By Layne Knoche, RORG Landscape Designer
Since the garden’s renovation, this time of the year has been a favorite of the RORG team. While a very warm and wet October has put a bit of a damper on fall foliage, there are still some beautiful colors in and around the garden this month! The fruit of Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) have turned brilliant red and will be followed soon by a vibrant display of red foliage, and the ‘Blue Muffin’ Viburnums are not far behind. Unlike many other plants, Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) has actually had a great year for fall color, and the golden yellow leaves have lasted for several weeks now. Paired with glossy red berries, it’s beautiful to look at.
There are also a few blooming plants left late this fall, including many of our newly installed ‘Rozanne’ Geraniums (Geranium ‘Rozanne’), Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve), Yellow Coneflower (Ratibida pinatta), and Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida). Last year, most of these species continued blooming well into the month, despite several frosts and even a few freezes. We’re already seeing a repeat of that this year!
Photos by Layne Knoche.
Volunteering
We want to extend a huge thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers that worked in the garden over the growing season, keeping RORG beautiful for all who pass by. We’re looking forward to having everyone back again in the spring!
There will be a partial cleanup of RORG in December to prep the garden for the heart of winter. Stay tuned to our social media for updates, and remember to sign up for our monthly e-newsletter!
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