First Place Backdrop Perennial

Do you have a favorite fall color? Mine is yellow. I just love its bright, powerful energy and how it symbolizes, at least for me, hope. But if you’re gazing at today’s image, the novice eye might mistake it for something else. Possibly the needles of a Pine tree but this wispy colorful texture is the fall foliage of our first place backdrop perennial, Amsonia hubrichtii. 

Why is it a favorite? First and foremost, this stunning plant stays fresh; it doesn’t slump or lose its height, look and feel. That’s why it’s the perfect backdrop perennial, taking the number one slot in our ‘plant of choice’ book. Adding texture, bloom and character to your perennial borders is what planting layout is all about.

Now for the plant basics: Amsonia hubrichtii is versatile; it can handle full sun or partial shade. Plus it’s not a fussy, finicky one; in average soil, it can still take off. Hardy for zones 4-9, you can find it in many regional landscapes, especially since the Perennial Plant Association awarded it the title ‘Perennial Plant of the Year’ in 2011. We loved it way before then but we’re so ultra-glad it received its due recognition for its dynamite credentials. Now it's a known entity; not just to plant lovers.

So back to reality. It is October and often times we aren’t thinking what to plant in our perennial borders. But please make note of what offers beautiful fall color, particularly if you love yellow and how it radiates in a landscape.  Yeah, I may be on a yellow kick the next couple of days. It is my favorite fall color. As Emily Dickinson once penned, “Morning without you is a dwindled dawn.” I just love yellow. I love when the sun comes out. And when overcast days are upon us, there’s nothing better than a splash of yellow in the waning perennial borders to help us out.                               

Image of Amsonia hubrichtii by Ann Bilowz ©

If you like this blog, hope you check in for your daily share's worth of inspiration, design, and garden tips; always original, not cookie cutter and copied. Just like our design work, we strive for unique! Like our Facebook follow on Twitter or subscribe to the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at Annie You can follow with visuals on Pinterest and find us on LinkedIn and Houzz, too.

Picture Fall

Henry David Thoreau reminds us on this imagery Wednesday, ‘We can never have enough of nature.” For me, there is nothing more stunning than this naturally colorful season. But what can truly awaken one’s spirit is finding something as beautiful as this Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis L.) in the wild. What a treasured moment to take part in what still breathes and lives in the forest, left only for a certain few to notice and see.

And then there is the obvious –pumpkins that turn this illuminating orange to brighten and fill our outdoor spaces. For us, there is always an abundance of volunteers in the garden. For those needing the best of everything there is to know about pumpkins, here’s the perfect link. But you do need the basics: good soil, sun, water and elbow room for spread.

Picture fall…what is it for you? For me, it’s all of these things above. As Jon Krakauer pointed out, “The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”

All Images by Ann Bilowz ©

If you like this blog, hope you check in for your daily share's worth of inspiration, design, and garden tips; always original, not cookie cutter and copied. Just like our design work, we strive for unique! Like our Facebook follow on Twitter or subscribe to the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at Annie You can follow with visuals on Pinterest and find us on LinkedIn and Houzz, too.

Fall Assumptions

Isaac Asimov once said, “Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in.” So as we head into the final stretches of our gardens, do not assume your plants won’t require certain care before it’s time to set them off to bed. And don’t think the planting season is all but gone. For folks still in planting mode, please make note.

With deciduous woody plant materials, you can plant many deciduous trees and shrubs with the exception of transplanting those considered fall hazards, i.e., nut trees and pitted fruit trees. The rule of thumb for deciduous woody plant material - if the plant is shutting down or going dormant for the season and the ground is not frozen or saturated mud, it is an ideal time to get this classification of plants installed and tucked in for the winter. You can plant until the ground freezes.

It’s also the time of year to be planting your Peonies and bulbs. There were earlier 'heads-up' warnings so let's hope you took that advice. Ready to skip into the vegetable mode? Get your garlic sets put aside as that planting will take place soon, too. But back to Peonies, one of the longest lived perennials and a must-have for any garden. If you intend on transplanting to spread the love, this task is always done in the fall. Check out this detailed video on Dividing Peonies from +Fine Gardening. It is a must see, informative view before you start digging away. 

If you’re done with shovels and wheel barrels full of plants and the shift has gone from decorating with pumpkins or picking apples instead, remember to deadhead and clean the perennial beds. It’s not time to abandon ship on your garden, at least not yet.

There’s a whole list of fall assumptions but let’s sparkle just a few windows at a time to let this morning’s sunlight in. Speaking of sparkle, here’s wishing Yosemite National Park a happy 123rd birthday. It’s a magical place and one I can say 'I'm glad I’ve been.’

Image by Ann Bilowz  © Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt'

If you like this blog, hope you check in for your daily share's worth of inspiration, design, and garden tips; always original, not cookie cutter and copied. Just like our design work, we strive for unique! Like our Facebook follow on Twitter or subscribe to the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. Either way, we hope you follow the postings somewhere in cyberspace and share it with your gardening friends. Contact me direct at Annie You can follow with visuals on Pinterest and find us on LinkedIn and Houzz, too.