Colors Of A Fall Garden
Summer flowers are fading away, which means it's time to bring the colors of fall into the garden.
Mums are a traditional fall favorite, but if you're looking for something a little unusual to plant this season, garden designer P. Allen Smith suggests ornamental grasses.
He dropped by The Saturday Early Show to tell us more about the graceful plants.
More than 178 ornamental grasses are currently under cultivation, according to Smith. These grasses come from the nation's prairies. As a result, they are hardy and practically impossible to kill. Grasses typically enjoy full sun, need a heavy soil and don't require fertilizing. The grasses come in a variety of colors, textures and heights. And some "bloom" in the fall.
Smith says grasses add a nice vertical element to any garden. They can be planted in the back of a flowerbed or used as a screen. They look best planted in clumps of three or five, Smith says, and they provide unique texture and movement.
Some grasses Smith says to consider using in the yard are:
When choosing other plants to pair with the grasses, mums are a natural choice for fall, according to Smith. Their round forms are a good contrast to tall, spiky grasses. And like grasses, fall is their time to shine. Many people may not realize, however, that there are early, middle and late blooming mums. Another plus - mums are virtually disease resistant, but Smith says just be sure not to let them dry out.
When buying mums, Smith suggests looking for plants that have a lot of buds but have not yet flowered. Mums only flower once a season and you want to be able to enjoy the blooming yourself. Most people treat mums as annuals, but they can be perennial if planted in the garden and trimmed back after blooming.
The following are mums Smith displayed on The Saturday Early Show:
Smith uses the same basic design principles when planting a container. First, he uses plants from the same color family. And second, he always includes something tall and spiky, something round and full, and something to cascade over the edges of the pot.
If you don't have any grasses in your garden, don't fret. Smith says this is also a good time of year to plant them. The air is getting chillier, but the ground is still quite warm. Plus, fall usually brings a bit of moisture. These conditions allow plants to acclimate to their new homes before the harsh winter hits.