Autumn Color, Autumn Projects

Back to plants, I say. We have enjoyed a most lovely autumn with some rain and much in the way of color. While a lot of it is long gone, still, color clings on and I managed to photograph it as well as a couple small projects we've been working on. I give you early autumn at Chickadee Gardens.

In the background, Panicum 'Cloud Nine' glows, having turned from a silver green to shades of gold. I love this grass, despite its tendency to flop at the first sign of autumn rain. In the foreground is Muhlenbergia rigens or deer grass and an unknown chrysanthemum. 

The three Japanese maples that were here when we bought the property just get better. I'd considered ripping them out at first because they looked so sickly. Not any longer.

The "shrubbery" area in the western garden. In a year or so when plants finally grow and fill in, there will be many more photos to share. For now, in its infancy, this is as good as a photo gets.

I now have three fothergillas in the garden, I'd take a hundred if they were offered because they do this in fall. 

 The tail end of the grape vine (on the fence) autumn show. In the foreground is our native Viburnum trilobum.

The Amsonia hubrichtii has finally grown to sizable proportions after three years. 

My favorite pumpkin that might ripen in time for Thanksgiving, Musquee de Provence. We have about five of these giants this year. I couldn't be more pleased. 

An overall view of the labyrinth garden showing fall color on Sedum 'Matrona' in the center and Oscar the agave being overtaken by rosemary which is supposed to be prostrate. It has been pruned since this was taken. I'll show it who's boss. 

General autumn goodness. The corn this year did well, we grew a few new varieties, one was totally black - Maiz Morado and a green one, Oaxacan Green, among others. 

We had a Lagerstroemia or crape myrtle at the old house that we loved, and we were lucky enough to receive one from my friend Anna of the garden blog Flutter and Hum. It really put on the color show this year. Lagerstroemia 'Natchez'.

The golden plant in the center is Cotinus 'Pink Champagne' from Xera Plants. 

While not exactly fall color, this Salvia 'Phyllis Fancy' is stunning, I need to add a few more to the garden. It makes the garden feel like it's high summer . . . almost. 

A borrowed view past the fence into our neighbor's orchard.  

Another shot of the sun catching leaves just right.

The Franklinia alatamaha that we planted for our dearly departed Lucy has smashing color despite the fact that it's very young. I hope this tree does very well for us. Cross your fingers. 

Yes, we do use it sometimes.

A dewy morning and the rising sun. The tree in the foreground is Quercus hypoleucoides or silver oak that has grown considerably this year. The tall plant center right is Eupatorium 'Elegant Feather' and the one in front of it is a juvenile Arctostaphylos x densiflora 'Sentinel'. 

Cardoon seedheads. 

Panicum 'Cloud Nine', both of them. 

PROJECTS

Now on to a few small projects. Here's a "before" shot of the gravel path and its uneven grass edge on the left.

This section of "grass" has been troublesome from the beginning. It's saturated clay in winter and dry as a bone, covered in weeds in summer. FM has added gravel over the past couple of years so we could walk on it in relative cleanliness, but it was still quite messy looking. He recently cut out a straight line of sod and added more gravel, cleaning the whole thing up. Eventually I'll add some sword ferns along the grassy edge closest to the house, an area that is basically in constant shade being the northern side of the house.

Much, much better, FM, thank you! That's what this autumn and winter will be all about for me - cleaning up edges, making paths and adding gravel to the muddier locales.

Since we visit Lucy's grave often, we have worn out a path under the oak tree. I recently made a more permanent path. I was glad to do so.

I had this idea that we needed a path with a contrasting direction to the bulk of the garden to not only separate a large area of "grass" but to give direction towards the main garden and add visual tension. It also serves as an entrance of sorts, visible from the driveway.

Facilities Manager dug it out over the course of several days (that's hard work, moving wet clay with rocks in it) and I'm so excited. In this photo at the end of the path, I've dumped two wheelbarrow's full of quarter ten gravel. This is going to take a lot. Good thing I got 7 cubic yards of gravel for my early Christmas and birthday presents.

 This took 31 wheel barrows full of gravel. I predicted 30, FM predicted 20. I win a milkshake of choice. Sweet.

Last but not least, the shade garden grows. I am in the process (a long, slow one) of adding paths through the rows of straight lines of trees to create a meandering, moss-covered path. This will likely take the best part of autumn and winter, as I am much slower than Facilities Manager. Step by step. That's how I roll.

It has been a lovely autumn so far with enough rain to satisfy most plants and enough color to keep me staring in awe of what leaf color and a shift in light can do. This winter I look forward to finishing up a few projects, tidying edging along garden beds to give a more polished look and just general garden maintenance of cleaning out bird feeders, raking leaves off of pathways (when the trees are finally finished with their show), re-graveling paths, feeding the birds and watching critters. We may even do some cooking of all that wonderful food we harvested from the garden, which, by the way, is still going strong in the form of broccoli side shoots, same with cauliflower, lettuce, carrots, beets, kale, leeks, celeriac and more. We are blessed.

That's a wrap for this week at Chickadee Gardens. As always, thank you so much for reading and commenting! Happy gardening, everyone!