Garden Gate

Texture-Rich Fall Combos

We all have our own expectations for the fall garden. Are you looking for an entirely new scene filled with fall-blooming flowers? Or do you seek to appreciate summer plants’ transition from lush and lively to wizened and waning? I love to combine both. Nothing is more celebratory than seeing vibrant flowers against turning foliage and aging seedheads. Take advantage of these unique characteristics and play up the colors and textures the late season has to offer.

One plant to consider is tall sedum. Sure, we might relegate it as a filler plant, just a placeholder among other, showier flowers. But I have a few examples to show you how it can be a star performer in the late-season landscape. The thick, succulent leaves are key to bringing life to a border of dropping petals and drying leaves. And the dense, flat-topped clusters of flowers are a continual source of texture from early summer on. But just as you’re getting used to

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