It’s Fall, and the advent of the new season brings new possibilities for foliage. Homeowners often think of fall as a time to scale back their landscape – flowers close up for the season, irrigation becomes less of a priority, lawns can sometimes go for weeks without tending. And yet nowhere may fall be more beautiful than in Oklahoma, due to the beautiful foliage that, if carefully selected and planted, can start to bloom at the perfect time. The right plantings and landscape design can heighten the color of your home and property, bringing out a kaleidoscope of color.
At GreenPro we pride ourselves on our ability to know the kinds of foliage that can enhance your landscape design or property. We can plant small trees that bring in color – Chinese Pistache, Red Oak, Ginkgo, Shumard Oak, Sugar Maple, Japanese Maple. Shrubs can make even the smallest yard or landscape shine with fall color – particularly Burning bush, Nandini (Heavenly Bamboo), Mexican Bush Sage, and Crape Myrtle, all of which are noted by foliage artists for the ways they add color to the season.
Perennials may be the easiest and quickest way to bring out fall colors. Chrysanthemums are one of the most common fall flowers; they come in a variety of hues – red, yellow, orange, and rust, all of which are perfect for the fall landscape. Additionally, their hardy nature means these plants will survive from year to year. Because “mums” benefit from frequent division, these plants can also be divided in spring to multiply. Another plant widely used for its fall flowers is the Autumn Joy sedum. The sedum begins to change to light pink color in August, then slowly turns a deeper magenta, eventually changing to a dark, rust-red – perfect for a late fall landscape.
Another great fall flower is the Michaelmas daisy. Also known as asters, these flowers – like garden mums – grow in response to the shortening days of fall, giving gardeners a daisy-like flower carpet. A rich source of nectar, asters flowers at the height of monarch butterfly migration season, becoming a frequent way station for these insects. The flowers are also bee magnets, so individuals with bee sensitivities should plant asters away from the garden path. Asters also come in all shapes and sizes – some grow as tall as four feet!
Fall is also a great time of year to introduce pansies to your flower beds. These tough little annuals give color in the fall and survive the winter to bless us again in the spring. They come in a large variety of colors. It can be difficult to research the best kinds of flowers and plants that grow best through the fall months; additionally, you need to think through the best way to approach your landscape and its design. At GreenPro we pride ourselves on being the experts for foliage through all the different seasons and work with our clients to make sure that their design needs and landscape requirements are both mutually met. Give us a call.