We are nearly half way through October so we have left summer and its flowers behind, but that does not have to mean that the garden is finished for the year. Plant this collection of herbaceous perennials and bulbs and color will be retained until the first frosts herald the onset of winter. These ten garden show-stoppers are described in an article by Ray Rogers which I found on the Garden Design Magazine website.
Although it?s tempting and probably easier to design gardens that present one big, colorful scene in spring and early summer, let?s not forget the later acts of the gardening season. Even if high summer is a challenge to get through physically and horticulturally, late summer and much of fall can awaken our interest and provide plenty of enjoyment before the curtain falls for winter.
1. Solidago rugosa ?Fireworks?
?Fireworks? goldenrod is tough but graceful and more compact at 2.5 to 3 feet tall than the species (3 to 4 feet tall), creating a fountain of golden flowers on arching stems. Zones 4-8.
Bloom time: September to October2. Gentiana sino-ornata (autumn gentian)
Luke Neale Photography / Shutterstock.com
Low, foot-wide mats of short, grassy leaves produce a mass of 2 to 4-inch, electric-blue bells. Gentain is happiest in a well-drained, neutral to acidic soil. Try it in shallow pots or a rock garden. Zones 3-9.
Bloom time: Late August to October3. Helianthus salicifolius (willow-leaved sunflower)
Susan A. Roth
Tall (to 10 feet!) and dynamic, with narrow leaves and exuberant sprays of 2-inch, golden flowers. Tolerant of both dry conditions and wet soil. Ripening seeds attract birds. Good fresh cut flower. Zones 4-9.
Bloom time: September to October
See more at Garden Design Magazine
Feature photo: Susan A. Roth
