This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

[SG] Fall Planting has Begun

Hi All,
        The weather is too hot, but I started my fall planting early this year.
Normally I wait until September, but my gut tells me it is going to be an
early fall and winter. If I am wrong , then I am ahead of the game for
once. Just means I have to keep things watered for a couple more weeks than
usual.
        I am in the process of completely reworking a section of the garden. It is
the outside edge in a bit of a outward circle that ends with a rock wall
that drops downward. Following the outside contour is a path about 4 to 5
feet inward. The area I am reworking is about 45 feet long. Almost
everything was removed including the path. The soil was turned over,
compost added and then redug, raked down smooth. The path and limestone
rocks lining it was replaced.
        As you come across my little bridge the path forks. The left goes into the
center room of the garden, the right fork is the path I am describing. I
began by planting one clethra or Summersweet, just as you come off the
bridge. It is the dwarf variety hummingbird and only reaches around 3 feet.
Blooms are white, deep glossy green crinkled leaves. As the blooms age they
get brown tips enhancing the effect. Next I have planted two mature
Aconitums in a deep blue that will reach about 6 feet. I left one of the
hardy geraniums in place for the foliage and early summer blooms in blue.,
then moved on to the next new planting. From the geranium I began with a
Goldenrod in the center ( first goldenrod I have found that I truly like.
The Stiff Goldenrod or S. rigida). Leaves are grey-green and it gets to
around 5 feet with lemon-yellow tuffs of blooms at the tops of the stems.
Around that I have place two Great Blue Lobelias in the background on left
and right. Up front I place three dwarf Balloon Flowers in lavender-blue.
Next is another hardy geranium I left from the last arrangement and it is
also in a blue with a white eye. Next to that is a planting of Swamp
Milkweed, the selection Ice Ballet. White blooms on top of tall stems with
willow-like leaves.  They are arranged in an open circle with another dwarf
Balloon Flower just inside the circle and close to the path. Next is a
Witchhazel that is now about 6 years old. Blooms in bright yellow during
February. Too old to move. That takes me half way. I will be working on the
second half today and the rest of the week.
        The plan is to have summer, fall and early winter blooming plants. Not
completely since I will want some interest during other seasons, but
primarily a fall interest.
        Anyone else beginning their fall planting ? What are you up to... in the
garden.
Gene Bush     Southern Indiana    Zone 6a     Munchkin Nursery
          around the woods - around the world
genebush@otherside.com     http://www.munchkinnursery.com
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index