The Whistling Gardener

by Steve Smith

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville, located at 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., and a respected local expert on all things horticultural. You can reach Steve at 425-334-2002 or by e-mail at info@sunnysidenursery.net.

Once again I am forced to reiterate my previous statement that many of the thrills of this month are holdovers from the previous month. It's just the way Mother Nature works. My dahlias and cannas are still in their full glory, as are the Japanese Anemones and even a few roses. My Daphne Eternal Fragrance has never stopped blooming since early spring and the acanthus has kept its blooms now for over 3 months.

But signs of fall are definitely creeping into our gardens. Leaves from my European birch are beginning to turn yellow and litter the driveway, and it is all I can do to keep from cutting down the hostas and astilbes before they have changed color. But despite the tired look of many perennials, I still have lots of interest in the garden simply because I have a good variety of plant material to enjoy. Here are some plants for you to enjoy as well.

TREES: We are starting to see the early signs of fall color on trees. Sweetgums are particularly colorful, especially the ones planted in parking strips where they are totally neglected and abused. Raywood ash is coloring up nicely just down the street from me. This ash turns a very dramatic dark purple. Another tree that turns a solid color is the Ginko. When you combine the unusual shape of a Ginko leaf with that wonderful golden yellow color, it just doesn't get any better! There are many more trees starting to turn color, so if you see something you like, take a leaf and bring it into the nursery for identification.

SHRUBS: Probably the poster child for October fall color on a shrub would have to be the burning bush. Nondescript the rest of the year, burning bushes become a beacon of crimson red this month. If you are short on space, try a nice, tidy dwarf variety called Cole's Compact. Pee Gee Hydrangeas can look stunning in October as their mature blooms become a dusky pink. It's like getting two seasons of blooms for the price of one. Look for Enkianthus in garden centers now. This medium sized shrub has delicate bell shaped blooms in spring that become interesting seed pods in fall, followed by striking dark red fall color on the leaves. Our native red twig dogwoods are starting to show some fall color which will also be followed with red, yellow or orange twigs in winter depending on the variety. Really, there are lots of choices for shrubs that turn color, even ones that don't lose their leaves--but that is the subject of a later column.

PERENNIALS: Well, as I said above, the Japanese Anemones are still in color and if you have planted fall blooming crocus then they would be blooming too. Hardy cyclamen hederifolium blooms now and the coum variety blooms in late winter. Both are delightful in a woodland setting. Astilbe 'Color Flash' is a true fall standout with its bright red foliage. Purple Fountain Grass, which unfortunately is not hardy in the northwest, is truly spectacular in our fall gardens or containers with its soft purple plumes that just shout out to be stroked. I brought a handful into the house the other day and the missus put them in a vase by themselves and it made a lovely center piece for the dinning table. You don't have to be Martha Stewart or P. Allen Smith to create a nice arrangement with this grass. Asters, of course, continue to bloom into the late fall, as will mums and the many choices of hyssop that are on the market now. And it goes without saying that October is the best month to enjoy ornamental grasses such as the Maiden grasses and Japanese Forest grass, and let's not forget that evil black leafed Mondo grass. Pair Mondo grass with the golden-chartreuse Angelina Sedum and those two by themselves make a stunning combo all winter long.

VINES: There are several vines that can add some pop and sizzle to our gardens in the fall. Silver Lace Vine and the fall blooming Clematis paniculata both have white frothy flowers that can grow and smother a fence or ugly shed or the neighbor's old broken pickup in just a season or two. Vigorous seasonal pruning is mandatory to keep these two in check. For fall color in vines there is no comparison to Boston Ivy and Virginia Creeper. These vines are self-clinging so no need for a trellis. They will climb right up a wall or even creep over the ground to form a nice ground cover.

October in the garden center is really no different than any other month. While there may be fewer star performers than in the height of spring, there are still plenty to choose from to add some interest to the garden.

Don't let your yard become boring. Buy a couple new plants this month and start the process of making your garden more interesting.

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville and can be reached at 425-334-2002 or online at info@sunnysidenursery.net.