As fall rolls around, we often see less colour in the garden. Often gardeners are taking a break from the summer chores and focusing on the harvest of vegetables and other more autumn-like chores. Take a moment to see what is colouring up your borders, as fall is sometimes the most challenging time for colour.
Any of the rudbeckia are a good choice for fall colour. For example, the Sweet Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckiasubtomentoa) will bloom a bit later than her cousin R. hirta. Another plus to adding this rudbeckia to your garden is that there are multiple flower heads that will bloom adding just a little bit more interest to the late fall garden. The normal bloom period for rudbeckia is from mid-summer until late into the fall. It will even survive a number of slight frosts and until we get a really good hit (-8 C) it will continue to provide sunny cheer to the garden. The flowers are most often yellow and daisy-like but there are now a number of cultivars available on the market. Cappucino is one of my favourite cultivars as it boasts dark coffee coloured centers surrounded by amber and ochre petals. It is simply stunning. Indian Summer still remains my all-time favourite, but is short-lived and must be treated as an annual, however it does self-seed fairly readily.
Helianthus is always a good choice for any garden but late in fall it is one of the winners for just continuing to bloom and give you those cheery yellow flowers that make each day just a bit better. The Downy Sunflower (Helianthus mollis) is a short stature sunflower which is less than a metre tall. It has large flower heads that are often almost three inches across. The Latin mollismeans is soft so enjoy the soft fuzz that covers the leaves and gives the appearance of a soft, grey teddy bear.
Chrysanthemums are one of the showiest fall perennials you can grow. Most chrysanthemums will initiate their bloom by a specific day length. However, due to our climatic conditions, by the time our days become short enough to actually send the message to bloom, we usually have had more than one killing frost. However, there is hope; there is a special line of chrysanthemums that were developed in Morden, Man. that are better suited to our climate. They are triggered to initiate bloom by not only day length but also by temperature. There are a number of different cultivars available. Morden Delight is a lovely deep bronzy orange-red that truly depicts the colours of autumn. Most Morden mums will bloom from about mid-August until the true end of the growing season. Please note these chrysanthemums are not totally hardy here and will require a good snow cover for survival. As for the other "hardy mums" that are tempting us when we shop are great for enjoying until it freezes, but, unfortunately, are not a great choice for perennial borders here.
Asters are without doubt some of the biggest stars of fall. There are a host of choices with enough selection in size, shape and colour to use them everywhere in the garden. Typically, the colour palette will be whites, pink and violets but there are even some asters a lovely deep shade of blue. Ensure that you plant asters in full sun in a moist, well-drained soil.
Last but definitely not least a popular but underused perennial - Joe Pye weed is not to be overlooked. Not only does this perennial attract butterflies during the growing season but adds great colour and interest in the fall. Plant it is full sun and keep it evenly moist to ensure the best possible show.
Hanbidge is the lead horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at www.orchidhort.com; by phone at 306-931-4769; by email at info@orchidhort.com; on facebook @orchidhort and on instagram at #orchidhort.
