Autumn – The Perfect Time to Add Plants to the Garden

“You ought to know that October is the first Spring month.” – Karel Capek

Some of us view the fall months as a slow time in the garden. We rake (and rake again) the falling leaves but tend to view “gardening” as over for the year. Yes, our plants are going dormant and the colorful blooms of summer are just a memory, but autumn is the best season to tackle a garden project and add or transplant plants for the coming year.

There are many reasons for starting a garden project in the fall. The cooler temperatures make physical labor so much easier and most of the pesky insects that torment us in the summer have disappeared. Increased rains make digging easier and provide moisture that new plants need. You can also save lots of money planting in the fall. Right now, garden centers are offering great sales on trees, shrubs and perennials. This week I purchased several 3-gallon ‘Knock-out’ roses for just $10 each. At another nursery I bought lots of perennials at a “two-for-one” sale.

Adding new plants or transplanting existing ones in the fall gives your plants time to develop a strong root system before spring growth. When spring arrives, they will be bursting with vitality.

This past weekend, my husband and I decided to spiff up a long narrow bed next to the sidewalk leading up to our front door. This area gets lots of sun and is further heated by the cement sidewalk. I have never been happy with its appearance and decided this cool fall weekend was a wonderful time to create a fresh bed of plants.  Plus (and this is most important) the Georgia Bulldogs had a bye week in football, so it really freed up my weekend!

Since my front yard is part of my public space, I want nice curb appeal but also want tough, hardy plants that will survive without a lot of attention. I chose plants that thrive in full sun, add color in different seasons and are easy to maintain. I decided to mass plant several of the newer varieties of Nandina domestica (Heavenly Bamboo). Now I know that lots of you dislike Nandina and will think I made an unoriginal selection. But Nandinas have multi-colored leaves, keep their leaves year-round and can thrive in hot conditions. I chose Nandina ‘Harbor Belle’ which is a dwarf, spreading variety with new growth in various shades of pink that matures to deep green. Bright red berries and burgundy leaves appear during the winter months to bring cheer and color. I also added some Nandina ‘Blush Pink’ and some ‘Fire Power’ which displays dramatic red leaves during the late fall and winter months.

As companion plants, I added rosemary, one of my favorite herbs, for its sculptural interest and scent. It is wonderful to run your fingers along the edges and release that pungent smell. As flowering ground covers, I added creeping phlox around some rocks and tucked in some perennial Coreopsis ‘Crème Brulee’ (tickseed) to add some colorful flowers next summer. After we finished this project, we still had time to get rid of some over-grown and ugly ‘Nearly-Wild’ roses and exchange them for the ‘Knock-out’ roses we got on sale.

So, on one cool fall weekend, I got lots of exercise and vitamin D and designed and planted a new garden bed that will develop strong roots over the winter and be ready for the demands of spring and summer. It’s not too late for you to check out the garden center sales and plan your own fall gardening project.