We’re off to Pennsylvania today to enjoy fall in Rhonda Molin’s garden.
Japanese anemones (Anemone hupehensis, Zones 4–8) are such stars of the fall garden with their abundant flowers. And it’s nice to have pink tones at a time of year when yellows and oranges often dominate.
A fall planter Rhonda created—she hopes Cherry Ong, GPOD’s resident queen of using pumpkins in fall displays, will approve! The orange celosia (Celosia argentea, annual) looks amazing in the back.
Fall-blooming witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana, Zones 3–9) is native around much of eastern North America, with the delicate gold flowers usually showing up just as the leaves drop for a beautiful display before winter.
Actea (Actea simplex, Zones 4–8) is a native perennial with several beautiful selections boasting dramatic dark foliage. The tall spires of white flowers come at the end of summer and add wonderful fragrance.
This selection of hostas still looks perfect. They’ll switch to a gorgeous yellow fall color before vanishing underground for the winter.
Italian arum (Arum italicum, Zones 5–9) is a great plant for shade. It goes dormant during the summer, but then the leaves return in the fall, along with these showy orange berries. And the leaves stay green all winter, providing great interest for the cold months of the year.
Turtlehead (Chelone obliqua, Zones 5–9) is a great native perennial for sun to partial shade with cute little pink flowers from late summer into fall.
The twisting branches and delicate leaves of this spectacular Japanese maple (Acer palmatum, Zones 5–9) make a magical shady spot where Rhonda’s grandson likes to play.
Colchicum (Colchicum ‘Waterlily’, Zones 4–7) bursts into dramatic lavender blooms in the fall. The leaves come up in the spring, then go dormant all summer before showing up again as if out of nowhere.
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