Reflections of Fall

While the rest of the country braces for the oncoming throes of winter, gardeners in Louisiana clench firmly to autumn’s last farewell. A warm copper sun burns wildly against a tired blue-grey sky, and exhales a gentle flush of ardor as it breathes one final glow upon fall’s finest landscapes. Mother Nature explodes into a succession of blazing fireworks, and the descending embers drop quietly, each emanating the ruddy afterglow of fall. Crape myrtles, having dropped their final blooms for the year, smolder into rusty orange and scarlet before shedding their leaves for slumber. Similarly, golden rain trees, weary from their fits of summer showers, earnestly don tufts of salmon-pink seedpods—a striking contrast to nearby yellowing ginkgos and scorching red swamp maples.

Capture the essence of autumn by integrating an abundance of fall colors throughout your landscape. With crisp hues like lemony yellow, burnt orange, mocha, bronze, and scarlet, you can turn an ordinary garden into a glimmering seventh heaven. This fall, let fiery stalks of Virginia willow (Itea virginica) inflame beds of cigar plants, ‘Goldsturm’ rudbeckia, and dwarf firebush (Hamelia patens). Offset gold-fingered Ginkgo bilobas against the sangria palms of ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese maples, the smoldering orange of ‘Dynamite’ crape myrtles, or the blistering scarlet of ‘Florida Flame’ swamp red maples. Intersperse willowy texture with mocha bladed ‘Cappuccino’ grass, Salvia vanhouettii, and amethyst flowering muhly grass. Whatever your favorite combination, don’t let this autumn burn out without harboring some of its embers for your own garden.

The Burning Bushes of Fall

Some of the best shrubs exploding with fall color include ‘Henry’s Garnet’ Virginia willow, copper plant (Acalypha wilkesiana), ‘Oakleaf’ hydrangea, and purple muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris). Virginia willow, averaging four to five feet tall, swoops its slim pendulous limbs almost five feet across, dangling scented pearly white racemes—somewhat reminiscent of caterpillars—in the spring. Mint green leaves are seared by late summer’s sun, and blush rusty orange in early fall. As autumn progresses, leaves are charred a crisp reddish black. Rich, molten chocolate stems gorgeously accentuate the black cherry foliage, and later steal the show when winter unfurls her icy colored cloak. ‘Henry’s Garnet’s’ russet limbs look best when integrated with golden ‘Variegated Shell’ gingers, ‘Confetti’ abelia, ‘Firepower’ nandina, and ‘Mine No Yuki’ camellia sasanquas.

Copper plant, praised for its scalded orange and red foliage, can instantly set your garden ablaze with its fiery ruffled leaves and blood red flowers. Rusted swirls of salmon and speckles of mint julep distinguish this shrub from any others—plant this one en masse for an amazing inferno of color. Averaging four feet tall, copper plants look sensational when mixed with dwarf firebush, ‘Mutabilis’ roses, purple muhly grass, and ‘Goldsturm’ rudbeckia. Consider also planting ‘Oakleaf’ hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia). These stallions of the shade grow six to eight feet tall, and yield panicles of pure white blossoms in late spring. In autumn, their magnificent oak-shaped leaves don a rugged mocha garb—smidgens of red-hot cinnamon, mixed with warm milk chocolate make this one a winter favorite over other hydrangeas. Create a spectacular fall show in your shade garden by incorporating oakleaf hydrangeas with ‘Variegated Shell’ gingers, ‘Pink Snow’ camellia sasanquas, and Stromanthe sanguinea. Include also ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese maples for added height, as well as vibrant groundcovers like ‘Autumn’, ‘Arborvitae’, and ‘Japanese Painted’ ferns.

Muhly grass, though not technically a shrub, grows four to six feet tall, and stylishly supplements the most rigid of landscapes with its soft, willowy blades. Purple muhly grass forms tidy clumps of emerald green—delicate tufts that quietly sit backstage until Autumn announces her arrival. In late fall, puffs of smoky purple burst from the stems like sparklers on the fourth of July—a celebration of the growing season’s near end. Get the most out of these smoky rings by planting them near ‘Purple Diamond’ loropetalum, ‘Cinco de Mayo’ roses, ‘Firepower’ nandinas, and ‘Shi-Shi Gashira’ camellia sasanquas.

Canopies of Color

If you’re looking to add height throughout your landscape, consider planting autumn beauties like ginkgos, golden rain trees, Japanese maples, or Chinese pistachio trees. Ginkgo biloba, or ‘Maidenhair’ tree, is a favorite throughout much of the United States for its breathtaking fall glow. Early autumn breathes rich copper over the entire tree; leaves intensify with fall’s progress, dripping in dewy gold before blanketing the ground beneath them. Over time, ginkgos can reach more than 50 feet tall, making them perfect for expansive backyards. If space allows, add to the show with swamp red maples, bald cypress, or Chinese pistachio trees.

Golden rain trees (Koelreuteria bipinnata) also offer phenomenal fall color for the lower South. As the name suggests, panicles of glimmering yellow flowers lavishly adorn lime green leaves in late summer. When blossoms fall in autumn, soft pink seedpods glow like lanterns atop golden leaves. The translucent pods flush deep salmon, and then melt to warm toffee—an exciting encore to the fanfare of fall. Golden rain trees average 30 to 40 feet tall, and look best as single specimen trees. To invigorate their display, plant a climbing wall of Rose of Montana nearby; the bunches of coral pink blossoms will complement both the flowers and the seed-pods of the golden rain trees. Consider also incorporating a salmon pink Angel’s trumpet or a Japanese maple.

Japanese maples, shorter selections for fall color, average 15 to 20 feet tall, and emanate flames of fiery crimson from their delicate blistering palms. While the varieties of Japanese maples seem almost endless, most sport burgundy or emerald leaves during the spring and summer, and deepen to scarlet or crimson in autumn. ‘Bloodgood’, a dependable cultivar for Louisiana, retains reddish purple leaves all summer, before donning its tantalizing chocolate red coat. Japanese maples perform best as understory trees—the afternoon sun proves too hot in the summer—so try planting them beneath larger shade trees like swamp red maples, ‘Little Gem’ or ‘D.D. Blanchard’ magnolias, ‘Live’ oaks, or Chinese pistachio trees. Chinese pistachios (Pistacia chinensis), like maples, also yield a spectacular autumn show. One of the best for fall color in Louisiana, Chinese pistachios mask their olive green leaves in late October with a kaleidoscope of colors like salmon pink, lemon, pumpkin orange, and sizzling apple red. Averaging 30 to 50 feet tall, Chinese pistachio trees work best in spacious backyards, integrated with bald cypress, ginkgos, and swamp red maples.

Smaller Spikes of Color