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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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There's no wonder why this plant is also called "Morning Light".
This decorative grass is absolutely beautiful to view in early morning.
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