There are plenty of flowers to enjoy in the fall

The strange weather continues as we officially enter the fall season. It is very odd that there is almost no changing leaf color being expressed yet, despite being almost October as I write this. Lots of leaves have already fallen due to the high incidence of various leaf spot disease we had this summer. Most trees are still hanging on, however.

It is still very wet in the woods and fall mushrooms are popping up in earnest. I harvested and ate some of a Maitake (Hen of the woods, aka Grifola frondosa) cluster last week and it tasted delicious, but I got a stomach ache later on that evening.

I discarded the rest of that one and picked another today at a location close to home that I will try once more. I have eaten this mushroom many times and hope I have not developed an aversion to it. Wild mushrooms are somewhat unpredictable in that regard.

Despite the lack of tree leaf color, there are some very pretty fall flowers in bloom right now. It is true that our most spectacular flowering display of both wild and cultivated plants begins in April and ends in late June. This is wonderful therapy for our winter weary eyes and souls.

By mid summer, the socalled “dog days” send us back indoors to languish in front of fans or air conditioners. No one complains about the lack of flowers because it is too hot to notice.

Often, in late August, cooler weather arrives but few flowers are coming into bloom. It is a bit of challenge to design a garden that blooms continuously from April till October, but here are a few suggestions.

The following plants bloom from mid summer to late fall:

Yarrow or Achillea are easy to grow perennials that feature clusters of small flowers in various shades or pink, white and red.

Aconitum or Monkshood is a spectacular, blue flowered, shade loving perennial plant that demands cool, moist but well drained soil. It is not particularly easy to grow.

Japanese anemones are beautiful and delicate perennials that bloom well into September.

Roses often put out a final show in September and October if they have been pruned back, sprayed and fertilized in August.

Flowering Kale and Cabbage will persist until Thanksgiving, at least, most seasons.

Although some people consider goldenrod a weed, I think it is beautiful and there are many, many cultivated species besides the wild ones. Contrary to popular myth, goldenrod pollen does not trigger allergies.

Most wild and cultivated black-eyed Susan’s (Rudbeckia) bloom well into the fall also.

This brings us to the Asters of which there are many species, both cultivated and wild. I have transplanted deep, violet to blue colored wild asters (pasture asters) from a horse pasture into a perennial border where they steal the show each August into September. You will find at least three or four different wild varieties of Aster growing in the shady woods from August until mid-September with white, yellow or purple flowers.

Right now you will also find a white flowered plant called white snakeroot in bloom in the woods. Botanically this plant is Eupatorium rugosum and it is closely related to another late summer blooming Eupatorium called JoePye weed.

This and the late flowering Boneset feature clusters of small pink to purple flowers.

I have seen Joe Pye weed grow to ten feet tall in Kentucky but it usually tops out at about five feet tall around here.

Chrysanthemums are very well known and popular perennials (?) that never seem to survive a single winter in any of my gardens. Fortunately they are inexpensive and for a $20 bill you can easily brighten up any flowerbed with four or five different colored varieties.

Both asters and mums require regular pinching back from May until July for the best display in September.

Virgin’s bower (Clematis virginiana) is a vigorous growing vine with small white flowers that really puts on a display in August and September.

Finally we have some fall blooming crocus,

which are bulbous type plants that may be enjoyed as you prepare the site for your spring flowering bulbs.

As you dig up the Cannas, tuberous Begonias and Dahlia’s for winter storage, plant some spring flowering bulbs in their place. These are just a few of the nice flowers we can enjoy even as we head towards the end of summer.