The Garden in Fall 2015

Fall has come suddenly this year. It seems that the end of the hot dry weather has caused an immediate change in leaf colour on all those plants that brighten up this season. The warm reds and oranges of foliage are combining with the blues and purples of asters and aconites to keep the back garden full of interest even on a grey rainy day.

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Sikes' Dwarf' in the foreground grows more vibrant every day. Two weeks earlier, it looked like this:

Now, as it turns to flaming red, some of the leaves are developing lovely patterns.

 My young paperbark maple, Acer griseum, is a glorious scarlet exclamation point.

The blueberries, having provided us with summer lunch, are now feeding us in another way with their dramatic foliage, going from this ...

 to this...

On the back fence Rosa pimpinellifolia is demonstrating why I love this plant in every season. As its shiny hips fade and wrinkle, the leaves take over, offering a medley of fall colours from green to orange to russet to deep, rich brown.

The brightest can hold their own with any other star of the fall garden.

 Among the flowers, aconites reign supreme,

... but toad lilies, Hydrangea 'Kiyosumi' and Anemone 'Honorine Jobert' in the shadiest corner under the pear tree are still giving them some competition. 

Aster 'Little Carlow' is also continuing to make a splash and is abuzz with bees on every sunny day. It has grown long and leggy this year and crashes to the ground with every shower of rain. Taller, stronger supports are on my shopping list for it before this time next year.

Close to the house, Persicaria 'Firedance' refuses to slow down, while behind it Corylopsis pauciflora is putting out unseasonal flowers. I'm apprehensive about how this will affect its normal spring bloom.

  
Across the garden on the east fence, the foliage on Cotinus 'Grace' complements the pale pink flowers of Aster 'Anya's Choice'. This is a shorter aster than 'Little Carlow' and has so far stood up well to the rain.

The front garden rarely looks as good as the back. This is partly because we spend more time out back, which is more private and also, being south-facing, more sunny. But it's also because plants in the front have to cope with much more difficult conditions. Part of the garden, close to the house is in total shade all year. That's not so bad: I can find plants that like that cool but bright environment. The rest is in shade for about seven months and in hot sun for the summer months. It's more difficult to find plants that can endure that kind of drastic change, especially this year when most of the shrubs ended up with at least some scorched leaves. Hydrangea 'Nikko Blue' was so singed that I thought it was dying. I pruned it and stripped it of leaves and, thank goodness, it has responded by putting out fresh green foliage.

Next to it is Sedum 'Autumn Joy', whose flowers this year have stayed a pinkish-brown rather than their usual bright rosy hue.
 Adding to their difficulties is the overhanging maple on the boulevard whose roots suck most of the moisture out of the entire garden. It's an ugly tree without even the benefit of pretty fall colour; it just turns brown. The Sedum and the Hydrangea bear the brunt of its presence. A little further away, another 'Autumn Joy' is much less affected.

Meanwhile, Hydrangea 'Beni Gaku', somewhat shaded by Rosa glauca to its west, is coping well and looking decorative.

 Against the north wall, Rhododendron schlippenbachii, although in full shade, also suffered from the dryness this year, but in spite of singed edges is managing to look relatively colourful. Behind it, Enkianthus perulatus is just beginning to go from green to red. In a couple of weeks it will be the fiery focus of this bed.

Drought survivors

It's been a hot, dry summer. In accordance with our water restrictions, I run around every couple of days hand-watering with a spring-loaded nozzle on the hose. We've also been saving the water that runs while we wait for hot water to kick in, as well as the not-too-dirty grey water, and carrying all of it out to slosh over the more needy plants. In spite of these efforts, quite a few plants are showing signs of stress. Some have flowered fast and gone early to seed; hydrangeas keep wilting, and other shrubs are showing singed brown edges on the leaves, like Rosa 'Ghislaine de Féligonde', which is in a particularly dry and sunny spot.

In spite of being in full shade, Rhododendron schlippenbachii is looking much the same.

However, most other roses are coping surprisingly well. 'Rosa Mundi's coarse leaves show little damage,

... and 'Lykkefund', which is on the west fence and sheltered from the worst of the afternoon sun, looks as fresh as always.

Of course, these three have already turned to producing hips whereas 'Ghislaine' is drawing on its resources for another bout of bloom. It will be interesting to see whether that happens.



Hydrangea sargentiana has some singed leaves too, although the flowers don't seem to be affected.

 It's a good time to take note of plants that seem to be not only surviving but thriving. Echinacea 'Green Jewel'  in a hot, dry bed continues to look fresh and cool. So many Echinacea turn out to be annuals here that I'm sceptical of its staying power over the coming winter but for now, it's doing just fine. The little red flecks on its petals are falling from the flowers of Persicaria 'Firedance' behind it.

Sanguisorba tenuifolia 'Finale' is another stalwart. It may be that having its roots in shade is helping it do so well.

The dark red thimbles atop this tall wispy perennial are attracting swarms of bees.

 Scutellaria incana is just finishing its bloom, but has held up well. This Missouri wildflower's native habitat is on dry, sandy soils.

In the photo above you can just see the first of its equally attractive seedheads forming. Here's a closer view of them. I think they are going to be a worthwhile addition to my fall garden.

Anemone 'White Swan' is proving its worth in partial shade, endlessly producing crisp white flowers

...with their lovely lilac-flushed reverses.

Most of the plants in dappled shade are surviving well.

Front to back: Hydrangea nigra, Hosta 'Krossa Regal, Actaea 'Hillside Black Beauty', Hydrangea 'Kiyosumi', Anemone 'Honorine Jobert' 

A few Astrantia, like 'Ruby Wedding' are reblooming. Behind it, Hosta 'American Halo' is also unaffected by the drought.

Tricyrtis (toad lily) is proving to be another reliable perennial. My specimen is a tall but sturdy cultivar called 'Blue Wonder'.

The flowers are quite small but intriguing when seen close up.

Plants in more exposed beds are having a harder time, but not Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, which seems imprevious to hot sun and dry soil. In fact, it's expanding rather too vigorously and will need some control by next summer, I suspect.

Those intense blue flowers will look even better when cooler weather paints the foliage with burgundy highlights.



Another sun-lover, Angelica 'Vicar's Mead' is attracting lots of bees,

... although some of its normally dark foliage is getting bleached to rose-pink, pale green and mustard yellow. The combination is actually quite pretty.

Meanwhile, my favourite parsley, a curly variety called 'Darki', has continued to line a path near the kitchen door with fresh green foliage, only just now beginning to flop a little from its usual upright stance. I've mentioned before how free it is from the rust that seems to plague the flat-leaf types of parsley. The latter may be the choice of chefs, but it doesn't have nearly the same ornamental value as 'Darki'

Drought survivors

It's been a hot, dry summer. In accordance with our water restrictions, I run around every couple of days hand-watering with a spring-loaded nozzle on the hose. We've also been saving the water that runs while we wait for hot water to kick in, as well as the not-too-dirty grey water, and carrying all of it out to slosh over the more needy plants. In spite of these efforts, quite a few plants are showing signs of stress. Some have flowered fast and gone early to seed; hydrangeas keep wilting, and other shrubs are showing singed brown edges on the leaves, like Rosa 'Ghislaine de Féligonde', which is in a particularly dry and sunny spot.

In spite of being in full shade, Rhododendron schlippenbachii is looking much the same.

However, most other roses are coping surprisingly well. 'Rosa Mundi's coarse leaves show little damage,

... and 'Lykkefund', which is on the west fence and sheltered from the worst of the afternoon sun, looks as fresh as always.

Of course, these three have already turned to producing hips whereas 'Ghislaine' is drawing on its resources for another bout of bloom. It will be interesting to see whether that happens.

Hydrangea sargentiana has some singed leaves too, although the flowers don't seem to be affected.

 It's a good time to take note of plants that seem to be not only surviving but thriving. Echinacea 'Green Jewel'  in a hot, dry bed continues to look fresh and cool. So many Echinacea turn out to be annuals here that I'm sceptical of its staying power over the coming winter but for now, it's doing just fine. The little red flecks on its petals are falling from the flowers of Persicaria 'Firedance' behind it.

Sanguisorba tenuifolia 'Finale' is another stalwart. It may be that having its roots in shade is helping it do so well.

The dark red thimbles atop this tall wispy perennial are attracting swarms of bees.

 Scutellaria incana is just finishing its bloom, but has held up well. This Missouri wildflower's native habitat is on dry, sandy soils.

In the photo above you can just see the first of its equally attractive seedheads forming. Here's a closer view of them. I think they are going to be a worthwhile addition to my fall garden.

Anemone 'White Swan' is proving its worth in partial shade, endlessly producing crisp white flowers

...with their lovely lilac-flushed reverses.

Most of the plants in dappled shade are surviving well.

Front to back: Hydrangea nigra, Hosta 'Krossa Regal, Actaea 'Hillside Black Beauty', Hydrangea 'Kiyosumi', Anemone 'Honorine Jobert' 

A few Astrantia, like 'Ruby Wedding' are reblooming. Behind it, Hosta 'American Halo' is also unaffected by the drought.

Tricyrtis (toad lily) is proving to be another reliable perennial. My specimen is a tall but sturdy cultivar called 'Blue Wonder'.

The flowers are quite small but intriguing when seen close up.

Plants in more exposed beds are having a harder time, but not Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, which seems imprevious to hot sun and dry soil. In fact, it's expanding rather too vigorously and will need some control by next summer, I suspect.

Those intense blue flowers will look even better when cooler weather paints the foliage with burgundy highlights.

Another sun-lover, Angelica 'Vicar's Mead' is attracting lots of bees,

... although some of its normally dark foliage is getting bleached to rose-pink, pale green and mustard yellow. The combination is actually quite pretty.

Meanwhile, my favourite parsley, a curly variety called 'Darki', has continued to line a path near the kitchen door with fresh green foliage, only just now beginning to flop a little from its usual upright stance. I've mentioned before how free it is from the rust that seems to plague the flat-leaf types of parsley. The latter may be the choice of chefs, but it doesn't have nearly the same ornamental value as 'Darki'

Ornamental Seedheads - Clematis

Clematis are a staple in my garden. Most are species or Clematis viticella cultivars for several good reasons: they follow the late spring/early summer flowers, bringing a new and different look to the garden; they have smaller flowers, but many more of them than the dinner-plate types; they don't suffer from the dreaded clematis wilt which can destroy a seemingly healthy plant in less than 24 hours; when they die back in late fall, you cut them down to knee-height and they remain tidy through to the following spring; quite a number of them are scented.



This year, a long and unusual hot spell has driven all but one into shedding their petals early. However, their seedheads add subtle interest to much of the garden.



'Willy', a spring bloomer starts off with tufts of fluff that slowly turn to silver spirals.

'Miss Bateman' prefers the look of brass.

'Nelly Moser', a volunteer that I may not keep because I don't care for its candy cane flowers, presents blond fright wigs.

Little Clematis ochroleuca has a cluster of pea-green seeds with curling shreds of palest yellow.

Clematis  integrifolia is still producing a few cobalt-blue flowers alongside its spidery white seedheads

And Clematis recta is a mass of green fireworks.

Eventually, those green stars will turn to iridescent blue and the wispy tails will turn white and feathery, as they are in last year's post "November Colours"