ST. PAUL, Minn. — Although spring is widely considered prime planting season, fall is actually an optimal time for homeowners to add color and plot a vision for next year's landscape.
"Autumn is the perfect time to assess landscaping needs and fill any gaps that exist in your landscape," said Bailey Nurseries brand manager and horticulturist Natalia Hamill. "And while you're at it, you can add plants that provide a pop of color – like a throw pillow for your garden."
Bailey Nurseries, which has been around for more than a century, has spent years perfecting shrubs and trees that have better blooms, colorful foliage, compact shapes or multiple seasons of interest, many of which provide rich color during the fall months. Many trees and shrubs can be planted during fall, so gardeners can enjoy spring blooms without waiting a whole year.
Top Fall Landscaping Tips
Here are the top fall gardening tips from Bailey Nurseries' experts.
- Take inventory: Decide what, and where, your landscape is lacking and plug the gaps now. Depending on plant type and local climate, you'll be able to enjoy a full, bursting garden as early as next spring.
- Multi-season interest: Consider adding plants that offer color for more than one season. Examples include Endless Summer® BloomStruck® Hydrangeas with blooms from late spring through fall, First Editions® Tiger Eyes® Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac with chartreuse leaves in summer changing to stunning yellow, orange and scarlet in fall, and First Editions® Standing Ovation® Serviceberry with sweet white flowers in spring followed by blue fruit and red-orange leaves in autumn. (See below for more examples.)
- Attention to temperature: Different plants react in varied ways to temperature swings, so minding your region's weather patterns is a must. Bailey Nurseries' plant tags and the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone map show gardeners how to adjust to their particular climate.
- Look long-term: Achieving the ideal landscape doesn't happen overnight. Establish a vision for what you want your garden to look like, then understand that many trees and shrubs take several years to reach mature size. The results last much longer and are well worth the wait. To see this kind of strategic gardening vision in action, check out home gardeners Amy and Luke in this First Editions® video series.
Fall stars
These plants provide instant color in fall and can keep a landscape looking beautiful for years to come afterward:
- Cayenne Dogwood: These bright red stems shine all winter, even in southern parts of the country. Blue berries form in late summer amid Cayenne Dogwood's lush green leaves.
- Amber Jubilee™ Ninebark: Amber Jubilee's orange, yellow and golden hues are a perfect fit for fall. New spring leaves are also full of glowing tones and delicate white blooms.
- Pink Sparkler™ Birchleaf Spirea: Exquisite pink flowers bloom on Pink Sparkler in early summer then re-emerge in fall. Additionally, fall flowers appear down the stem for a full, rich appearance and pop of pink, and the leaves turn burgundy red during autumn.
- BloomStruck® Hydrangeas: After providing great summer flower color, BloomStruck leaves turn a rich, deep red – the ideal touch for a fall landscape. From the First Editions® collection, Vanilla Strawberry™ Hydrangeas and Jetstream™ Oakleaf Hydrangeas also provide fantastic autumn color.
- Scarlet Jewell™ Maple Trees: Homeowners can usher in fall early with these crimson leaves, which show up a full two weeks before those of other red maples. In spring, bright red flowers appear. Matador™ Maples, on the other hand, hold their leaves longer and provide an even deeper red color well into autumn.
ABOUT BAILEY NURSERIES
Recognized as one of the largest wholesale nurseries in the United States, Bailey Nurseries is a fifth-generation family-owned company serving more than 4,500 customers worldwide. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., along with operations in Oregon, Washington and Illinois, they are known for producing and distributing top-quality horticultural products and services to retail garden centers, growers and landscapers. Bailey Nurseries' Endless Summer® Hydrangeas, First Editions® Plants and Easy Elegance® Roses brands are widely recognized as premier products in the industry. For more information, please visit baileynurseries.com.
Source: Bailey Nurseries
