Fall Blooming Perennials

Think it's too late to garden this year? Not so! It's a great time to plant for fall color. No matter where you live there are some plants that enjoy - even need - cooler weather. And they reward you with pretty blooms starting in September with many lasting weeks and weeks. There are some high-maintenance varieties - requiring staking and pruning all summer and fall. This is not what Summer Casual is all about. We are all avid gardeners and know many very pretty varieties that are low-maintenance from spring through fall and will return beautifully year after year. The three we recommend are sure to please and easy to find at your local nursery.

1. The Hardy Mum - Zones 4-9

This plant has loads of choice for colorful blooms - yellow, orange, red, purple as well as variegated colors. With regular watering these plants grow nice and bushy with loads of flowers. They grow very well in pots and so are suited for small or large spaces. Because of their tolerance of the cold they are a regular sight through Halloween and even deeper into autumn.

There are so many glorious colors of mums from which to choose!

2. Autumn Joy Sedum - Zones 2-9

My personal favorite - I have several in various locations around my yard. Autumn Joy will start to appear mid-spring and continue to grow into a thick lush green plant all summer. They do well as borders as well as in planters. Around mid-summer they produce tiny green buds that turn a lovely lavender in fall.

Slow and steady... these flowers will take some months to bloom but it's so worth the wait.

3. Miscanthus "Morning Light" Grass - Zones 4-9

This attractive decorative grass will offer pink or white flowers in autumn. They grow best with some sun and can grow up to 20 feet! Deer do not especially like Miscanthus either so it makes an excellent ground cover.

There's no wonder why this plant is also called "Morning Light".

This decorative grass is absolutely beautiful to view in early morning.

Artist Profile - Andy Goldsworthy

Are you an avid hiker, naturalist or just like to sit out on in the fresh air? Or do you simply enjoy beautiful sights? Of course, beauty can be found just about anywhere. Because I am lucky to live in a wooded community I am treated to a daily concert of sights and sounds and no day is the same. The Artist Andy Goldsworthy Source: Kidzworld.com As someone who has always enjoyed nature and art I was thrilled to discover the art of Andy Goldsworthy. Although I've known his work since the mid-nineties he never ceases to enchant me. If you don't know who he is, prepare to be amazed. Goldsworthy is a man who enjoys the colors and textures of nature and presents them in a way you likely have never seen before. And, you don't have to be a nature-lover to appreciate his art. Rowan Leaves & Hole Source: Morning-Earth.org Goldsworthy is considered a pre-eminent "Earthworks" artist. This trend in art-making was popularized in the 1980s and 9...

Planting Fall Bulbs

There are many advantages to planting flowering bulbs in the fall. First, most bulbs are perennials . So, once you plant the bulbs they should return year after year. Also, you can plant the bulbs on a cool autumn afternoon, wait until spring or summer and enjoy. None of the heavy lifting involved with digging holes for potted plants. Fall is the best time of year to plant bulbs, before the ground freezes . Depending on where you live that could be anywhere from early October to mid November. I visited the Farmer's Almanac website and found these great tips for planting bulbs ( http://www.almanac.com/content/fall-bulb-planting-spring-blooms ). Select high quality bulbs. Cheap bulbs will likely disappoint. Larger bulbs will usually provide a larger bloom. Weed the area where you plan to put your bulbs. Plant soon after purchase. Plant your bulbs in a sunny spot. In the ground or in a planter. Either is fine. Be sure the soil drains well. Pl...

How To Make a Rainbow Leaf Drawing

Do you like to draw or maybe just like the idea of drawing and don't know where to start? Drawing, like any other skill, is learned. And you have to start from somewhere. I find the best place to start is with simple and colorful shapes. The following post will show you step by step how to make a colorful leaf drawing. There is no pressure to be perfect here. This is a small drawing. It's just a matter of you finding a half hour to an hour of time and some very basic materials. You will need a piece of paper, a ruler, a pencil, eraser, a black pigment marker (I use Faber Castell but a thin Sharpie is fine) and some color pencils. Do not use a ball point pen as it will smear. Do not use crayons as they will also cause the ink to smear. This drawing will fit a 5x7" mat or frame. Draw a box that's just a bit larger than 5x7" on your paper. Using your pencil draw the shape you see on the left. Erase as needed until you like the shape. Draw two li...

Crafty In Cobb

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