Autumn Gardens

By Murray Anderson

Fall is here. For a gardener, that means lots of trimming, pruning, mulching, composting and generally getting ready for winter. However, once all that work is done (or even while you're outside doing it) wouldn't it be nice to be able to look at some bright colors and greenery in your autumn gardens? Well, the time to start planning your autumn garden for next year is right now. Here are some ideas.

• Start by looking at the plants you've got in your garden now. Make note of the flowers that are still blooming and the trees and shrubs that are changing colors. Which colors do you enjoy the most? Would you like more of the same in other areas of your yard or would contrasting colors close to your existing plants provide a better overall appearance.
• Remember, during the autumn (and winter) you won' be outside in your garden as much as in the warmer weather, so check out the view of your garden from inside.  Colorful plants in the corners where you can't se them won't add anything to your enjoyment of your autumn garden so determine what would be the best location for your plants. Fall is still a good time to move or plant new shrubs or perennials, since they will still have time to establish themselves before the real cold weather arrives.
• Take a walk around your neighborhood and go to some parks or public gardens. Here's where you can get some ideas of plants that will provide color and interest to your own garden. Be sure to take a notebook (or even a camera and make note of plants, shrubs and trees that provide colors and appearance you enjoy. The added bonus of taking a camera along is if you see some plants that you don't know, a picture can help you identify them. 
• One of the secrets of a beautiful garden is having something in bloom all the time. Annuals will provide color and beauty during the spring and summer, but as fall approaches, they wilt and die off. This is where fall blooming perennials come into their own. All during the spring and summer perennials grow slowly so when the more delicate flowers start losing their beauty the fall perennials are just coming into bloom. The trick with perennials is to be sure to plant them early in the season (spring) so they can be well established by the fall. 
• Even if your garden is small in size, don't forget that shrubs and small trees can add interest to your autumn garden. Deciduous shrubs with bright bark can provide a splash of color and autumn leaves will provide an ever changing palette of colors. Some shrubs even provide the added bonus of colorful berries that stay on the branches throughout the entire winter. 
• Got some open spaces but don't want to overload on color? Consider adding some ornamental grasses to fill up these spaces. Grasses can add interest and even some color to your autumn garden and will provide contrast with the snow during the winter. Just be sure you are planting 'clumping' varieties of ornamental grasses so they won't spread into your lawn. 
   
  Murray Anderson is an experienced freelance writer over 500 articles published on the web as well as in print magazines and newspapers in both the United States and Canada. He writes on a wide range of topics and is a regular contributor to DoItYourself.com. He can be contacted at murand@lycos.com.