green thumb
Colourful autumn gardening ideas
r u o col
FALL FOR
W
by MARK AND BEN CULLEN
hen your hanging baskets are hanging just a little more than you want, and your petunias have gone stringy, it’s time to assess a sprucing-up – think about replacing them with reliable fall blooming plants. Here are our top perennials for fall colour:
1. New England asters The cultivated varieties are related to the native plant, only they flower longer, and the blooms are arranged in tight masstes for best effect. Butterflies love these, too. Plant lots where you want to punch up the colour using bright white, red or blue. Yes, blue. It’s hard to find perennials with a blue flower this time of year, but asters are your number one choice. They are winter hardy north of Ottawa, too.
Mark Cullen is a Member of the Order of Canada. He reaches more than two million Canadians with his gardening/environment messages every week. Ben Cullen is a professional gardener with a keen interest in food gardening and the environment. You can follow both Mark and Ben on Twitter (@MarkCullen4), Facebook (facebook.com/MarkCullenGardening) and Instagram (instagram.com/markcullengardening). Receive their free monthly newsletter at markcullen.com.
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Home Decor & Renovations | August–September, 2021
