• Home
  • Meet Mary Schier
  • Speaking
  • Writing
  • Contact
  • Northern Gardener Book

My Northern Garden

October 30, 2013 · 1 Comment

The Beauty of Late Fall

Climate

milkweed in late fall

Milkweed pods have split open, sending seed out into the world.

We’ve had such a late fall this year that even though it is almost Halloween, we seem to have finally hit peak color where I live, just south of Minneapolis and St. Paul. While walking downtown today, I couldn’t help but notice the vibrant colors of the plantings at our beautiful Northfield Public Library. Bright red burning bush provided a colorful background for seedheads from coneflowers, fading roses and other plants. Near the steps, I spotted bright blue berries on on yellowing branches of Solomon’s seal.

The same kind of beauty can be seen around the ponds near our house. With slight fog and dimmed light, the grasses around the pond seem to be all texture, shades of gold, green and brown. Milkweed pods have burst open and are pushing their seed out into the world. In my home landscape, the ‘Matrona’ sedum are a deep russet color and their sturdy form contrasts with the nodding prairie dropseed, its shoots burdened with the weight of dozens of water droplets.

Yes, the weather is damp and chilly. But bundle up and take a walk. This may be the prettiest week of the fall.

Foggy weather brings out the texture of this natural planting.
Ducks are on the ponds, getting ready to depart.
Look how big and juicy these berries on Solomon’s seal look.

Prairie dropseed (background) is a well-behaved grass for landscapes.
Wow! This burning bush looks so bright.
Even the leaves on the ground are pretty now.

A sapling near the pond.

Related posts:

  1. Another Fantastic Fall Bloomer I love an annual that not only blooms in summer,...
  2. A Good Year for Milkweed — and Monarchs Walking around the ponds near our house this spring, I’ve...
  3. Fall Bloomers: A Sign of Zone Creep? Maybe it’s the heavy rains we have had this fall...
« The Benefits of Outdoor Time — Plant Division
Book Review: The Wildlife-Friendly Vegetable Gardener »

Comments

  1. commonweeder says

    October 30, 2013 at 4:01 pm

    We have had a long fall, too. Color arrived all of a sudden, somewhat late, and ended over the past two frigid nights when all of a sudden most of the foliage was gone. Only beeches and oaks holding on to their leaves right now. I was chatting to a nearby apple grower and he was just shaking his head about climate disruption – which is not always warmer.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Connect

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed for Posts

Grow it, Minnesota Podcast

Now Available!

My Northern Garden book

Follow on Instagram

mynortherngarden_mary

Did I mention how exquisite the plant material is Did I mention how exquisite the plant material is at Longwood Gardens in Philadelphia? I’ll be doing a full blog post soon about this and some of the other gardens we visited but as I’m heading home I’m cherishing all the great people on the Garden Fling tour, the amazing organizer @karl_gercens_ and the beautiful places we saw. 
.
.
.
#gbfling2023 #grateful #phillyfling #pennsylvaniafling #gardenbloggersfling #gardenbloggers

#baileynurseries  #cobrahead #crescentgarden #dramm #ealicata #gardenrant #thegreatgrowalong #longwoodgardens #monroviaplants #nwfs #northwestflowerandgardenfestival #picklewix #provenwinners #sandiaseed  #teakcloseouts
Philadelphia gardens are full of lush and lanes, t Philadelphia gardens are full of lush and lanes, tree snags and lichen. Perfect accent for our rainy garden tour. #gbfling2023 #americasgardencapital #lichen #fallgarden
Wait for it! The best gardens have secrets within Wait for it! The best gardens have secrets within them. #gbfling2023 #americasgardencapital #gardensecrets #paths #gardendestinations
Just 15 seconds of water sounds to ease you into y Just 15 seconds of water sounds to ease you into your weekend courtesy of @longwoodgardens fountains. Have a great one! #watermusic #gbfling2023 #phillyfling #americasgardencapital #soothing
I’ve loved this container in the front of our ho I’ve loved this container in the front of our house, but things are looking faded, so it’s time for a refresh. Out went the Persimmon supertunias (love them, but they have done their duty) and a new cuphea I’m testing (great plant.) In go fall celosia in bright yellow and bronze orange garden mum, both from @shopbachmans. I kept the Queen Tut papyrus for its spikey texture. We’re ready for fall! 

#fallcontainer #fallplanting #fallcelosia #gardenmums #mngardener #fallinMinnesota
Meet shaggy soldier, a weed that I have gotten to Meet shaggy soldier, a weed that I have gotten to know quite a bit this summer. It spreads like crazy, seeds abundantly and is all over my community garden. Sone sources say it is an edible herb but I’m just pulling for now. Next year, I’ll smother it out with newspaper, cardboard and/or mulch. What weed is your nemesis this year? #weedsinmygarden #galinsoga #shaggysoldier #mngarden #communitygarden #weedy #herborweed
Just another morning in the garden with my monarch Just another morning in the garden with my monarch friends. Have a peaceful, joyous Sunday! #communitygarden #monarchbutterfly #weekendvibes💕 #pollinators
What’s the difference between having enough sun What’s the difference between having enough sun and plenty of sun in the garden? These two Tithonias tell the tale! 

Plus don’t forget to stop by the @mnhort booth in the dirt wing of the Horticultural building at the @mnstatefair! I’ll be there Sunday from 1 to 5 pm and would love to hear how your garden is growing! 

#sunorshade #veggarden #communitygarden #howmuchsundoyouneed #tithonia #mexicansunflower
It’s a hot 🥵 hot day and nobody is moving too It’s a hot 🥵 hot day and nobody is moving too fast. Savor the slow. #nectar #zinniasofinstagram #beelife #mngarden
Ground cherries look like tomatillos but taste lik Ground cherries look like tomatillos but taste like tropical fruit.
They are an acquired taste but I love them, especially in a spicy jam. 

For this recipe, I mixed

2.5 cups of cleaned ground cherries, 
half a cup of water,
1 cup sugar
a few stray strawberries from the fridge,
 juice of a small lemon, 
a 1-inch piece of ginger
1 tsp each of cinnamon and nutmeg

 Boil away until it is thick. Store in the fridge and use as you would any jam. 

#communitygarden #groundcherries #mngardener #cookfromthegarden
What a fabulous day, touring gardens with garden c What a fabulous day, touring gardens with garden communicators from all over the U.S. and beyond! Minnesota gardens looked good today. Than you, @gardencomm_gci for visiting the Twin Cities!
Ribbit! Saw this beauty enjoying a beautiful garde Ribbit! Saw this beauty enjoying a beautiful garden in Washington County today. #daylily #gardentour #mngarden
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Top Posts & Pages

  • What to Do with Not-Quite-Ripe Winter Squash? Recipes Included
  • Can You Eat a Sweet Potato Vine Tuber?
  • Growing Lilies in Containers
  • Four Peony Problems and Solutions
  • How to Pollinate a Meyer Lemon Tree
  • Jams, Jellies, Preserves: What's the Difference?
  • Mushrooms Growing in Straw Bales
  • Big Changes in Minnesota Hardiness Zone Map
  • How to Grow Lemons in the North (Plus a Recipe)
  • Serviceberry Syrup: A Seasonal Treat

Post Categories

  • Books/Writing
  • Climate
  • How to
  • Plants
  • Recipes
  • Uncategorized
  • Why We Garden

Copyright © 2023 · captivating theme by Restored 316