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Mums are almost a dime a dozen in early fall. They are available everywhere, including grocery stores, hardware stores, and garden centres. Make sure you choose hardy Garden Mums if you want perennial flower to return every year. For best results, plant Mums in early fall. If you plant Mums in late fall, you better cover them with leaves or straw so they will survive the winter. You can divide them in spring to gain new plants. Ornamental grasses are making great waves in the perennial landscape and most of them take centre stage in the fall. Ornamental grasses provide a breath of fresh air for gardeners, because they offer texture, form, colour and movement unmatched by any other group of plants. There are more varieties available than there are pre-election promises broken. There are many ornamental grasses that shine in the fall garden. Purple Flame Miscanthus (miscanthus Purperesence) has rich green summer foliage that turns burgundy red in fall. Its pink bloom which appears in August turns silvery white as the season progresses. This plant is especially effective when planted in groups or masses. It grows 4 to 5 feet high. Morning Light (micanthus sinensis Morning Light) is a tall ornamental grass with striking silver-green variegated foliage. Stems grow to 5 feet high, forming a distinctive vase shape. For maximum performance use this plant in the foreground with dark green plants behind. Skyracer (Molinia subutela ‘skyracer’) or tall Purple Moor Grass has showy seed heads that appear on stems 6 or 7 feet high. Grassy foliage is only 2 feet high. As soon as cold weather approaches, seed heads turn golden yellow. Basal foliage remains green until late fall, when it too becomes golden yellow. Skyracer provides striking contrast with lots of winter interest. Dwarf Fountain Grass (Pennisetum Hameln) has graceful foliage with showy maroon flower spikes that form a weeping vase shape. Flower spikes gain particular interest with morning dew. Not to be forgotten in the line-up of fall flowering perennials are Asters, otherwise known as Michaelmas daisy. There is a wide variety of Asters and all of them flower in late summer and fall. They range in height from 1 to 3 feet, and their colours are abundant. All make great cut flowers. Asters are prolific growers that readily multiply. Sedum Autumn Joy is a succulent plant with cabbage textured foliage. It remains obediently tidy all through spring and summer, growing about 2 feet high. Sedum Autumn Joy steals the show in fall. Flowers are in the pink to red tones. Look for the newer varieties with variegated and maroon foliage. |
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