Garden Photo of the Day

Fall in Pennsylvania

Highlights of the end of the gardening season

Today we’re enjoying scenes of fall in Carla Zambelli Mudry’s garden in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Fall in the garden is a very in-between season for me. I have lots of plants that are transitioning, and lots and lots of chores. This is the season of raking and final pruning, as well as tidying up beds and shredding fallen leaves for leaf mulch. This is also when I plant my bulbs and do my final plantings of any shrubs or perennials I want to get in before winter. Right now I do things like enjoy the hydrangeas in their fall form when their blooms change and their leaves change color in a lot of cases. And the roses are all rallying for a fall flush of scent and color.

There is also a new area I planted that Mother Nature half-created when I had to have some tree work a few weeks ago after some more crazy wind and thunderstorms here in Pennsylvania.

hardy begoniaIn the woodland and shade garden beds there are all sorts of other things that you forget you planted and then they bloom—like this hardy begonia (Begonia grandis, Zones 6–9), which is one of my favorites.

franklinia treeThe franklinia tree (Franklinia alatamaha, Zones 5–8) is not finished blooming yet either. And its blooms are among the prettiest you will ever see in any garden.

Brandywine viburnumPink berries on a Brandywine™ viburnum (Viburnum nudum ‘Bulk’, Zones 5–9). This shrub has big heads of white flowers in the spring, which produce these pink berries that then turn a dark blue as they finish maturing.

viburnum berriesMore viburnum berries. I can’t remember for sure which cultivar this viburnum is—maybe ‘Mohawk’ (Viburnum × burkwoodii ‘Mohawk’, Zones 5–8). I have a whole bunch of viburnum. Unfortunately, I couldn’t show you pictures of the elderberry berries, because the birds took everything.

Rudbeckia laciniata HerbstsonneTowering blooms of Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Herbstsonne’ (Zones 5–9)

abutilonHibiscus-like blooms of an abutilon (Abutilon hybrid, Zones 8–10 or as annual or houseplant)

red black-eyed SusanWarm, autumnal colors on a black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta, Zones 5–8 or as annual)

Hostas and ferns are still looking good in the shade garden.

turtlehead plantPink flowers of a turtlehead (Chelone oblique, Zones 5–9)

 

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Comments

  1. garden1953 09/29/2020

    Great garden and I love your plant choices.

  2. User avater
    treasuresmom 09/29/2020

    Great photos!

  3. katherine_8 09/29/2020

    What a beautiful gallery of plants, Carla!! I love the wildness factor, how everything isn't typical and manicured. I also love the number of "berry" bushes and trees. These are so vital for the survival of birds and small rodents over the winter months for food and protection. Have a lovely autumn.

  4. user-5117752 09/29/2020

    Thank you for sharing such lovely pics. Just love the colors and, ohhhh, those berries!!! And, I particularly love that rudbeckia. I'm not sure I've seen it at my favorite nursery. I'll definitely keep it in mind for next year.

  5. User avater
    cynthia2020 09/29/2020

    Carla - I also liked seeing your fruiting plants!
    Thank you for introducing me to your lovely Franklinia and Abutilon as well.

  6. User avater
    simplesue 09/29/2020

    Nice little garden tour of your plants, all seem to be thriving and looking good!

  7. btucker9675 09/29/2020

    Love your pretty garden! The viburnum berries are so lovely.

  8. [email protected] 09/29/2020

    Wonderful pictures. I have several of the same plants, but yours outshine mine. And aren't there any slugs where you live? Hosta, I'm thinking of you...

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