Showy fall colors in the Seattle area
Posted on October 24th, 2012 by Andy
Gardens in the Northwest can put on spectacular displays of colors during the autumn. From native vine maples and Japanese maples to burning bushes and asters, gardeners have plenty of options for incorporating bursts of color into their landscapes as summer winds down into fall. This can be done through fall-blooming perennials, showy annuals or employing the colorful foliage of shrubs and trees.
1. Vine maple. This is a classic Northwest native with show-stopping orange, yellow and red color that last well into winter. Coax the best fall color by planting these trees in a spot with at least a half day of sun.
2. Asters come in a variety of colors, ranging from pink to blue to white. They have daisy-like flowers that bloom from late August into early winter. Aster ‘monch’ is a particularly long-lasting bloom with clear lavender-blue flower.
3. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ offers year-round interest, not just the pinkish-red blooms that pop in the fall. They’re drought-tolerant and require little maintenance, and are a must in any Northwest garden.
4. Japanese maples. There’s no shortage of Japanese maple varieties to choose from, depending on the color you’re going after. Japanese maples are show-stoppers this time of year. Yellow, orange, green and varying shades of red, burgundy and purple.
5. Burning bush, or ‘euonymous alatus,’ is a large-foliage shrub with brilliant flaming red color during the fall.
6. Goldenrod, Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks,’ are easy-to-grow, hardy perennials. ‘Fireworks’ have tiny flowers that are clustered into spires of yellow. Butterflies and bees love these flowers.
Contact Ecoyards to setup a consultation if you’d like help adding new colorful plants to your landscape.
Filed under:Seattle Landscape Design, Seattle Landscape Maintenance | Permalink |
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Posted by M. D. Vaden portland landscaping & tree
November 10, 2012 @ 8:34 am
For smaller plants other than trees, I sure enjoy the oakleaf Hydrangeas and some of the Viburnums that get various reds or burgundy colors.
And if only Ginkgo came in a shrub … that would be and interesting option for landscaping.
MDV
Posted by Andy
November 10, 2012 @ 8:50 am
I was just admiring the color on a Ginkgo tree yesterday. Really one of the best for fall color.