Today’s photos are from Lynette Rodriguez.

I am a horticulturist through education: UW-Madison BS ’93. Along with my husband, Francisco, we operate a small landscape business in northern Illinois where we design, install, and maintain multiple sites. I love color-combo vignettes and choose plant material to ensure successful plantings. Our clients allow us to “just do what we do” in order to keep the gardens beautiful. We love our job!

This is a photo I took during a recent “application” of rime ice that blanketed the trees and shrubs on various mornings. Unfortunately, there’s no blue sky in the background, but it was beautiful nonetheless.

More rime ice. Rime ice develops when high humidity combines with cold temperatures.

Sweep and fill the gap—it sounds like a football play, but it’s a design tactic I implement to blend colors. A sweep of Diervilla ‘Cool Splash’ (Zones 4–8) is highlighted with Coleus ‘Vino’ (annual) behind it and ‘American Salmon’ geranium (Pelargonium ‘American Salmon’, annual) in the front. Dashes of powdery blue Ageratum ‘Blue Horizon’ (annual) emerge from the bed to calm the richness of the coleus. A sweep of Cleome ‘Señorita Rosita’ (annual) and Salvia ‘Amistad’ (Zones 8–10 or as an annual) provide a break between the dark foliage of the Pennisetum ‘First Knight’ (Zones 7–11 or as an annual) and the aforementioned coleus.

Allium ‘Millenium’ (Zones 5–9) and Angelonia ‘Angelface Wedgewood Blue’ (annual) are a match made in heaven.

Aralia ‘Sun King’ (Zones 4–8) and echinacea (Echinacea purpurea, Zones 5–8) didn’t seem like a fit at first, but when the coneflower came into full flower I found I loved this combo way more than I anticipated I would.

A hanging basket fronted with a peach hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid, Zones 10–11 or as an annual). The hanging basket consists of Begonia ‘Unbelievable Lucky Strike’, dwarf marguerite sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas, Zones 9–11 or as an annual), Fuchsia ‘Bella Mariska’ (annual), and Coleus ‘Wedding Train’ (annual).

Verbena bonariensis (Zones 7–11 or as an annual) with Autumn Joy sedum (Hylotelephium ‘Herbstfreude’, Zones 3–9) in the background.

Clematis ‘The First Lady’ and ‘Polish Spirit’ (Zones 4–11, although I’m not sure this is a correct ID) mingle together with perfection.

This is actually three pots set close enough together to create a feeling of one large planting. From left to right: dusty miller (Jacobaea maritima, Zones 7–11 or as an annual), Scaveola ‘Scampi Blue’ (annual), Coleus ‘Vino’ (annual), Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Zones 4–9), Coleus ‘Wedding Train’ (annual), Pentas ‘Jessica’ (annual), Pennisetum ‘Black Knight’, Ageratum ‘Blue Horizon’, dwarf marguerite sweet potato vine, Coleus ‘Alabama Sunset’ (annual), Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’ (Zones 6–9), and golden sage (Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’, Zones 4–8).

This photo was taken at my house on October 5, 2020. It was “the end of the gardening season in morning light.” I am always sad to say goodbye to the garden in the fall, but the fall morning light and fall color help to ease the pain.

This forest scene makes one stop in the stillness of winter. The old oaks stretch across the pathway to provide shelter and mystery to all who linger in their grandeur.

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