Hi GPODers!

Last week we got an exciting submission from long-time GPOD reader, but first-time submitter, Cleo from Washington (Late October in Cleo’s Back Garden). It’s always thrilling to get a first-time submission, but it’s equally exciting to get an update from someone we haven’t heard from in a while. Today, we get a fall garden update from Wendy Newman in British Columbia. Her garden was first featured back in 2017 (A Garden in the Okanagan Valley), showcasing her colorful summer plants. Seven years later, we get to see how her space has transformed and how it looks when fall foliage takes center stage.

Hi GPOD,

Here’s an assortment of photos from my fall garden.

I live in Canada’s Okanagan Valley where hot, dry summers and colder winters are the norm. During the spring, the garden is filled with the more muted colours of unfurling leaves, bulbs and ephemerals, while in the summer the many perennials carry the garden’s colours into blues, bright pinks and sunny oranges. But it is the fall when the trees and shrubs take over the show and fill the garden with the gorgeous earthy tones of their leaves turning colour.

Thank you,
Wendy Newman

Of course, as Wendy mentions, foliage colors reign supreme during the fall months. However, she also has some splendid blooms that provide more color and contrasting forms. This huge planting of guara creates a beautiful mist of pink and white blooms.

I absolutely adore the layers of interest that Wendy creates in her beds, and captures so beautifully in her photos. The eye can so easily glide from low-growing plants to taller trees and shrubs.

Another sensational scene full of glowing fall plants. Huge ‘Honorine Jobert’ Japanese anemones (Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’, Zones 4–8) absolutely shine with endless white blooms.

Another bed that epitomizes Wendy’s sentiments about the power of trees and shrubs during fall. The pretty purple/pink flowers are lovely in the front of the bed, but the various shrubs and small trees are clearly the real stars. This photo also gives a great little glimpse of the striking Okanagan Valley landscape that surrounds Wendy’s property.

A private pergola is made even more lovely with the colorful foliage that surrounds. This has to be an absolutely incredible spot to host a summer dinner party or enjoy a mild fall afternoon.

The view from the other end of the path we saw above, revealing more of the stunning landscape that surrounds Wendy’s incredible garden.

While trees and shrubs are stars in fall gardens, the right perennials and grasses obviously do their part. Lavender is providing plenty of interest with its cool, blue-green foliage and faded flowers. A bright red ornamental grass—possibly ‘Shenandoah’ switch grass (Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’, Zones 4–9)?)—is a gorgeous contrast.

Wendy’s property is truly picturesque. From her incredible plantings full of color and texture to the stunning structures. I also love the repetition of red that can be seen throughout the garden and in all of her photos.

More late-season flowers putting on a gorgeous display in Wendy’s garden under a large spruce. Black-eyed Susan (Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’, Zones 4–8) and white alyssum never get old.

Thank you for sharing your garden with us again, Wendy! It was absolutely worth the wait to see how much your space has evolved and how amazing it looks at the end of the season. But I hope we don’t have to wait as long for the next update!

If you haven’t shared your garden with us in a while, please consider taking Wendy’s lead and submit photos again. Whether it’s your current fall plantings or a reflection on peak season, we’d love to see how your space has evolved. Follow the directions below to submit via email or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.

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

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

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

MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Buy at Amazon

DeWalt Variable-Speed Cordless Reciprocating Saw

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

Buy at Amazon