Autumn in garden offers many rewards

“Arranging a bowl of flowers in the morning can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day.”

-- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

“When a tomato stops growing, you know it’s dead.”

-- with apologies to a Japanese proverb

The autumnal garden is about reward; many flowering perennials reach the peak of their floral displays with the return of cooler (and wetter) weather.

Bringing our flowers indoors can give one a little space before the start of a busy day. Just ask Catharine (when she is home).

Initially inspired by Enya and Carole McElwee, I planted the China rose mutabilis in my garden over a decade ago -- not a long time for a species of rose that dates back 2500 years.

Buds begin copper-yellow and then fade to pink as they open. At maturity, the petals turn a soft crimson. Always in bloom and resistant to insects and disease, it is my favorite rose.

I am often asked the name of the bright red trailing plant that cascades over the stone in our front garden. Jana Ruzicka introduced me to Russelia equisetiformis, or coral fountain. The flowers look like miniature firecrackers, and the plant flowers the entire year.

The tall, purple spikes of Verbena bonariensis fill the background of our garden. The airy stems can reach a height of 6 feet. Nestled below them are Erigeron karvinskianus, the Santa Barbara daisy.

It is a graceful trailing plant with attractive, daisy-like flower heads. Both plants make interesting cut flowers in a vase.

Under the canopy of the peppermint tree, the Japanese anemone, Anemone hybrida, has begun its profuse blooming for the fall. Plants reach 2 to 4 feet, with pink, white and rose-colored blossoms.

The star-shaped flowers of Campanula poscharskyana, Serbian bellfower, complement the anemone. Blooming in white and blue, this vigorous groundcover is perfect in shaded rock gardens.

The ubiquitous daylily, hemerocallis hybrids, is seen throughout the garden. A great cut flower, it would be difficult to find a tougher or more pest-free plant.

I am partial to the dwarf varieties, which are available in salmon, pinks and whites.

On another note, my older tomato plants are sadly waning. They were planted after the last storm in April, and my most recent garden walk revealed that it was time to say goodbye.

This weekend I’ll plant sugar snap peas in the same 15-gallon containers that held the tomatoes (with the potting soil changed). Prior to the holidays, Catharine and I will be snacking on these delicious peas.

They can be enjoyed as a snow pea (pod and all) when young, as a snap pea, or as regular shell pea when mature.

Although I appreciate the cooler temperatures, the hours of sunlight are also dwindling, leaving many garden tasks undone at day’s end. Chasing after worms, deadheading the azaleas, and re-staking the new tomatoes need to be addressed.

However, the weekend allows for plenty of time for gardening, with clear and sunny weekends forecast for the remainder of the year. See you next time.

* Steve Kawaratani is married to local writer, Catharine Cooper, and has three cats. He can be reached at 497.2438 or plantman2@mac.com.

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