Deep-blue skies, cool fall evenings, crisp colours and the transition from a challenging garden season are once again upon us. While the serenity of the fall garden is close, most avid gardeners take this time to continue pushing the limits of our Zone 3/4 gardens, while others may be ready to see the end in sight. If you are still eager to keep your containers and gardens full of colour, take some time to assess what’s growing in your yard.
Remove tired and spent annuals from your containers and replace them with cool-season annuals to carry them through until frost. Much like our early spring offerings, most of these will tolerate a light frost and extended cool temperatures. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have frost cloth and flannel sheets at the ready, just as we did in spring.
Missing late-season colour in your flower beds? Consider adding late-blooming perennials to add vibrancy to your garden. Cooler temperatures and shorter days allow perennials to settle in easier. Roots will happily grow in soil still warm from the summer sun, and garden soil will retain moisture easier and longer with cooler conditions. While you may not get an explosion of colour this season, they will provide lasting colour for many autumns to come.
Fall is also one of the best times to plant trees and shrubs on the prairies. Cooler temperatures, warm soil and budget-friendly prices (thanks to season-end sales) are all benefits of planting woody ornamentals this time of year. Choose shrubs and trees that provide late-season interest, such as bright red and orange fall leaf colour, to add to your gardens for more autumnal appeal.
Embrace the changing season, experiment with new plantings and enjoy the unique charm that fall gardening brings. By planning and planting thoughtfully, you can create a garden that not only withstands the chill of fall, but also bursts with colour and life, making the transition into winter a graceful and beautiful experience.
“The garden in autumn is a symphony of grace and quiet beauty, a time to reflect and appreciate nature’s final gift before winter’s rest.” – Unknown
Cool-season annuals for fall: pansies, violas, fall mums, asters, ornamental cabbage and kale, ornamental peppers, snapdragons, dusty miller, coral bells, nemesia, petunia, sunflowers
Favourite late-season perennials: Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan), Echinacea (purple coneflower), Solidago (goldenrod), Perovskia (Russian sage), Sedum (especially autumn joy), Heliopsis (false sunflower), Calamagrostis (Karl Foerster reed grass), Phlox paniculata (garden phlox), aster, Liatris (blazing star)
Hardy shrubs and trees with brilliant fall colour: cranberry, cotoneaster, amur maple, chokeberry, saskatoon, dogwood, sumac, burning bush (Euonymus), barberry (Berberis), spirea, mountain ash (Sorbus), ure pear, ornamental crabapples, birch, larch
Olivia Johns is a horticulturist at Blue Grass Calgary
