Those gaudy, blossom-heavy chrysanthemums that are now appearing at discount stores and supermarkets have seen their day, say gardening experts. On porches and in gardens, those short-lived mums are being replaced by hardy perennials.
At Clark Farms in South Kingstown, owner Richard Clark said, “Container arrangements are all the rage.” They are filled with hardy grasses, groundcovers, and flowers that bring color well into winter, he said. The Fall Magic collection by Proven Winners includes cold-tolerant plants with striking flowers and colorful foliage. Many of them will be healthy until December, Clark said, “and some will look good until February.”
Clark Farms and other garden centers sell plants individually and in container arrangements.
Clark’s containers often include rust colored Pennisetum grass (Pennisetum rubrum) that works in the background of a mixed planter as a small plant or all alone, as a mature plant, in an ornamental pot.
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