It is Fashion Week in New York City, Paris and Milan. The newspapers and magazines are full of photos and editorials about the new looks, colors and materials. Even I, a person who has dressed in a company uniform 5 days a week for 36 years, get excited about what’s new. After all there are 2 more days of the week in which to be fab and fashionable. I enjoy studying the creativity of fashion designers, especially the young crowd from London. In fact, it was StyleBubble.co.uk. that inspired me to write a blog.
Interestingly, the gardening publications are reading like the fashion mags these days with write ups about what’s new, hot, and exciting in the plant world. This season it’s all about fall color. Japanese maples are the stars of the color parade in small gardens. It seems every garden in Atlanta and Highlands, NC has a Japanese maple. The one pictured here is Acer palmatum dissectum Evered. Simply glorious. There is so much more than brilliant leaves this time of year. Ornamental grasses are best in show now and so fabulous when paired with tropical things like red leaved cannas. Big chartreuse heads of Limelight hydrangeas are catching attention in gardens everywhere.
More fall color comes from remontant roses paired with a second flowering of phlox and hardy perennials such as asters in all colors of purple and blue. Eupatorium coelestinum, the Hardy Ageratum is my all time favorite blue this time of year. Does anyone make a size 12 blouse in that color?
Marcia Weber
Gardens to Love