Garden Design: Part 3, Seasonal Interest

Imagine this: The heat of the summer is starting to dwindle and cool evenings are slowly creeping in the area. Summer flowering plants are starting to lose their color but this is only a prelude to the phenomenal fall color we are about to see in our landscapes. In addition to the beautiful fall color of most hardwood trees, this is the time of year when some flowering plants begin to start their fall displays as well.

Beginning in late summer and continuing into the fall, a bright yellow begins to pop in the landscape. That bright yellow is Solidago, a hardy, drought tolerant perennial with long racemes of yellow flowers. When Solidago (pictured above) is planted in full sun, prepare yourself for late season color! Solidago ‘Fireworks’ is a new dense flowering cultivar that has proven to be very hardy with a great floral display. Another late season flowering perennial is Epatorium purpureum (Joe Pye Weed). Joe Pye Weed (pictured below, right) is a great flowering perennial with purple flowers atop tall spikes. Joe Pye Weed is very versatile in that it is drought resistant and can also thrive in low boggy areas. The flowers of both plants can be used as fillers in cut flower arrangements.

There are some woody plants that begin to show their seasonal attributes in the fall also. An interesting group of plants are Chokeberries. Aronia prunifolia (pictured below, left) is a purple chokeberry that develops a bright orange foliage color which is contrasted nicely by deep purple berries. Chokeberries are native to our region, making them a nice selection for landscapes. In addition, birds enjoy their fruit, so these large shrubs attract a diversity of fluttering wildlife!

Once the fall color is gone what are we left with?
When it’s cold outside the last thing most people think about is their landscape. Many people like to stay inside where it’s warm. If you are one of these people, you are missing out as our climate has many plants that provide interest even in the coldest months of the year. For many people, when they think of interest in the landscape they think of flowers; their color, height, texture, etc. Although, there are many other things to consider. For instance, when trees drop their leaves they begin to reveal many different attributes equally as interesting (bark color, texture, patterns, berries, etc.). Whether it is floral color or fruit bearing trees, every season in our climate provides some type of interest.

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