Fall Color

Fall Color

Gardeners hate to admit defeat even when the opponent is the weather. Our water bills from this summer are proof of that! Many of us feel the same way about the approaching winter. We would rather end the growing season with one last burst of color. Fortunately there are many plants that do well in, and even love the cooler temperatures.
Familiar fall plants such as chrysanthemums, ornamental kales and flowering cabbages come in a wide variety of flower colors and leaf textures. The kales and cabbages will continue to look great even into the beginning of winter. Many become more colorful as the temperature gets colder. The hardy mums will bloom for weeks and are frost tolerant. Although the hardy mums are not considered to be perennial plants in our zone, they may reappear in your garden next summer.

Some of the other annual plants that thrive in cool temperatures are calibrachoa (million bells), argyranthemum, snapdragon and dusty miller. The adorable pansies, violas and panolas that are so popular in the spring will also do beautifully in cool to even cold fall conditions. Annual and perennial grasses can add height and texture to fall gardens and container plantings. Where many perennials have already had their blooming time, asters are just beginnig to show off their color. Huechera, with their palette of colors of foliage, will also add to your fall landscape.

By mixing some of these cool weather annuals and perennials in your garden or containers with colorful gourds and pumpkins you can enjoy a new growing season of fall color.

By: Gayla Parker
Gardening Expert at A.J. Rahn Greenhouses