Fallscaping
By Kathy Roth, Master Gardener
Colorado State University Extension, Larimer County
August 2, 2008
August gardeners lament the passing of colorful June and July gardens, but we can extend our garden season into autumn and now is the time to start. "Fallscaping" is a term developed by authors Nancy Ondra and Stephanie Cohen. Fruits, berries, showy seed heads and a rainbow of foliage colors are available to us, in addition to flowers that bloom as the season cools. A trick the authors share is to base flower beds on plantings that offer a summer-into-fall bloom period, along with good foliage and architecture that allow plants to look attractive even when not in bloom.
Think beyond fall-blooming asters, chrysanthemums and goldenrods! Tricks such as late seed sowing, shearing, dead heading and succession planting can give you additional ways to obtain autumn glory. Deadheading (keeping the faded flowers picked off) make repeat bloomers out of many early summer-blooming classics. If this technique is impractical for you, simply shear them back in midsummer for the same effect. For a detailed list of perennials and their bloom periods, consult CSU Extension Fact Sheets 7.242 and 7.405, which can be found by visiting www.ext.colostate.edu. Certain border plants are considered long-bloomers: winecups have purple-pink blooms on trailing green stems; speedwell, blanket flower, pincushion flower, gaura, daylilies and low growing verbenas also offer tireless bloom. Lobelias, Russian sage and rose mallows are other dependable August bloomers. True fall bloomers include some varieties of sedum, goldenrods, certain monkshoods and anemones. Fall-blooming bulbs are often forgotten. Cannas, autumn crocus, hurricane lily (red spider lily), Guernsey lily and cyclamens are a few who produce fall interest and then go dormant in spring. Richard Rosenfeld's book Autumn Plants provides more ideas along with lovely photographs.
Don't forget perennial leaf color as well. Balloon flower, daylilies, coneflowers, monkshoods, Siberian iris, various sedums, hosta, Solomon's seals and certain ferns will reward you with handsome yellow foliage. Many crave oranges and reds in autumn. Dramatic color accent can be achieved with carefully chosen shrubs and trees. Fact Sheet 7.229 lists xeric choices, while Fact Sheets 7.421 and 7.422 offer lists of native shrubs and trees-noted are those with good fall color.
Late season annuals also abound. Cosmos, Mexican sunflower, cannas and dahlias give terrific autumn display. Late sowing techniques work well with California poppies, coreopsis, flowering tobacco, four-o'clocks, marigolds, nasturtiums, cleomes, sunflowers and zinnias. Container plants may have "bloomed themselves out" by autumn, so consider replanting containers for autumn color. Our Colorado sunshine is warm enough to keep the blooms coming; try it!
Don't overlook late-flowering shrubs and trees. Deadheading your butterfly bush, Rose-of-Sharon and certain roses and hydrangeas will reward you with autumn color. Certain vines will also come into their prime this season; Sweet Autumn clematis, Golden clematis, various honeysuckles, Virginia creeper (with burgundy leaves) and even grapevines! The lists of natives that produce fall color include sumacs, mountain mahogany, black chokecherry, mountain ninebark, creeping barberry and golden currant. Native shrubs with lovely fall berries include netleaf hackberry, snowberry, gooseberry and serviceberry. Wood's roses red seed hips hold through winter while its purplish stems do not die-back. "Fort Collins Native Plants" is available on the city's website. It lists the plants along with their characteristics and value to wildlife: http://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/pdf/nativepl.pdf.
Showy seed heads can be achieved by not deadheading. Don't hurry to cut down blooming flowers and perform fall clean up. The birds will thank you and you'll be rewarded with the awesome sight of plants coated by the first snowfall. Grasses can be also be stunning this time of year. "Warm season grasses" seed at the end of summer and should be considered for winter interest. "Cool season grasses" hold their stems and plumes well into fall. Consult Fact Sheet 7.232 on Ornamental Grasses for descriptions and pictures.
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