Hi GPODers!
Since posting some past GPOD submissions in A Few Favorite Fall Gardens from GPOD and Giving Thanks to the GPOD Community, I’ve been thrilled to receive some updates from the contributors in those compilations. One of those contributors was Carol Verhake from Berwyn, Pennsylvania. Carol has shared photos from her garden through the seasons (Carefully Chosen Colors Bring a Garden Together, New Spaces in Carol’s Garden, and Another Reader’s Favorite Plants), but some of our favorite submissions are her glorious space in the colder seasons (Fall in Carol’s Garden, Snow in Carol’s Garden, and Carol’s Garden in Winter). She’s back today to give us an update on what fall looked like this year in her garden.
It’s Carol Verhake from Berwyn, PA, Zone 7. You recently featured a photo of my garden from the GPOD archives. I was thrilled to see that you found my garden photo to be a favorite fall scene, but seeing the 2022 date made me realize I haven’t sent you photos recently. So, I’m submitting some from my October/November 2024 landscape.
Over the nearly 25 years I’ve gardened here, I’ve made a lot of changes like removing tons of pachysandra, taking down some ash trees and replacing them with a diverse selection of trees, and removing areas of lawn to create more beds.
I’ve included some close ups of fall flowers that pack a punch along with some broader views that show fall color all around the garden.
I hope you enjoy these views of my current landscape – I loved seeing a lot of color this season, which was unexpected given the record breaking drought conditions in the area this year.
We’ve seen a lot of aconitum this fall, but most of those have been the darker purple varieties. This one that Carol has a incredible blue tie-dye look.
In this scene, ‘All Gold’ Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’, Zones 4–9) looks like a frothy green wave in front of a sea of light purple tinantia blooms.
As Carol mentioned above, she also sent in close ups of various flowers that put on a show in her garden during fall. Lots of different asters look lovely in a fall garden, but climbing Carolina aster (Ampelaster carolinianus, Zones 4–8) is a particularly nice, vining option.
But you can’t talk a out fall flowers without acknowledging the power of some seed heads in the garden. These angelica seed heads really pop against the fall color behind.
Another fall classic, the bright purple fruit of beautyberries always looks like shining gems in autumn landscapes. I believe this is a Japanese beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica, Zones 5–8) with those incredible climbing Carolina asters in the background.
Maybe it’s because Christmas is around the corner, but the second I saw these pretty, blushed-pink angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia suaveolens, Zones 8–10) I saw a row of ornate bells. Of course, nature has a way of making a recognizable shape so much more magical.
Carol said this incredible garden sculpture was made from a dead rhododendron! I’m obsessed with seeing the creative ways people use unexpected materials, particularly in the garden. Aside from the obvious composting and turning plant material into mulch (which are still incredible in their own right!), there are endless opportunities to reuse and recycle in the garden, including artistically.
Carol has so many gems in her garden! These bright blue gentiana look like sapphires peeking out from the brown fallen leaves.
I think Carol hit the nail on the head with the label of this photo: Gorgeous glow with afternoon light.
Carol’s garden really checks off all of the fall garden must-haves. Karl Foerster’s feather reed grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, Zones 4–10) is always a great ornamental grass that accents the darker, bolder colors of the season.
Despite looking like a peak-summer bloom, lots of red-hot pokers (Kniphofia) can keep growing straight through fall. This spire of bright orange and yellow blooms is made even brighter in front of ‘Woods Blue’ aster (Symphyotrichum ‘Wood’s Blue’, Zones 4–8).
Lastly, a narrow-leaf spice bush (Lindera angustifolia, Zones 6–8) is a kaleidoscope of incredible fall colors in front of Carol’s beautiful moon gate.
Carol sent in many beautiful photos of her garden (including more that feature her stunning moon gate), so we will be back in Pennsylvania tomorrow to see more of what’s growing and glowing in her garden this fall!
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.
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