellow-orange-red

Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculua parviflora) yellow-red

American Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovatus) yellow-orange-red

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) yellow

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) yellow-orange-red

This past week was the peak of fall color in my part of the world and I had the pleasure of attending a wedding that wholly embraced the spirit of autumn. By no means is this an all-encompassing list for fall color, but the perennials, shrubs, and trees above are show-stoppers.

In many respects this time of year is the most colorful; and it’s the best time of year to add new plants to the garden. Be sure to keep newly transplanted plants well-watered as it also tends to be the driest time of year in the south with little rain and windy conditions.

deconstructing the garden

deconstructingpresent participle of de·con·struct (Verb)

Verb:

Analyze  Dismantle

Shorter days, cooler nights, and the patchwork of fall-colored canopies frame life this time of year. Taking out warm coats and scarves, bringing in the last tomatoes and peppers; it is time to deconstruct the garden once more.

Cutting back perennials and extracting summer vegetables make room for mums and pansies which brighten the beds and endeavor to pay tribute to the finest of fall gardens, Dumbarton Oaks. All senses now perceiving fall.

Falling leaves and garden debris join forces in the compost pile. Black gold divided among the beds, and daffodils for planting; all the while planning next year’s venture. Enjoying the moment and aspiring for the future.

happy birthday to me

Camellia, one of my favorite flowers, blooms each year on my birthday. There is a hedge of Sasanqua Camellias planted along the back side of my house, which I started from cuttings while a student at the University of Georgia in Athens. Camellia’s aren’t thought of as particularly cold hardy (especially Sasanquas); but these have survived several cold Nashville winters and now stand over 5’ tall.

Sasanqua Camellias bloom earlier and are more demure in flower and leaf size than their cousin, the hardier Japanese Camellia (Camellia japonica). Another cousin, the Tea Camellia (Camellia sinensis) is not nearly as showy as the other species. But its value lies in creating more cold-hardy crosses, and it is the plant from which tea is made!

The Camellia’s blush white to deep red flower stands out well against its dark evergreen foliage. And while I have planted specimens of this shrub for a few clients, I prefer to see them in groupings. My favorite grouping is at the Founder’s Memorial Garden at the University of Georgia, where Camellia hedges create walls of lush foliage and colorful blooms.

Between my love of UGA’s campus and my reverence for cold-weather blooms, I was destined to adore this shrub. Camellia’s are much more versatile and low maintenance than many realize. For a safe bet on cold hardiness, select a Camellia variety with ‘winter’, ‘snow’, or ‘ice’ in the name. Most prefer some shade and moist, well-draining, slightly acidic soil.