Four for Fall

by Lydia Holley November 15, 2021

Although summer is over, and the many plants which love heat have mostly quit blooming, there are several plants which shine during this time of the year. If you are interested in having an abundance of blooms in autumn, you can’t go wrong with these four plants.

1) Mums. Chrysanthemums are sold as annuals, but most are perennial in East Texas. So, these versatile plants can be used in pots or in the ground. Choose colors which coordinate well in your garden or try contrasting colors for a little more pizzazz. You can also find hardy mums, or garden chrysanthemums, which are hardy through even the harshest winter. They are also taller, usually growing to around three feet tall. At last spring’s plant sale, Henderson County Master Gardener Association offered ‘Gethsemane Moonlight’ which is not only very hardy but also stays low, growing to only two feet. Whether you want pink, purple, white, yellow, gold, or orange, there is a mum you will love.

2) Grasses. Now is the time when ornamental grasses throw up their plumes and show off. Whether you love a striped foliage or a fluffy seed head, grasses can provide the perfect contrast to other plantings. Or, you may want to use them in abundance instead of in a mixed planting. Meadow plantings have become popular over the past years, and adding flowers to a garden of ornamental grasses instead of the other way around allows for a lot of movement, life, and beauty.

3) Camellias. These late-fall or early-spring blooming evergreen plants have remained popular in the South for two hundred years, and for good reason. They come in various sizes, ranging from shrub height to as tall as a small tree. Their blooms come in various colors and forms and sizes. Whether you want a generous-sized, multi-petaled flower or something a bit more subdued, if you want blooms throughout the winter, camellias will help you achieve that goal.

4) Asters. Like mums, asters can be perennial or annual, tall or short. Either way, their purple, pink, or white daisy-like blooms spread cheer. They are as popular with bees and butterflies as they are with people.

Plant abundantly and enjoy these pretty plants which welcome fall with open buds. You will never again miss summer’s blooms.

For more information, call 903-675-6130, email [email protected].