Happy Monday GPODers!

If you’ve been following GPOD, subscribed to Fine Gardening magazine, or following any of our socials for a while, you’ve seen Jay Sifford’s incredible garden and designs (If you want a little refresher, check out his author page for articles he has contributed to the magazine, or check out a few of his past GPOD submissions: Back in Jay’s Bog Gardens, A Garden Jay Made in NC, and Fall in Jay’s Garden). Today, we get to see his exceptional garden donning its dazzling fall colors. Jay’s garden is full of conifers in every color, shade, shape and form you can imagine. During the fall months, all of these conifers really come alive with the backdrop of other fall foliage stars.

Learn more: Top Plants for Fall Color in the Southeast

P.S. – If you’re looking for even more design advice and insights from Jay, you should definitely check out our interview with Jay on our podcast (Episode 156: Finding Design Inspiration with Jay Sifford)!

Early November brought some new magic to my mountain garden called Rhodwood. I’m located in the northwestern-most county of North Carolina, at 3300 feet. I was zone 6b, but was recently moved to 7a, an unwelcome event in my mind.

Because the winters can be long, dark and cold here, creating a four season garden was a top priority. The peak flowering time is July, but in autumn, nature seems to drape the garden in kaleidoscopic magic. Bright foliage plays well with the now-dormant grasses and the (mostly) green conifers. Since Ashe County produces more Christmas trees than just about anywhere else, the conifers in my garden tell the story of Place.

The entryway into the front garden is framed with a simple and minimalistic aluminum portal. This portal frames the axial focal point, a small planted island adorned with blown glass spears. From here, the eye is intentionally pulled through the garden by a plethora of different colors, textures and shapes.
This immersive garden has exceeded my expectations, and enhances my life every time I drive up those big hills!

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 gpod@taunton.com 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!

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Fine Gardening Recommended Products

ARS Telescoping Long Reach Pruner

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

Telescopes from 4 to 7'. Cut and Hold (160) Blades. Drop forged blades for unsurpassed long lasting sharpness. Lightweight, 2.3 lbs., for continued use. Perfectly balanced for easy pruning.

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DeWalt Variable-Speed Cordless Reciprocating Saw with 6-Piece Saw Blade Set

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

You can fit a variety of blades to this saw to cut fallen branches or prune larger limbs from trees in a pinch. It’s fast, tough, easy to use, and extremely versatile.
- 18.31 x 6.13 x 4 inches
- 1-1/8-inch stroke length
- Variable speed trigger with 0-3000 spm
- DW4856 Metal/Woodcutting Reciprocating Saw Blade Set, 6-Piece

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