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My front yard garden today—thanks to the recent rain, it's colorful, lush, and still going strong! For plant ideas that keep on giving, unfazed by fall, follow this link.

I hope you're enjoying the change in weather as much as I am. I'm a big fan of fall. I enjoy the cooler temps and I don't even mind seeing the rain return—in moderation, of course!

With the change in season, I've been going full steam ahead making changes in my garden at home as well as taking advantage of the fall planting season in my client gardens. That means that I'm putting in new plants, removing those that didn't make the cut, and transplanting some to better locations.

As I'm sure you're aware, fall is a terrific time for installing new plants here in the Pacific Northwest. The coming rains will ensure your new additions are well-watered and soil temps are still warm enough for plants to establish a healthy root system over the winter and be all the stronger next spring.

A cautionary note: make sure that you keep your new plants watered in case we experience another dry spell before the winter rains commence. When planting, if your soil is still dry from the summer, make sure that you re-hydrate it by digging your planting hole, filling it with water, and then letting it drain. Do this and pre-soak your plant by submerging it, pot and all, in a large bucket of water. Doing both of these things will help to ensure that both the ground and the new plant's root ball are equally hydrated. And finally, don't forget the mulch. 

TIPS FOR PROPER PLANT SPACING

When I’m deciding on how much distance to leave between my slow-growing-but-eventually-awesome plants, I take into consideration their mature size and leave enough room so that my “forever” plants can remain, even when they reach maturity.

The "forever vs. for now" concept can be tricky to illustrate in a single, still photo. This link takes you to a video where I walk you through an example in my home garden.

In the example above from a client's garden, the variegated feather reed grass and the asters have both bulked up very quickly and even though they were planted recently, they dominate this late-season scene. The long-term plan, cruising along below the radar, is barely evident in this photo. In a few years, the dominant plants will be: Heptacodium miconioides, Cotinus Winecraft Black®, Rhaphiolepsis (Indian Hawthorne),Viburnum carlesii 'Aurora', and some low-growing Weigela. In three to five years, the grasses and asters that are so prominent now will likely be gone or, at minimum, significantly thinned out.

NEW PLANT COMBOS

Lot's of new plant combo inspiration on the site. Just in time for fall planting season!

Drought Tolerant Native Plants in Mixed Border for Blasting Sun

Create a Sun-Loving, Low-Water Planted Screen

Mixed Foliage Textures and Summer Flowers Offer Multi-Season Display

Waterwise Garden: Summer Perennials Framed by Handsome Foliage

Until next time!