October roses are the best. The punishment of heat, humidity, no rain, wind--whatever summer happens to be, is over, plants are ready to give one last burst of energy and display all that is beautiful for your winter’s memory.
The shortening of the days allows certain flowers to bloom - chrysanthemums and asters are daylight sensitive. Cooler nights bring the geraniums and petunias back into flower. It is a wonderful time - and a time to begin to think about next year’s garden. A gardener’s work is never done!
Early fall is the best time to transplant spring flowering perennials, because their roots will have enough time to reestablish themselves before growth begins in the spring. Do this at least six weeks prior to first frost. It is also the time to plant the seed for spring blooming hardy annuals such as larkspur, poppy, and foxglove; these plants will seed themselves once grown.
Late fall or early winter is the time to plant trees and shrubs. Bulb planting should wait until after the first few frosts of late fall. If spring blooming bulbs are planted while the ground is still warm, they will start to grow, and when the inevitable freezes come, the bulbs may be damaged.
Finally, do not apply fresh mulch to the ground until after the first few freezes. Mulch applied too early will prevent the ground from reaching its winter temperature, and when roots are warm, they will produce growth, and that new growth will be damaged by freezing weather.
Groundcover:
Liriope
Vinca minor
Blue Pacific Juniper
Shrub:
Kerria japonica
Nandina dom. “Harbor Dwarf”
Dwarf Yaupon (Ilex vomtoria ‘Nana’)
(Note: most dwarf Nandinas do not have berries; Harbor Dwarf does.)
Perennial:
Yarrow, Achillea millefolium
Butterfly Weed, Asclepias tuberosa
Verbena
Ray D. Everson
