Garden Photo of the Day

Fall in Colleen’s Garden

Flowers and foliage of the season

We’re visiting Colleen’s garden today to enjoy the beauties of fall.

I’ve been gardening for more than 30 years in the Hudson Valley of New York State. I appreciate all things gardening but lately am loving texture, foliage, natives, shade gardening, and container gardening.

If you want to see more, check out Colleen’s garden on Instagram.

SourwoodSourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum, Zones 5–9) is a small native tree that has beautiful sprays of white flowers in the spring and brilliant leaf color in the fall.

Oakleaf hydrangea in fallThe foliage of this oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia, Zones 5–9) is just beginning to blush red for the fall.

Closeup of oakleaf hydrangeaClose-up of oakleaf hydrangea foliage beginning to color up. The flowers of this shrub are beautiful, but they might just be upstaged by the big, dramatic foliage.

hardy sedumsA mix of hardy sedums—yellow-green ‘Angelina’ (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’, Zones 3–9) and a dark red–leaved selection of Sedum spurium (Zones 3–9).

sedum ‘Autumn Joy’This good-old ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’, Zones 3–9) is living up to its name with big masses of pink flowers at the end of the growing season.

autumn crocusesSometimes called autumn crocuses, Colchicum look similar to true crocuses but differ in many ways, most notably for being highly toxic, which is great if you have trouble with squirrels or voles eating your bulbs. The flowers on colchicum come up in the fall without the leaves, and then the leaves come up in the spring.

colchicum flowersClose-up of the colchicum flowers, which look to be the species Colchicum speciosum (Zones 5–8)

orange dahlias Dahlias (Dahlia variabilis, Zones 8–10 or as tender bulbs) bloom much of the summer but always peak with the shorter days and cooler weather of fall.

New England asterAn aster, probably a selection or hybrid of New England aster (Symphyotrichum novaeangliae, Zones 3–8), brings beautiful purple blooms to the fall, much to the delight of a honeybee.

Virginia creeperVirginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Zones 3–9) is a vigorous native vine that loves to scramble up fences or trees, and turns brilliant shades of red in the fall.

 

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Comments

  1. pattyspencer 10/21/2020

    Really pretty fall colors

    1. PG20 10/21/2020

      Thank you Patty!

  2. User avater
    treasuresmom 10/21/2020

    Asters - one of my fall favorites.

    1. PG20 10/21/2020

      Love them...think this is purple dome.

  3. User avater
    cynthia2020 10/21/2020

    Hi, Colleen. Thank you for sharing a variety of autumn colored leaf and flower photographs.
    I don't remember seeing Oxydendrum arboreum inflorescence before - nice! I hope we'll see some of your container plantings in the future!

    1. PG20 10/21/2020

      Hi Cynthia, they can be a little fussy-best grown from container and resent being moved. This was a particularly scrappy little specimen but has grown up nicely:). Thank you for the kind words!

  4. User avater
    simplesue 10/21/2020

    A very nice perspective of your garden, focused on all the interesting textures. I really like the photo with Autumn Joy showing 3 layers of textures all working together.
    Thanks for sharing!

    1. PG20 10/21/2020

      Thank you! Was going for the layered look...happy you noticed:)

  5. btucker9675 10/21/2020

    Love these rich colors and textures!

    1. PG20 10/21/2020

      Thank you! Great color here in the northeast, despite the VERY dry and exceptionally hot summer we had.

  6. arboretum 10/22/2020

    GREAT to see a garden designer with good taste in color and texture combinations; the extra bonus [for us] being your great skill with a camera. thx. so much for the treat!
    mindy

    1. PG20 10/23/2020

      Thank you Mindy...made my day!

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