Favorite Fall Blooms and Colors
Hi friends,
I hope you’ve been able to soak in some fall gardening time. This is my favorite season for slow walks around the yard—pausing to reflect on what I loved this year, what needs a new spot, and what hasn’t worked and needs to go.
A couple of weeks ago, Russ and I moved some perennial catmint and phlox, divided my ornamental onion, and added Russian sage, Montauk daisies, and calamint. We also removed a few shrubs and plan to replace them this week. I have to say—our Landscape Team saved the day! They returned early from a job and came over to help us, and what would have taken all weekend, we accomplished in just a few hours.
I love these late-season “garden edits.” I also love hanging on to every last bloom. Just this week still had angelonia, wave petunias, sunpatiens, fuchsias in the fairy garden, euphorbia, mandevilla—and even a few sweet strawberries from a hanging basket. Perennial calamint (one of my new favorites!) and anemone are still going strong too.
I can’t even tell you how happy this all makes me. This is truly my garden therapy and joy. And it’s not just the blooms, it’s the fall color that is just gorgeous right now too! Here are a few of my favorites around our yard this week—amsonia, fringe tree, birch, bottlebrush buckeye, winterberries, fothergilla, and Japanese maples flowing over huge boulders.
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- amsonia
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- anemone
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- angelonia and wave petunias
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- birch tree
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- bottlebrush buckeye
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- fothergilla
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- fringe tree
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- gartenmeister fuchsia
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- japanese maple
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- mandevilla
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- strawberries
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- sunpatien
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- winterberry
What are your favorites in the garden this week? Do you still have some lingering annual blooms that you proudly babied all season? What are some of your favorites for fall and winter interest? Let me know here, and send some photos with them. I’d love to see!
If you’re still squeezing in a bit of fall gardening, you can shop plants online with 20% off through Sunday, November 16 for pickup or local delivery. Or if you’d prefer to shop in person with one of our team members, just email me to schedule a visit. Even though the garden center is closed for the season, we’re still here and happy to meet with you.
Feeling inspired by the season? Join Maddison at the Western Allegheny Library tomorrow, Thursday, November 6 at 6 PM, for her talk on plants with fall and winter interest. Sign up here!
And if you’re already dreaming up your 2026 landscape goals, now’s the perfect time to reach out. Planning at least one season ahead helps us reserve your spot and give your project the care and attention it deserves.
With gratitude and happy gardening,
Melanie has been with the family garden center business since 1999, gaining hands-on experience in nearly every aspect–from cashiering and greenhouse production to bookkeeping, perennial buying, marketing, and store management. Now serving as Finance and Marketing Director, she combines her expertise with a passion for growing the business. She and her husband, Russ, have loved seeing how plants, gardening, and beautiful landscapes bring joy to our community.
