FALL FLOWERS IN FAMILY GARDENS ADD COLOR & INTEREST WITH THEIR BLOOMS & FOLIAGE -

PHOTOGRAPHERS: TONI OLSON, LORELIE OLSON

Editor’s Note:

Toni, Karl and I invite you to view Olson family gardens with their brilliant fall blooms! The term “fall color” is most often referring to the red, orange, and yellow leaves of the overstory of trees, but we can also appreciate the smaller color displays of flowers in our gardens, planters, and bouquets.

Lorelie

ROSES

Roses have provided a second bloom in our Ponderosa gardens. This last burst of flowers gives us bouquets with color and fragrance.

DAHLIAS

A variety of flowers bloom well in early autumn sunshine. These include perennials, such as “Autumn Joy” sedums, coneflowers and sunflowers as well as hardier annuals such as snapdragons, dahlias, fibrous begonias, and geraniums.

MUMS

We like to continue fall color as long as possible so our gardens and planters include some plants that are cold hardy and frost resistant. Mums, of course, which we can combine with winter kale, violas, asters and other contrasting plants.

Our blue plumbago flowers bloom till frost and contrast with their bright red leaves when weather gets colder. Giant purple clusters of asters enjoy a central spot in our rockery border, and Toni’s asters make a lovely bouquet.