Well, it’s early October and my garden is growing just as I had planned, with a few end-of-summer flowers and beautiful autumn flowers blooming against a backdrop of crimson foliage. I’m also enjoying a sprinkling of white from garlic chives as they bloom among the pink flower clusters of Autumn Joy Sedum, which, by the way, will transform to bronze-red as fall progresses.
How are things growing in your garden? Are you seeing what you want to see right now? If not, let me offer some reminders and suggestions.
Fall is the season for getting perennials in the ground while the soil is loose and well tended. It’s the time for planting both sun-loving perennials and shade-loving perennials. (Yes, remember that the shaded areas of your garden can benefit from more foliage and blooms, too.) When planting, place perennials in odd numbers and stagger them according to height and color.
K. van Bourgondien has a brilliant selection of perennials for the home gardener and for flower farmers like me. Sun-loving hibiscus are among my favorites, and Holy Grail is a particularly special choice for the flower farmer. Its dark foliage adds intriguing detail to any floral piece and has a good vase life.
October is the time to plant hibiscus, giving the roots time to get established before winter temperatures set in. I highly recommend mulching around the base for the first winter. This adds extra protection for freshly planted perennials.
When placing hibiscus in your garden, consider how tall they’ll grow and how wide they’ll spread. This will help you determine where to plant them and how to plant them (for example, whether to create a focal point in your landscape or grow as a hedge along your property line). In the field, you can plant in rows, and the more, the merrier, right? Flower farmers simply can’t have enough hibiscus for the dramatic foliage they provide!
Starry Starry Night is another hibiscus I recommend. Unlike other hibiscus that flower only at the top, leaving seed pods as the blooms fade, Starry Starry Night blooms from top to bottom.
As a flower farmer here in Kentucky, growing in garden zone 6, I’m always on the lookout for new perennials to grow. I suggest you do the same, and Holy Grail and Starry Starry Night are prime candidates for your “2022 Must Grow” list. I’m looking forward to next year when I can share images of how they look in bridal bouquets and the other floral arrangements I design here at the farm.
I hope this month brings you, my garden friend, all that you desire.
Happy Gardening!
Pamela Anthony
Beehind Thyme Farm & Garden