Fall garden scenes

November 06, 2020

Fall color is subtle in Austin, but I’ve been enjoying the flowering of autumn perennials like our native fall aster (Aster oblongifolius). Purple sunbursts!

This aster grows like a groundcover and benefits from an early summer trim, by about half, to keep it from flopping by fall.

Forsythia sage (Salvia madrensis) is my favorite fall flower — at the moment. I blogged about its mellow-yellow spires this week, and it’s still lighting up the shady border around the Circle Garden.

‘Dragon’s Blood’ sedum has blushed a deeper chocolatey red with the cooler temps. A bright-green sedge that jumped into the pot on its own provides a good contrast.

I keep seeing Texas spiny lizards sunning themselves on the new fountain pedestal, sometimes two that share the space. This one gave me a bright-eyed look last evening.

At Barton Springs Nursery a few days ago, I was transfixed by this shimmering, golden American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), magenta berries clustered along its branches. What a beauty!

__________________________

Digging Deeper

Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 8 kicks off in fall 2024. Stay tuned for more info!

All material © 2024 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

6 responses to “Fall garden scenes”

  1. Ginny says:

    Those asters are so lovely! The color is delicious. Mine all finished up some weeks back, but the Cambodian Queen mums, feverfew, nasturtiums, and sweet alyssum are all still going strong as we wrap up this crazy gardening year.

    • Pam/Digging says:

      I had to look up Cambodian Queen mums based on the name alone. They look dazzling. Enjoy all your fall flowers!

  2. Nancy Kaufmann says:

    What is the name of the plant pictured with the purple aster? They sure look nice together. Thanks!

  3. Asters as a groundcover – what a good idea! Your Circle Garden is fabulous, Pam!

    • Pam/Digging says:

      This one wants to be a groundcover. Well, a tall groundcover. 🙂 With an early summer trim it’s about 10 inches tall in the fall.