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Plants for fall color
Hello fellow Michiganians. I could use some help.
My son and his lovely fiance have decided to have their casual wedding reception in our little back yard ~ next fall ~ mid-October of 2010.
We have lots and lots of summer color, but not much in the way of fall color ~ aside from a young sugar maple and a bit of boston ivy.
In the gazebo plant-boxes, I'm thinking of cutting back all the faded summer plants just before the wedding, laying down mulch and adding... potted mums?
Just recently, we added a new garden, to spruce up the "utility" area of the yard. I planted mums here, and hope to have luck with over-wintering. ::crossing fingers:: But I'm not even sure if they would have color that late in the season, next year. They are in full-bloom right now, but are greenhouse started, so...
There's plenty room for more of "something" in that little garden. It recieves sun all day, until late afternoon.
We also have a very long flower bed along the base of our deck, that was previously filled with ditch lilies (live and learn). We dug them out and installed weed fabric. My DH would like to fill that bed with pine bark mulch and giant pots. I've purchased 11 giant pots for next year, for this purpose. Good time to get them at clearance prices.
Any suggestions toward plantings that would look good in mid-October, in any of these areas, would be much appreciated.
My son and his lovely fiance have decided to have their casual wedding reception in our little back yard ~ next fall ~ mid-October of 2010.
We have lots and lots of summer color, but not much in the way of fall color ~ aside from a young sugar maple and a bit of boston ivy.
In the gazebo plant-boxes, I'm thinking of cutting back all the faded summer plants just before the wedding, laying down mulch and adding... potted mums?
Just recently, we added a new garden, to spruce up the "utility" area of the yard. I planted mums here, and hope to have luck with over-wintering. ::crossing fingers:: But I'm not even sure if they would have color that late in the season, next year. They are in full-bloom right now, but are greenhouse started, so...
There's plenty room for more of "something" in that little garden. It recieves sun all day, until late afternoon.
We also have a very long flower bed along the base of our deck, that was previously filled with ditch lilies (live and learn). We dug them out and installed weed fabric. My DH would like to fill that bed with pine bark mulch and giant pots. I've purchased 11 giant pots for next year, for this purpose. Good time to get them at clearance prices.
Any suggestions toward plantings that would look good in mid-October, in any of these areas, would be much appreciated.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Sandy LaFond Z5 on -
Thanks, Rainbow. I just learned (found a video about mums on line) that the mums I planted are not going to come back next year. I'll have to find some perennial mums for the little studio garden. ::sigh:: I'd not have wasted the money (though they were inexpensive) on the little mums, had I known that. Not that I don't like them. Just not what I wanted for that area.
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Permalink Reply by Helen Switzer on -
Mid October is an iffy month for color. You may be better off finding a greenhouse that is willing to sell you Mums that late in the season. Depending on the colors you want, the lighter colors bloom off earlier. Darker colors will last a lot longer into the cold. You can also find preserved oak leaves and willow twigs to use as an altar decoration (Michaels). Just poke them into the dirt of one of your decorative pots and use them side by side. There are also bunches of indian corn, broom corn, if your lucky, bittersweet. You can get a lot of these this year if you look hard enough at after season sales at Michaels and other craft stores. There are also birch branches and Cattails (get the cattails now, before they get soft and explode!) and seal them with clear flat spray. Hang them upside down in a garage or potting shed. Birch you should get in the spring while they have little catkins on them. they will get brittle, but will hold up for the summer until you need them. I leave branches in my pots all winter, they are very pretty to look at when they poke out of the snow. My consultations are usually $50, but I am willing to give one or two up for free! LOL
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Permalink Reply by Sandy LaFond Z5 on
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Those are some great ideas, Helen. Thank you so much!
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Permalink Reply by Barb z6 MI & z10 FL on -
I have seen large pots potted up in the fall with dried things added to them....also how about some silks in your fall colors...JUST IN CASE...seen some great fall silk leaves in the craft stores...again JUST IN CASE...Evergreen cuttings in the pots for some green...Lots of mums purchased fresh from your florist....Love to see your pix of what you decide to do! Should be beautiful with the hardscape that you have to work with!
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Permalink Reply by Sharon McGarry on -
You could look for Montauk Daisies. They are very late blooming and make a wonderful plant. Or try some of the cold tolerant annuals like Snapdragons, Dianthus, Pansies and some of the grasses. I've done arrangements with some perennials for fillers in pots...Hostas, Bergenia, Sedums. They still often look good that late into the fall.
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Permalink Reply by Kathleen Burkhart ~ Zone 5 ~ MI on -
Sandy...FYI, we were married October 14, 1978 and the weather was a gorgeous indian summer day! There are spectacular grasses you might want to research and look into.
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Permalink Reply by Sandy LaFond Z5 on
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Thank you all. Such good ideas!!
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Permalink Reply by Sharon McGarry on
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Look into Montauk Daisies! They bloom quite late. Otherwise I would recommend some really nice foliage plants like Heuchera (Coral Bells) There are some great purples, chartreuses, peaches. You could also look into buying some cold tolerant plants in the fall like snapdragons, pansies, ornamental kale and such. Also grasses are usually looking great in the fall, whether they are perennials or the beautiful annual (non-hardy) Purple Fountain Grass. Shop now for sales on perennials!
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Permalink Reply by Sandy LaFond Z5 on
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Thank you, Sharon, and everyone. I've printed this page out to keep for reference. I also recently ran with Helen's suggestions, and even thought it's too early to decorate for fall, I did up a sample pot for next year, using a few fresh but mostly artificial and dried plants purchased at Michael's 1/2 off (and some scavanged cat tails) Good deal. Bought enough for 12 pots like this (not all identical, but all complimentary) for next year. What do you think?...
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Giant pot practice fill B.jpg, 126 KB -
Giant pot practice fill.jpg, 138 KB
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Permalink Reply by Sharon McGarry on
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Very nice looking arrangements! And depending on the weather and what you may have...you could add some foliage plants for filler/color/ texture. Good job!!! It will be a beautiful day!
Sandy LaFond Z5 said:Thank you, Sharon, and everyone. I've printed this page out to keep for reference. I also recently ran with Helen's suggestions, and even thought it's too early to decorate for fall, I did up a sample pot for next year, using a few fresh but mostly artificial and dried plants purchased at Michael's 1/2 off (and some scavanged cat tails) Good deal. Bought enough for 12 pots like this (not all identical, but all complimentary) for next year. What do you think?... -
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Permalink Reply by Sandy LaFond Z5 on
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Well, the wedding is behind us. It was 10-10-10 - a perfect day! 83* and sunny. Ahhh..... Blessed, indeed. I made an album of the at-home reception here on GI, but I'm not sure I did it right. I went with multiple mums of various sizes and asters. Some pumpkins and gourds, real and faux, etc. It turned out very nice.
http://www.gardeners-index.com/photo/albums/autumn-wedding -
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