Today we’re paying another visit to Alice from Sweaburg in southwestern Ontario.

After quite a time of not being able to do much in the garden, things are looking up for me. These are some photos I took on October 1. In some ways, beginning of fall is my favorite time. The colors seem even nicer to me than they do in the summer. It has been very dry this year, and the voles and Asian beetles have wreaked havoc with some of the plants. The voles ate some hostas and sedums, and they died. The roses were eaten by the beetles. My autumn clematis got bitten off right at the stem; it grew back but has barely a flower. At least it is still alive. And the rabbits chewed off nearly every leaf on one hosta, but it is still alive too.

This lavender-pink sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile, Zones 3–9) is lovely and different from all the others I have. I will be splitting it in the spring to make more. What a thankful plant. The hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata, Zones 3–8) seems to have found its happy spot. I moved it three times over the years. It has always been rather spindly, but over the last two years it has seemed to be a happy plant.

This mum (Chrysanthemum hybrid, hardiness varies by cultivar) is a survivor. I planted it as a fall mum; sometimes they live, sometimes they don’t. The lavender (Lavandula × intermedia, Zones 5–8) is flowering for the second time because I trim it down a bit after the first flowering. It makes the bees very happy at this time of year.

Lavender blooms with supporting garden players and beautiful rockwork.

I got these lovely mums from Costco. I tried planting similar ones in the garden before, but they did not live. These are in a pot.

This angel sculpture is covering a tree stump.

In this side view of the garden, sedum, blue fescue (Festuca glauca, Zones 4–8), and Annabelle hydreangea look great as fall arrives. In the foreground is threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata, Zones 3–9), which has finished flowering.

These hostas have been planted in the hopes of covering the bare bottom of this shrub. They did not disappoint, taking off like crazy. The purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’, Zones 9–10 or as an annual) is a favorite of mine.

Another favorite, blue salvia (Salvia farinacea, Zones 8–10 or as an annual)

This ‘Little Bunny’ fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’, Zones 4–9) was a gift from a gardening friend.

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

Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes

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

Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs.

Buy at Amazon

Scotts Cordless Grass-Shear/Shrub-Trimmer Combo

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

With a built-in 7.2-volt lithium-ion battery, this little guy weighs less than 2 lb. and can zip through all your minor pruning tasks quickly and easily.
- 13.5 x 3 x 5 inches
- Uses a 7.2-Volt 2Ah high-capacity built-in lithium-ion battery; Includes a fast charger

Buy at Amazon

The New Organic Grower, 3rd Edition: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, 30th Anniversary Edition

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

Since its original publication in 1989, The New Organic Grower has been one of the most important farming books available, with pioneer Eliot Coleman leading the charge in the organic movement in the United States. Now fully illustrated and updated, this 30th Anniversary Edition is a must-have for any agricultural library.

Buy at Amazon