Blooming in the ever-changing weather

Steve Kawaratani

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“People get a bad impression of weather by continually trying to

... predict what it will do next.”

-- Katharine Whitehorn

Autumn officially begins this coming week. Catharine and I will

gladly celebrate the end of a summer that began with obscured skies,

and then deteriorated into hot and muggy by the time the festivals

closed. And so we expectantly return to the season that is not only

considered the “second spring,” but is also one of the most ideal

times to complete plantings that summertime activities left undone.

Inspired by cooler temperatures and beautiful days, we can approach

gardening with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.

One of the pleasures of fall is watching nurseries fill their

shelves with bulbs. Those in the know, are already refrigerating

tulips and hyacinths for later planting. Local nurseries have set out

displays of paper white narcissus, and it’s not too early to plant

anemone, iris, and ranunculus.

Along with bulbs, there are several possibilities for fall

planting. Over the past few years, dipladenia amoena has become a

real landscape pleaser.

It is a compact shrub with lovely pink flowers, twining stems and

green, glossy leaves. A consistent bloomer much of the year,

dipladenia merits your consideration in flowering beds, containers,

and hanging baskets.

Plant in rich soil and provide full sun in Laguna.

Although sometimes difficult to locate once spring has passed, one

of the most rewarding of the climbing roses, is the nonstop white

blooms of Lace Cascade (Iceberg’s daughter). Very fragrant and

excellent as a cut flower, this rose blooms freely throughout the

fall. It’s dark green foliage is particularly resistant to disease.

Look for the salmon pink blooms of America and single red Altissimo

as worthy alternatives.

Star clusters (Pentas lanceolata) is flowering now and will

continue into the winter in many different colors, particularly

white, pink and red.

Remove dead flowers for a long blooming season.

Annual color is happening, pansy, salvia and chrysanthemum have

arrived at your favorite nursery just in time for autumn. There is

still plenty of time to plant all of the other fall flowers as well.

Cosmos offers colorful displays of mauve, pink and white flowers.

Planted in full sun, they provide wonderful massed color for garden

beds, along drives or in containers.

Although it’s never wise to try to predict the weather, I believe

that the upcoming weeks will be a great time to prepare your garden

not only for yourself, but also for the holidays. The coolness of

fall’s weather will lure us back into the autumnal garden. Our

well-earned reward will be opulence of bloom, richness of color, and

a welcomed escape from the heat of the almost forgotten summer. See

you next time.

* STEVE KAWARATANI is the owner of Landscapes by Laguna Nursery,

1278 Glenneyre, in Laguna Beach. He is married to local artist,

Catharine Cooper, and has two cats. He can be reached at (949)

497-2438, or e-mail to landscapes@ln.coxatwork.com.