‘cleanup-plus:’ a conscious fall approach, with ken druse

When I was a child, my favourite season by a long shot was autumn. I loved the sight of it, the smell of it, the sound and sense of it. Especially the trees. Giant beech, oak and flushing gold and copper. The wild gales that sent their dying leaves swirling to the ground. The ripe, sweet, fungal smell of those same fallen leaves and the messy joy of wading up to my knees in a sea of arboreal confetti.

Peonies are a cherished addition to the home landscape. Long-lived and dependable, peony plants are prized for their gorgeous blooms and seasonal beauty. Despite their ease of growth, however, they need some special attention. This is especially true as temperatures begin to cool. How to care for them in the fall depends greatly upon the type of peony.

With the flurry of the holidays bearing down upon us, now is the perfect time to make a list of winter garden tasks to accomplish over the coming months. I find that if I wait until the longest, dreariest part of the year is upon me, I lose sight of what needs doing to get the garden properly poised for the “on-season.” At this point, the garden may look like a sodden mess from the window. When there is a dry day and the sun is peeking through the clouds, it’s the perfect opportunity to rush outside and check some tasks off your winter to-do list. One of the most exciting things about spring is that it happens one day at a time, so if you are in the garden in the “off-season” you’ll get to see it unfolding. Here are some fall and winter garden tasks to do this month and throughout the three phases of winter.

Today we’re off to Berwyn, Pennsylvania (Zone 6b), to visit Carol Verhake’s gorgeous garden. We’ve visited Carol’s garden before (Carefully Chosen Colors Bring a Garden Together), and it is always a beautiful and inspiring visit. Carol has a way of combining colors to make magical garden scenes.

While late autumn often triggers a shift to move inside, it turns out it might not be time to pack it all away—at least not yet. In fact, these cooler months before things get truly frosty are a fabulous time to prep your garden for a stunning spring.

This is Julie Prince (Julie’s Georgia Garden), with a few pictures from the late summer and fall garden. The pool garden was started in the summer of 2020. The front-drive garden was started in 2021. Both are still “works in progress”! Things are changing constantly as I try to give the garden more height and winter interest.

We’re in Westminster, Maryland, today to see how fall is treating Mary Spencer’s garden. Last time we visited Mary it was in the spring (Spring in Mary’s Garden), so it is fun to see how different the garden looks at the other end of the growing season.

Join our tailor-made tour of beautiful gardens in Kent and Sussex, full of early summer colour, and enjoy three nights at the four-star East Sussex National Hotel.

I am Kris Northup, and I live in beautiful central Pennsylvania, Zone 6b. We are having an unusually long growing season here this year, presenting us with some really amazing fall foliage.

These hardy blooms, ranging from the frost-kissed whites and icy blues to the rich reds and purples, offer a stunning visual feast when most gardens are resting. Here are some stunning Flowers that Bloom in Late Fall and Winter!

Autumn presents the perfect conditions for creating a gorgeous fall tablescape. You might be interested in conjuring a dreamy spread for a Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving meal, or perhaps you're after a few new options to embrace the cozy season.

Mums are synonymous with fall. Thanks to their late bloom period, these beautiful flowers make a much-welcomed addition to the home landscape. Potted mums from garden centers adorn porches, patios, and even indoor spaces. Though some choose to treat these flowers as an annual, many have found success wintering mums in garden beds. You may also wonder if you can divide mums. “Can you split mums” is a question we often hear during the fall months.