Fall Color in the Garden and Beyond
As we slide into our (almost always) reliably fabulous fall weather, there are more than a few things to be mindful of in our yards and gardens along with the natural areas we are surrounded by. First and foremost gardening season is not over!
Roses are having a splendid second bloom, fruits are coloring up and hydrangeas are showing off as the paniculata types magically transition their flowers from white to pink. (it’s not really magic but it is magical!). There are still many edibles to be harvested and flowers to be enjoyed by pollinators. Rudbeckia (black eyed Susan) and Echinacea have been showing off for at least a month now.
My new favorite perennial is Agastache (second to last) which demonstrates a more extended bloom time than almost any other perennial and seems to be a favorite of hummingbirds- but not deer! Fall foliage is also beginning to make a show. This will continue as the month marches on with some plants peaking after our first frost. Western Montana towns have gotten more and more colorful as new plants are introduced that not only thrive here but which add greatly to our fall color pallette. There are now many newer varieties of trees and shrubs to choose from compared to a few decades ago. On the other hand, our surrounding natural area look much the same as always. We have conifer forest for the most part as opposed to easter North America forests and their beautiful, rolling masses of fall color. We do, however, have mountainsides of Western Larch which turn bright yellow in the fall. Most often, this happens on north and east slopes and despite the fact I have been here over seven decades I am still blown away when a hillside of larch (mixed with a few evergreens for contrast) has turned to bright gold.
As you’re enjoying fall please make sure to take care of business as well. Weeds cannot be allowed to sprinkle their seeds all over your gardens (and everyone else’s). Unwanted tree seedlings also need to be dealt with. There are several tree types that are “volunteer weed trees” but the biggest culprit is the Siberian Elm. It has smallish lance shaped leaves with serrated edges and within two or three years can reach ten or more feet tall becoming nearly impossible to pull by hand. For many Montanans, fall is the best time of year. I can’t disagree- cool mornings, bright skies and outdoor happenings make for delightful days!
