By Stephanie Pratt, Instant Hedge
Photographs courtesy of Instant Hedge
When that first scent of fall reaches our noses, it signals our brains to reach for everything cozy and comforting. We start to slow down after the rush of summer and ready ourselves for the dark, short days of winter. Plants make similar changes, with annuals and perennials shutting down, evergreens slowing growth, and deciduous shrubs and trees beginning to abscise and drop their leaves.
One of the most thrilling parts of the season is the riot of color from falling leaves, and planting a hedge with brilliant fall color makes a breathtaking statement in your landscape. Here are our top three hedges for bringing intense hues to your garden this fall:
Flame Amur Maple (Acer ginnala 'Flame'), as the name suggests, has intensely vibrant fall colors in red, orange, and yellow. It is a fast-growing hedge that provides great privacy in spring and summer when in full leaf. It is hardy to USDA Zone 3 and grows well in full sun to partial shade.
European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) has lovely fall colors in copper and gold hues. Once the leaves turn fully copper, they stay on the branches all winter for continued color. They only fall once the new leaves emerge the next spring, providing privacy all year despite being deciduous. Beech is hardy to USDA Zone 5 and grows well in full sun to nearly full shade.
Teton Firethorn (Pyracantha) has a fantastic fall color display, only with orange berries instead of leaves! This hedge usually holds its bright orange fruits from late September through February, providing winter color and food for birds. It has sharp thorns that make it deer-resistant, which is another plus. It is evergreen and makes a great privacy screen. Hardy to USDA Zone 6 and grows well in full sun to nearly full shade.
Why plant just a single tree with bright fall color when you can plant a whole flaming hedge for maximum impact?
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By Delilah Onofrey, Suntory Flowers
Photographs courtesy of Suntory Flowers
Planting annual beds of flowers, especially those that are bred to take the summer heat, thereby extending their glory into fall makes a lot of sense.
Click here for an informative article that discusses an economical strategy along with design ideas that can provide color like - a living highlighter. To learn more click here.
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