Even while the last blooms of summer fade and the trees shed their leaves, there’s still much to enjoy in the autumn garden. I went out this morning with my camera to save its late-season beauty before it vanishes under the snow.
Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp) is one of my favorite native shrubs because it not only provides nutritious berries for the local birds, but also beautiful fall color in a range from bright gold through deep sunset orange to brilliant scarlet.
My white and purple Blazing Stars (Liatris spicata) are some of the most unique and eye-catching blooms in my summer garden, and in autumn they turn into striking spiky seedheads that remain upright and dignified for weeks, if not months, into the snowy season, while feeding goldfinches and other birds.
My Autumn Joy sedums (Hylotelephium ‘Herbstfreude’) have darkened to a deep, rich purple that will later fade into rust. Their flat-topped clusters are another long-lasting source of winter interest to the garden, if you can resist the urge to deadhead.
Finally, though my beloved Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) has an unfortunate tendency to flop and look messy from a distance, especially after the first snowstorm or two begins to mat it down, few plants are more rewarding on closer observation. The subtle blend of blues, greens, and reds you can find in summer turns to gold and rust in autumn and the fluffy little seeds catch the fading light on sunny days. My bluestem is interplanted with Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis) and its distinctive one-sided seedheads add a nice pale golden hue that contrasts with the more colorful tones of the bluestem.
Spending time in the garden in autumn is always a little melancholy knowing that the season is coming to an end after another year and it will be months before I can see green growing things again. Fortunately, choosing plants with beautiful fall color or interesting, long-lasting seedheads like the five mentioned above helps extend the beauty and presence of the garden further into the colder months, so I can look outside and see it waiting for me even under its blanket of snow.
