Plant a Garden That Gets a Second Glance
Maybe it’s time to retire some late-season staples that have had their moment (okay, several decades of moments). This episode, we’re digging into the dark horses that most gardeners walk right past: the weird bulbs, the sneaky re-seeders, the plants that wait until everyone else has packed it in to finally show off.
We’ll talk about why fall gardens don’t have to look like a grocery store endcap, which underrated perennials are quietly having their best month right now, and how a few unusual picks can take your October garden from “fine” to genuinely sparkling.
If you’re ready to retire the same five fall plants everyone else is using, this one’s for you.
Listen to the episode below or on your favorite podcast platform. You can also watch the podcast on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to get notified when we release new episodes!
Episode Experts:
- Dr. Andy Pulte is a contributing editor to Fine Gardening and a faculty member in the plant sciences department at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
- Richie Steffen is a contributing editor to Fine Gardening and the executive director of the Miller Garden in Seattle.
Andy’s favorite unusual plants for fall
- Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis, Zones 3–8)
- ‘White Cloud’ muhly grass (Muhlenbergia sericea ‘White Cloud’, Zones 6–9b)
- ‘Hudson Bay’ hosta (Hosta ‘Hudson Bay’, Zones 3–9)
- Blueberry (Vaccinium spp. and cvs., Zones 2–10)
Richie’s favorite unusual plants for fall
- Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale, Zones 4–9)
- Pink Dynamo™ mountain hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata ‘JPD01’, Zones 5–9)
- Glow Girl® birchleaf spirea (Spiraea betulifolia ‘Tor Gold’, Zones 3–8)
- Redvein enkianthus (Enkianthus campanulatus, Zones 4–7)
Photos by contributors unless otherwise noted.
See More:
Super Cool Plants Episode 5: Shade-Loving Plants for Tough Conditions
Essential Plants for the Fall Garden
See More Podcast Episodes
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