Fall Garden Plants

Fall is my favorite time of the year.  I just love the cool, crisp air which makes walking in the garden so much more enjoyable. I enjoy Fall gardening for the same reason—it’s cooler. I am a sucker for a fall-blooming plant.  I’m always on the lookout for something new, and I thought I’d share with you some of my findings. 

Pink Muhly Grass is hard to find, but when you see it, you’ll love the pink fluffy plumes that arise from the foliage in September. This plant is beautiful when planted in mass, but also makes a great specimen. Muhlenbergia capillaris is it’s botanical name, and this plant looks great with fall blooming asters. 

Perennial Ageratum is another eye-catcher with its bright lavender blooms that return each year in September. 

Berries tickle me as well, because I know they’ll bring birds into the garden. One of my favorites is American Beautyberry with its deep magenta berries that are in clusters wrapped around the stem. The berries hang onto the stems even after the leaves have dropped, providing interest on into the winter. If purple isn’t your thing, a rare white form and a pink form can be found in specialty nurseries. 

Fall is upon us, and fall is the best time to plant these beauties, so make your plans now for the best gardening season of all—Fall!

Piedmont Azalea

Piedmont Azalea is definitely one of the loveliest blooming shrubs in the South. And the fact that it is a native plant means it should be planted in every southern garden (in my opinion!)

The Piedmont Azalea, Rhododendron canescens, is native to the Piedmont region of the Southeast, making it suitable for growing anywhere in Georgia.

The fragrant blooms can be anywhere from a vivid pink to a soft pink or even a pinkish white. Blooms appear in very early spring before the leaves on this deciduous shrub.

Although Piedmont Azalea naturally occurs in the warm southern United States, it is hardy to areas as cold as USDA Zone 5.

All azaleas prefer well-drained soil, so you should amend your soil with soil conditioner or composted bark to improve drainage if your soil is clay.

Native Azaleas are usually found growing in the woods but will bloom more profusely in full sun as long as water is adequate.

Bloom buds are formed in late summer and early fall, so pay close attention to watering during this time. When a native azalea fails to bloom, lack of water during bud formation is usually the culprit.

Native azaleas are drought tolerant once established, but water weekly the first year or two to make sure your plant gets a good start.