Well it’s “Almost” (we use the “F” word lightly as we slowly creep into September) Fall. Spring has sprung and summer gave us warm sunny days spent in our yards, beautiful, fruitful gardens and new exciting features we added (Finally!). It seemed like spring was never going to arrive and then when it did, we were already in summer! Well… here we are, the leaves are turning brilliant browns, golden yellows and rusty oranges,and although it is lovely… it also makes us think about EVERYTHING we didn’t get to this summer! Maybe we wanted to build a deck, add a water feature, plant more shrubs… the landscaping we swore we would do last fall! Well the kids are back in school and now we have time to focus on all of our fall landscaping so we are excited when the snow starts melting next spring!
Fall is a great time to add color to a yard with trees from bright yellows to fiery reds. Some of the best choices are sugar maples, birch, ash ginkgo, redbud, beech, hickory, butternut, honey locust and the tulip tree just to name a few out there. Fall planted lawns, shrubs, perennials, and trees enjoy the warm soil and cooler air temperatures to establish a good foot hold in your landscape. They have an advantage over plants put in the ground in spring. Some of the nicest yards and landscapes in the neighbourhood during the spring are the yards where owners invested in August, September and October. After the fall season of establishment comes a period of rest and dormancy we call winter. By the time spring arrives and the plants or lawn “wake up” they are well established and familiar with their surroundings. By the time next summer arrives they are prepared for the stress that season can bring to the landscape.
Here are some yard rejuvenation or renovation ideas for fall!
- Add some mums, sedum, asters and ornamental grasses for color and interest now. These perennials among others can provide instant interest now and establish themselves for future years of enjoyment. Perennials can be used in containers where the spring planted annuals have faded. Grasses are perfect for this purpose. In November simply remove the perennials from your containers and sink them in the ground to protect the roots for winter then reuse them again next year!
- Add some pansies and other cool weather tolerant annuals like ornamental kale. Pansies are perfect because they’ll add bright color to your fall landscape and will over-winter under the snow to provide beauty next March, April and May!
- Add a tree or flowering shrubs. Many trees and shrubs are at their best in the fall season for providing color. In addition, they appreciate a fall planting to establish themselves in your landscape and will reward you with years of enjoyment. Using a liquid plant starter fertilizer at the time of planting so they put their energy into root establishment into the warm soil. Many shrubs like Itea, Clethra and Viburnum put on a great fall color show! Trees like Maple, Ginkgo, and Dogwood paint the outdoors in color.
- Evergreens are great for fall planting. Evergreens play an important role in the fall landscape providing backdrop and diversity from deciduous plant material. Evergreens provide cover and protection for wildlife like birds in the landscape. Evergreens also benefit from fall planting with little stress on the top portion of the plant and great benefit from the weather for root establishment.
- Adding a light (1 inch) layer of mulch can provide some protection for plants for the winter season while providing some color and texture now to the fall landscape.
- Adding spring flowering bulbs during September, October and November to your garden. From daffodils to tulips, hyacinths to alliums, crocus to anemones and so much more, these beauties are easy to grow and will gift you next spring with color! Plant to at least the recommended depth in a well drained soil with some bulb fertilizer and put them to bed for winter. Next spring your renovated landscape will burst into color. You can sit back next spring and enjoy your beautiful yard
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Give us a call and we can come by and give you suggestions for your space for this year or for next spring! If you’re inspired and book with us for this fall or next spring, we would like to offer a beautiful new tree – on us – to add to that new vibrant color!
Handyman Landscaping:
Edmonton: 780.460.2088
Calgary: 403.228.2203
general@handymanlandscaping.com
www.handymanlandscaping.com
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