Now that the temperatures are bringing crisp mornings and gentle breezes, it is time to start thinking about incorporating fall colors into your home landscaping through flowers.
There are a few reasons why fall plantings of flowers are important. First off, planting tender flowers that give a lot of color and curb appeal, but will fade by winter, is the true mark of a landscaping enthusiast. Second, newly planted fall flowers will enhance and play off of your existing landscaping, as your trees begin their wonderful display of fall foliage and berries in the bushes. Third, if your yard is bereft of mature trees, these fall flowers take on an even greater importance. They will give your yard some color and interest. Fourth, fall flowers will set off your fall decorations, such as pumpkins, hay bales and corn stalks. Fifth, it gives you a chance to have one last hurrah before the cold winter sets in.
September is the ideal time for fall planting in most regions. Although the planting window may be small, you’ll get the most out of your flowers when you plant now. The heat of August is gone, and yet there is still plenty of time to enjoy your plantings.
So what can you plant for fall? Here are some ideas.
You can plant a mixture of hardy plants and traditional annual flowers. Good hardy plants to consider include dusty miller, chrysanthemum (mums) and flowering cabbages. Mums can be quite showy, and they often survive an early frost.
On the tender side, you can chose marigolds to add to your landscaping. While it is true that marigolds are generally planted in the spring, they come in great fall colors, such as yellow, orange and gold. They will last only a few weeks, but the show is worth it. Also consider red salvia. It goes well against many other fall flowers, and definitely adds impact while warming things up nicely.
How does your garden grow?
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog and caring for little ones in the Baby Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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