Garden Photo of the Day

Fall in John’s Garden

Beautiful gardens on a difficult site

By GPOD Contributor
foliage plants in various colors in fall

My name is John Markowski, and I garden in Zone 6B in central New Jersey. My property is inundated with deer, and the soil drains poorly, so I’ve built my garden around ornamental grasses and native perennials. The grasses are shining right now in combination with the slowly declining perennials.

close up of foliage plants in fall gardenMany gardens peak in the spring with a brilliant display of bright flowers, but this garden looks amazing right now in the fall, with each plant taking on a subtly different hue but all working together to end the year beautifully.

pink perennials and silver ornamental grassThe flowering stems of Miscanthus sinensis (Zones 5–9) have given way to their beautiful silvery ripening seeds. Behind them is a different variety of the same grass, which is just maturing a little later, so there’s a contrast between the different colors of seed spikes.

foliage plants in various colors in fallThis miscanthus has bright variegated foliage that contrasts with the darker foliage around it. In the front left is a bit of pink from obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana, Zones 3–9), a wonderful and very long-blooming native perennial.

close up of Sneezeweed right before going to seedSneezeweed (Helenium autumnale, Zones 3–8) has colorful daisy flowers in shades of yellow, orange, or red. But here, after the showy petals have fallen, it takes on a subtler beauty of the central yellow ball maturing slowing into ripened seeds. Note that the common name for this native perennial is a bit misleading; it is just one of the many native plants with show flowers that happens to bloom around the same time as ragweed, and so it gets blamed for the ragweed allergies.

garden bed full of fall foliageFall foliage and ripening seeds are doing what they do best.

wide view of garden with lots of ornamental grass in fallDeer and poorly drained soil can present challenges, but John shows that you can still make a beautiful garden in those conditions.

 

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Ho-Mi Digger - Korean Triangle Blade

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Versatile Tool: The Easy Digger Korean Triangle Blade Ho Mi Ho-mi is a versatile gardening tool designed for leveling and digging in home and garden settings. Efficient Design: Its unique triangular blade shape allows for easy soil penetration and efficient leveling of garden beds or landscaping areas. Durable Construction: Crafted with sturdy materials, this tool ensures long-lasting performance and reliability. Ergonomic Handle: The comfortable handle provides a secure grip, reducing hand fatigue during extended use. Compact Size: Its compact design makes it easy to maneuver in tight spaces and store when not in use.
Buy at Amazon

Plant Covers Freeze Protection 10 ft x 30 ft Floating Row Cover 0.9oz/yd²

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Lightweight and Breathable MATERIAL Good for protecting Plant: the plant frost cover material is 0.74 oz/sq non-woven polypropylene fabric, which is lightweight, breathable, and durable. The plant blanket frost protection allows sunlight reach the plants, perfect for protecting plants from the damage of freeze or frost. Wide Application In your Garden Work. The plant row cover not only can work as a barrier against frost, but also can be a great tool for germination and good for rapid seedling growth. By using the fabric plant covers over your plant, you can start the plant earlier in the spring and extending the growing season of your plants. How to Use the Plant Covers: you can cover the plant covers for freeze over your the plants loosely directly and then secure the plant frost blanket with soil, stones or staples. You can also support the floating row covers with a hoop, make enough room for plants to breath and grow. You could also cut the plant covers into different sizes for different purposes.
Buy at Amazon
X
View Comments

Comments

  1. user-7821942 10/25/2023

    Inspiring! You have aptly shown how to use a site to your advantage despite its disadvantages, a good lesson for all gardeners. Thanks for sharing.

  2. User avater
    user-7007816 10/25/2023

    Great job in a tough environment. Your grasses are spectacular! Thanks for sharing.

  3. gardendevas 10/25/2023

    Bravo, John! Glorious colors and textures with such a natural flow. (Do you cut all those grasses down every spring…?!?)

  4. User avater
    treasuresmom 10/25/2023

    For those who may be interested, type John's name in the search & you can see his other submissions.

  5. btucker9675 10/25/2023

    Over the years I have become more and more infatuated with grasses and your garden is a perfect example of how beautiful and versatile they really are. Thanks for sharing this beautiful fall garden.

    1. User avater
      cynthia2020 10/25/2023

      Re: grasses
      I have a new property and hope to design the small area I have with some lower clump forming grasses e.g. prairie drop seed. Right now there is a mess of ground cover, grass, and volunteer trees in about one third of the back garden. Will probably do a long period of smothering, but there is a slope, so that might make it more difficult.

  6. User avater
    cynthia2020 10/25/2023

    John - I enjoyed looking at all the photos and reading the text. Your style reminds me of e.g. Kelly D. Norris and Piet Oudolf.

  7. User avater
    simplesue 10/26/2023

    You created a beautiful natural looking landscape- I just love it!
    So relaxing to look at all those natural looking colors and textures.

  8. jos29803 10/27/2023

    STUNNING! STUNNING! and more STUNNING! I love the colors and textures. Well done!

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Related Articles

The Latest

How-To
Keep Moth Orchids Happy and They’ll Bloom Year After Year

For many people, picking up a potted moth ­orchid (Phalaenopsis spp. and cvs., Zones 10–12) is like buying cut flowers; they don’t care for the plant once it stops blooming.…
Design
4 Luck® Red Stripes White Variegated Clover Adds a Little Luck to Your Pots

While many gardeners might label white clover as a weed, this fast-filling, variegated selection is cute as a button in containers. With a mix of 3- and 4-palmate leaves, you’ll…
Design
Garden Tour of a Sustainable Native Plant Oasis Bursting with Fall Color

When Jeff Lorenz and Kayla Fell purchased this property in the Philadelphia suburbs, they knew they had their work cut out for them. A front and back yard of mostly…

Video

View All Videos
Design

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping—not because you’re likely to trip on something, but because you might be dive-bombed by a pair…
Design

4 Midsummer Favorites From a Plant Breeder's Garden
Design

Garden Tour of a Sustainable Native Plant Oasis Bursting with Fall Color
Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 170: High-Impact Native Plants with Uli Lorimer  
Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 169: Great Foundation Plants