The long hot days of summer are quickly coming to an end and Fall is in the air.

 

Fall is a beautiful time of year especially in the North as the foliage on many of the deciduous trees and shrubs change their colours.

 

If you are wanting to add Fall colour to your landscape it is not too late as early Fall is an excellent time of year to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials. The cooling air temperatures will mean less heat stress on plants and it will be easier to keep the soil moist, giving plants the ideal conditions for growing. Not only are the growing conditions ideal but this is also a good time of year to pick up on the sales that are available at the garden centres. There is still a good selection of trees, shrubs and perennials available.

 

There are a number of shrubs that have brightly coloured fall foliage and one of the most colourful ones is the ‘Burning Bush’. As the name suggests it turns a bright red in the fall.

 

Other shrubs with fall colour include, ‘Azalea’, ‘Cotoneaster’, ‘Dogwood’, ‘Barberry’, ‘Elder’, Amur Maple’, ‘Flowering Cherry’, ‘Sumac’, ‘Cranberry’ and ‘Spirea’. Hydrangeas also are beautiful this time of year, especially when in bloom, as are roses. Many varieties of roses have colourful rose hips in the fall. Rose hips are formed when the old finished flowers are left on the plant . Trees include ‘Maples’, ‘Populars’, ‘Birch’, ‘Linden’, ‘Mountain Ash’, and ‘Larch’.

 

If you are looking to add some flowers to the Fall landscape consider planting ‘Sedum’, ‘Rudbeckia’, ‘Echinacea’, ‘False Sunflower’, ‘Phlox’ , and ‘Liatris’. All of these are late blooming perennials that add a last burst of colour to the flowerbed.

 

While working in the flowerbeds you may want to divide some of the perennials. Lilies, peonies, and iris are best divided in the fall. Perennials do not need to be divided every year.

 

Perennials are divided when this years flowers were smaller than other years, or the centre of the plant has died out or you may want to propagate some new plants.

 

Before digging up the perennial first prepare the new site for the perennial. Dig the hole and add some good quality soil to the bottom of the hole along with a handful of bone meal. Next, cut the foliage back to 15 cm on the perennial and then dig it up. Using a sharp spade, divide the perennial into parts. Use only the healthy parts of the perennial for replanting and toss out any older non-productive parts.

 

Peonies should have 3-4 eyes per section, when re-planting. Lily bulbs are carefully separated and replanted.

 

It is always important whenever planting to water everything in well and continue to keep the soil moist throughout the season until the frost sets in.

 

Have a good long weekend!