Fall in the garden is often overshadowed by the beauty suddenly on display throughout the arboretum. Trees that one may have simply walked by earlier in the season are now lit up with the most colorful foliage. Many of the plants in the gardens understand that their day in the sun is figuratively (and literally) past. But not everyone has succumbed to the colder temperatures, some plants live for the shorter days and cooler nights. Asters and Chrysanthemums have taken center stage, but are not the only ones vying for your attention. 

Salvia mexicana ‘Tula’, for example, has brightened the Idea Gardens with its intense colors. Chartreuse calyxes give way to striking purple flowers on a plant that reaches close to 6 feet tall. Talk about drama! The one caveat with this incredible sage, is its late blooming habit means that it depends on us having a later frost. If you are in an area prone to frosts before November, ‘Tula’ isn’t for you. I am grateful that ‘Tula’ is still in bloom even now. We treat these plants as tender perennials here in our gardens and bring them inside to overwinter.

In the third week of October I stumbled upon this incredible combination in the Pollinator Garden. Virginia creeper had climbed over the silver foliage of mountain mint and we had not noticed until it put on its bright red fall color. Silver and red dancing together in the garden seemed like a promise of seasonal winter displays still to come. I try not to let vines bring down perennials, but if they coexist this beautifully I might just tolerate it in the garden.

As I’d mentioned at the beginning, Asters have been blooming brilliantly the last few weeks. You can find many cultivars throughout the gardens, but I will highlight just the two above for now. Aster ‘October Skies’ has been blooming in the North Garden for weeks. This perennial aster is beloved by pollinators, who can tell which flowers still have pollen by the color of the center of the bloom.

Aster ‘Ezo Murasaki’ is the plant that keeps on giving. The color tones on this cultivar create a depth and beauty that many asters cannot rival. Even ‘October Skies’ can’t compare with ‘Ezo Murasaki’ when it comes to late fall color in the garden. The drawback is that it can spread with a bit too much abandon and needs to be reined in every spring to make room for the other plants in the garden. You can find ‘Ezo Murasaki’ blooming in the Idea Gardens and Rock Garden.

I could not end the blog without showing a few of my favorite fall foliage colors here at Blithewold. The Ginkgo is always a stunner. I love the way the yellow color slowly bleeds onto the green of each leaf. Each day this giant specimen glows a bit more intensely as the golden hues take over.

The cutleaf full moon Japanese maple near the entrance to the North Garden makes me glad for cooler temperatures. The leaves take on a red so bright they glow when the sun hits them. It is truly a spectacular tree for fall color.

A surprising showoff in the gardens the last few weeks has been the blueberries outside the Vegetable Garden. Their foliage has turned a lovely deep burgundy-maroon. It was a treat to enjoy these plants for more than just their delicious fruits. 

I hope you are finding new colors and plants to enjoy this season. Turning our eyes and minds to wonder at nature is always an uplifting an experience. Here’s to all the beauty the garden has to offer, especially when we least expect it.

Happy fall!