Mario Bautista
This is the time of year where our interest in our gardens start to wane.
We are already starting to see signs of fall appear (which seems to be earlier than usual) — the changing leaf colours and some plants looking a little weary from a hot summer.
How is your garden looking? Is everything fizzling out?
It is too early to call it quits.
Here are some plants that will keep your garden blooming over the next month, so you can enjoy your garden for as long as you can.
Turtlehead (Chelone obliqua)
Let’s start with a native perennial: turtlehead is a species of clump-forming perennials native to eastern North America.
The name comes from the shape of its flower, resembling that of a turtle’s head emerging from its shell.
Turtlehead plants grow best in boggy areas, but can optionally grow in part-shaded home garden with about four hours of sunlight, rich, moist soil, and temperate climates (USDA zones 3 through 9).
The dark green, toothed leaves are oval-shaped and have upright-standing stems that feature blooms from mid-to-late summer to fall.
Turtleheads are available in white or pink flowering varieties as well as dwarf varieties. Interestingly, the genus name “Chelone” dates back to a story in ancient Greek mythology.
The nymph, Chelone, did not attend the marriage of Zeus and Hera, so she and her house were tossed into a river, where she transformed into a tortoise who carried her house on her back.
Toad lily (Tricyrtis)
Toad lilies is one of those plants of which very few people are aware.
This late summer/fall bloomer may have small flowers, but the details included in each speckled, orchid-like flower are amazing.
They thrive in partial to full shade gardens with consistently moist soil.
There are several species of toad lilies available to the home gardener.
Tricyrtis formosana “Autumn Glow” is one of these species with yellow and green variegated leaves with dark pink speckled flowers.
Tricyrtis “Blue Wonder” is another spectacular variety with blue flower petals and pink freckling. A great addition to the shade garden.
Japanese windflower (Anemone)
There are many cultivars of Japanese anemones available on the market — too many to mention.
They range from white to light pink to dark pink flowers, both single and double flowering.
Japanese anemone prefers growing in a full sun or part shade location with a moist, but well-drained soil.
The height of the different cultivars ranges from dwarf (1’) to three to four feet high. They begin to bloom mid to late August and blooms throughout September.
Sunshine blue bluebeard (Caryopteris clandonensis ‘Sunshine Blue’)
This is one of my favourite late summer/fall blooming shrubs. Its lemony-yellow leaves provide colour all throughout the growing season.
Come late August, clusters of small blue/purple flowers open, creating the perfect contrast to the yellow foliage.
This three-to-four-inch shrub grows best in full sun to light shade. It is fairly drought-tolerant once established.
Bluebeard is also a favourite pollinator plant for many different bees.
Foliage colour all season, bright purple/blue falls into fall, attracts pollinators … what more could you ask for?
So, if your garden’s beauty is starting to fizzle, it is time to head to the garden centre and look for the plants above, as well as others such as sedums, that will add that needed fall interest.
Joanne Young is a Niagara-on-the-Lake garden expert and coach. See her website at joanneyoung.ca
