Shades of September
Whats' new this month?
It's an odd time of year. Neither summer nor fall. Cooler but not cold. Perhaps chianti rather than sauvignon blanc but not-quite-ready-for-a-full-Bordeaux type of weather
I typically head into the garden to see what is new – newly blooming or in leaf – not newly going into decline! So what is there to get excited about in September? October and November will be redolent with autumnal shades: does September offer anything other than a weary landscape?
As I uploaded my images I was surprised to see how many shades of red there were; not the fiery fall colors that the smoke bushes and maples promise for the future, but chill-tipped foliage and flowers in shades of rose and ruby that suggested it was time to find my fleece jacket. Berries were also in abundance, from the glossy red honeysuckle that cedar wax wings prefer to viburnum, barberries and Red Beauty holly.
Enjoy a September stroll with me
Flowers Galore!
Many perennials and shrubs put on a second flush of flowers in fall while others are an autumnal highlight.
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- Pardon my Cerise beebalm (new from Proven Winners)
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- Pow Wow Wild Berry coneflower
This Pink Micro Chip butterfly bush is STILL pushing out blooms even as it leans on a winter daphne – instant floral arrangement
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- One of the Bud Bloomer heather varieties.
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- October Daphne sedum (Sedum sieboldii) takes charming to a whole new level
Many of the white paniculata hydrangeas age to pink – a great opportunity to play with plant combinations
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- The rosy glow of the Firelight hydrangea echoes the hue on the Purple Preference spurge
Sometimes it isn't the actual flowers that have a pink hue but rather the sepals as with this Abelia x grandiflora
Berries, seed heads and more
From oversized to teeny-tiny, there are berries and seedheads throughout the garden already.
Raspberry-like seed heads of the kousa dogwood tree – Christmas in September??
Talking of the Holidays, this Red Beauty holly seems to be well ahead of the curve too!
Red Beauty holly with Tangelo barberry and Baby Blue boulevard cypress
Left to right: Serotina honeysuckle, samaras on a Purple Ghost Japanese maple, tiny barberry berries
Foliage
A solitary leaf on the Fireglow Japanese maple offers a prelude
While shades of red, orange and gold are expected on many trees and shrubs as autumn approaches, it is the unexpected multi-colored additions to foliage that I feel is a bonus to the September garden
Lime Glow barberry adds various shades of pink to its cream and green marbled leaves
I was surprised to see Mountain Fire andromeda still showing off mahogany colored new growth
And then there are the tiny succulents on the green roof of this delightful bird feeder that are also turning color.
What's happening in your garden this month?
Fantastic photos and very detailed commentary. Thank you so much for your efforts for the green industry and your ecological perspective…
Thank YOU Alan
Beautiful mix in your well designed Garden. Like the hot colours so much!
I'm in the South hemisphere. Spring is being full of flowers, blue sky and singing birds. A bit too hot for October.
Hi Carolyn, thanks for stopping by. Happy to know you enjoyed the post.