After a grueling hot, wet, and humid summer, we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel that is the promise of fall.  The kids are back in school, football season is here, and the expectation of cooler temperatures makes us feel a little better about outdoor barbeques and entertaining.  Summer has not only been tough for us; it has also been tough on your plants and landscaping.  Weeds are prevalent, shrubs need a good pruning, and the spring mulch is all but gone.  In short, things outside are out of control.

Don’t fret!  Early fall is the perfect time to start tackling these outdoor tasks.  Along with the new season comes new hope for a renewed landscape and extra curb appeal. Just as basic landscape maintenance is in order, so are new fall plantings.  Many aren’t aware that fall is the best time of year for new plantings!  Plants are beginning to slow down from their busy growing season, temperatures are cooler, and roots have time to become established for spring and summer of next year.  I recommend adding some fall bloomers to a maybe boring area of your garden to jazz it up a bit and add color while you have time.  Here are some of my favorite picks for fall.

Nothing says fall like Marigolds.  The colors are perfect for this time of year.  They are super tough, like full sun, and bloom heavily.  They are perfect for areas that call for low colorful plantings.

Next is the Dwarf Sasanqua.  It is a tried and true late fall bloomer that does well in full sun and part shade.  It is a mid-level shrub that blooms in pink, red, and white. It is perfect as an evergreen foundation planting.

My favorite new addition to available fall flowering shrubs is the Drift Rose.  Drift roses stay low, spread, and bloom spring through fall.  They are a patented line of low maintenance roses that can be treated with the same care as most other shrubs in the landscape.  Available colors include red, pink, white, coral, peach, and apricot—coral and peach are my favorites.

I hope this brings you much enjoyment this year.  If you don’t feel like doing the heavy lifting yourself, give Louisiana Horticulture Services a call at (318) 715-1883 for a free quote and consultation.