Garden Photo of the Day

The Bittersweet Change From Summer to Fall

Fall in the garden of a GPOD regular

Peggy Fox is a regular contributor to the GPOD, and she has just shared some wonderful images of her garden in autumn.

This is Peggy Fox, in Gig Harbor, Washington. You said you were looking for photos of gardens in their fall mode; here are some from this fall and some from October a year ago. I’ve submitted photos several times to GPOD in the past five or so years. (If you missed those posts, check some of them out, starting here. You won’t be disappointed!). Many of these are photos of the change from summer to fall—fall color but with summer things just finishing.

This lavender multifida (Lavandula multifida, Zones 8–10) decided to send out a few more blooms before the frost. Though not as cold hardy as some species, this lavender makes up for it by blooming over a very long period.

The lovely little fall-blooming Saxifrage fortunei ‘Pink Elf’ (Zones 7–9), from Dan Hinkley, poking up through fallen prunus leaves.

Berberis ‘Helmond Pillar’ (Japanese barberry, Zones 4–8) and Hakonachloa aurea (Japanese forest grass, Zones 5–9) along the stone steps.

The last Scabiosa caucasica ‘Fama’ (Pincushion flower, Zones 4–9).

Redbud ‘Forest Pansy’ (Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’, Zones 5–9) and Hakonachloa aurea.

Here is some fun fall color from Cotinus ‘Grace’ (Grace smoke tree, Zones 5–9).

Euphorbia on a dewy fall morning.

Rosa rugosa (Zones 2–9), pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana, Zones 7–11), and Cotinus ‘Grace’ contributing to fall’s color scheme.

Echeveria ‘Topsy Turvy’ (Echeveria runyonii ‘Topsy Turvy’, Zones 9–11). I love its salmony fall flowers!

Cotinus ‘Grace’

Hens and chicks (Sempervivum spp. Zones 3–11) getting bronzy. Hens and chicks will develop the reddest colors if given bright sun, cool temperatures, and well-drained soils.

 

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Comments

  1. User avater
    meander_michaele 11/09/2018

    Well, Peggy, I gotta' say...you are as talented behind the camera as you are nurturing the subjects that are so camera worthy. I particularly love the photo of 'Grace' with the perfect blue sky as its backdrop. The interesting pattern on the leaves is like Mother Nature communicating in her own secret language.
    And the cascading tumble of Japanese Forest grass even in its buff colored stage fills my heart with delight.

    1. user-7007059 11/11/2018

      Thank you! I really love to wander around in the garden and document what’s going on!

  2. Chris_N 11/09/2018

    Hi, Peggy! Looked back at your earlier photos and remembered that yours was one of those "Ooh! Aah!" gardens that one just drools over. Such lovely photos, it is hard to pick a favorite but that saxifrage really stopped me in my tracks. Unfortunately, zone 7-9 does describe even southern Wisconsin where we had our first snow today.

    1. user-7007059 11/11/2018

      Thank you for your kind comments about the garden! And Wow - snow already... we’re not ready for snow here yet; I just finished insulating my greenhouse for the winter. Now to move all of the tender things into it before the first hard frost!

  3. btucker9675 11/09/2018

    What a perfectly stunning garden you have made - thank you for sharing these beautiful photos!

    1. user-7007059 11/11/2018

      Thank you! I really love to play with color and texture in the garden.

  4. User avater
    treasuresmom 11/09/2018

    Love that Saxifrage.

    1. user-7007059 11/11/2018

      Isn’t it cool?! It’s out even more fully this week; It really makes you slow down and look at it, it’s such an unexpected color for this time of year, and the blooms are quite large.

  5. user-5117752 11/09/2018

    MARVELOUS! Love the colors, love the design, love the pics!!! As fall is winding down here, (western NC) I'm afraid I do get a little sad. 4 1/2 months of blah to look forward to. Up and down temps and only gardening magazines to keep me company. (Of course, there are the cats!) YOU MADE MY DAY!!!

    1. user-7007059 11/11/2018

      Cats are indispensable, especially for curling up with while dreaming about the next spring! And thanks for your kind words!

  6. [email protected] 11/09/2018

    Can't wait to look at these again, and to look back at previous postings. I am may 40 minutes from you over in Maple Valley, and it's fun to see gardens similar to mine in zone, climate, etc. Lucky you to be near a nice Native Plant nursery I only discovered this past summer! Love your garden!

  7. cheryl_c 11/09/2018

    Peggy, all of your photos are excellent - I rarely seem to be able to get the clarity that your photos have. I especially liked your Forest Pansy with the bird bath, and the cotinus against the intense blue sky. Thanks so much for sharing these great pictures!

  8. User avater
    bdowen 11/09/2018

    Beautiful effect with the sunlight coming through red leaves in many of your photos. Did you make your birdbath? Beautiful garden!

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