As peak growing season winds down,
it’s time to think about extending your garden’s interest into fall. Discounted plants are abundant this time of year, and birds will certainly be thankful for additional sustenance and shelter. Plus, cool-weather landscaping can absolutely still be beautiful.
After four decades of designing and installing gardens, Darryl Abraham of Naples, New York, appreciates options that aren’t just easy on the eyes but also on the back. “I’m on the naturalizing, lowmaintenance side of things,” he says.
He also knows the value of working in layers and using a variety of plants—trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers and ground covers—for contrast in height, shape and texture. Some of his favorite fall plants include red twig dogwood, gray dogwood, rose of Sharon, ornamental grasses, goldenrod, milkweed and American bittersweet.
Darryl is an advocate for autumn gardens thanks in part to his parents, garden authors and radio hosts George “Doc” and Katy Abraham. They grew lush landscapes that included hazelnut shrubs, brambles, apple trees and more—for their own enjoyment and to help sustain wildlife.
To design a gorgeous outdoor space with lasting power, follow some of Darryl’s top fall plant recommendations.
GREAT GRASSES
Ornamental grasses peak after summer, when they reach their mature height and develop striking flower heads. Many turn an attractive buff color, which serves as a perfect backdrop for bright companions such as mums and sedums. And a few offer their own hues, such as flame grass (Miscanthus ‘Purpurascens’), which turns a fiery red-orange.
Most grasses remain upright during the cooler months, adding extended interest. Darryl says, “They’ll go right through the winter, have kind of a brown tuft, and then you cut them back in the spring and get the new growth coming out. They’re fairly easy to maintain.”
APPEALING FRUITS
Certain fruitful plants attract birds in autumn, including mountain ash, a favorite of cedar and Bohemian waxwings. Other seasonal picks that get a thumbs-up from Darryl include American bittersweet, blackberries, cotoneaster and sumac, with its beautiful burgundy leaves in fall and conical fruiting structures.
STANDOUT SHRUBS AND TREES
When it comes to adding trees and shrubs with flair, Darryl recommends mock orange and viburnum, which offer spring flowers and striking fall foliage. Rose of Sharon blooms from summer into early fall. And hydrangeas have large summer flowers that fade into attractive tones of pink and tan. Look to oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) for burgundy fall foliage.
As for trees, Darryl suggests both red or sugar maples for brilliant fall foliage and northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) for its cigar-shaped seedpods.
FALL FLOWERS
While mums are a well-known seasonal standout, Darryl likes seed-bearing perennials that feed birds. He says, “Blackeyed
Susans are pretty tough, and echinacea is another good one.” Other favorites of his include Joe Pye weed and asters. Leave the flowers standing or break up the seed heads and cast them around for the birds.
EVERGREEN BEAUTIES
“Birds pretty much like any kind of tree,” Darryl says. But he points out that they tend to especially enjoy the shelter of evergreens.
Some good options to plant include the western redcedar (Thuja plicata), eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), Chinese
juniper (Juniperus chinensis) and blue spruce (Picea pungens). For long-term success, always make sure the trees you select are suitable for your growing conditions and noninvasive for your area.
With the right picks and planning, it’s easy to set up your garden for enjoyment well into fall.
Luke Miller was mentored by Darryl’s parents, Doc and Katy Abraham, and admired all the plants in their garden—except for the sumac, to which he’s allergic.