Happy Monday GPODers!

We’re getting an update from another frequent contributor to the blog, Kevin Kelly in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Kevin’s garden is spectacular is every season, and he’s been very generous in sharing it throughout the year and in various renditions. Previous submissions include: Kevin’s Spring Garden, Review of 2022 in Kevin’s Garden, Textures in the Late Summer Garden, Kevin’s Garden in January, and so many more. But there is something extra-special about his space in fall. Today we get to see it donning all of its glorious autumn color last month.

Good morning. This is Kevin Kelly in Harrisburg, PA (now Zone 7a). I haven’t posted in a while, but wanted to share some November photos from my garden. I am on a 1/3 acre property in a suburban development. We had a dry Autumn and had no rainfall the month of October. Despite that the garden has held up well. I started gardening here about 25 years ago with a blank slate. My gardening goals have changed and I have been moving to a more naturalistic style. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Here is a broader view of my front yard, The garden is ready for winter from my perspective. The stems are left standing to provide food and winter habitat, as well as provide winter interest for me. I have a crevice garden on the slope in the middle of the photo. On the left is Berry Poppins® winterberry (Ilex verticillata ‘FarrowBPop’, Zones 3–9).

‘Koto-no-ito’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Koto-no-ito’, Zones 5–9) backlit with the afternoon sun.

‘White Tigress’ Manchu striped maple (Acer tegmentosum ‘White Tigress’, Zones 4–7). This maple has beautiful yellow fall foliage and gorgeous striped back. If planting today, I would have used snakebark maple (Acer pensylvanicum, Zones 3–7), which has similar features, and is native, but it was not available 20 years ago.

Brown can be a lovely color as well. This is the fall appearance of ‘Peve Minaret’ bald cypress (Taxodium distichum ‘Peve Minaret’, Zones 4–9). This dwarf bald cypress is one of the deciduous conifers and does very well here in this wet spot where all the water drains from my driveway. One the right is Lady in Red™ ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Tuilad’, Zones 2–8) and on the left ‘Little Honey’ oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Little Honey’, Zones 5–9) (which is now heavily shade and loses its yellow color by August).

My east border seen from my neighbors property. The leaves remain in the beds and nothing is cut back in autumn. My beds are planted densely which eliminates the need to spread wood mulch (the plants are green mulch). ‘All Gold’ Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’, Zones 4–9) and eastern bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana, Zones 3–9) are gorgeous in this border in November.

Green Vase’ zelkova (Zelkova serrata ‘Green Vase’, Zones 5–8). This tree has been used as an elm replacement. It is a reliable shade tree that is very upright and can be worked into a smaller landscape or used as a street tree.

This is my Pollinator Garden in the front yard to the west of the driveway. My garden shed is to the back. In front is ‘Duke Gardens’ Japanese plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Duke Gardens’, Zones 6–9), a deer resistant evergreen that can grow in full sun to full shade. The grass behind it is our native ‘Ruby Ribbons’ switch grass (Panicum virgatum ‘Ruby Ribbons’, Zones 3–10).

I love the look of dried flowerhead when backlit by the rising or setting sun in November. This is ‘Autumn Fire’ sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Autumn Fire’, Zones 3–9).

The wonderful fall color of ‘Snow Queen’ oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow Queen’, Zones 5–9) adds much beauty to the shrub layer in the garden.

Finally, a nice spot to relax in the back yard. There is a fire table on the patio that gets regular use as the nights get chilly.

Thank you so much for sharing your incredible garden with us again, Kevin! Your space delights in all seasons, but you have the perfect range of plants for an inspiring fall display.

Although winter is officially here, I’m still thoroughly enjoying all of these incredible fall gardens! If you took photos of your garden in its autumn glory, please consider sharing them with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit.

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