In the Garden: Late-November

_{By Layne Knoche, RORG Landscape Designer}

Fall colors at the Red Oak Rain Garden are coming to an end, but there are still some plants showing off. ‘Rozanne’ Geraniums and Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) are still blooming with bright pops of color against the blanket of fallen Red Oak and Sycamore leaves. As the Red Twig Dogwoods (Cornus sericea) start to lose their leaves, their red stems are becoming more and more vibrant. The Red Chokeberries (Aronia arbutifolia) are stunning, and Prairie Alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii) is starting to turn to shades of bronzy oranges and reds.

While many of the fallen leaves will remain in the garden to allow our insects a place to overwinter, RORG Volunteers will be working in the garden in the coming weeks to remove a portion of the leaves to ensure our newly established plants don’t suffocate over the course of the winter months.

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See our full October garden report here.