Still Blooming, Still Planning in my Fall Cottage Garden
Late October in my Southern Illinois Zone 6b/7a cottage garden
A little note: Some of the plants featured in this post were gifted to me by Proven Winners to grow in my garden. As always, the experiences and opinions I share are my own.
It's late October here in Southern Illinois, but you wouldn't know it by looking at all the flowers still blooming in my garden.
We've had a light frost, and my coleus are finally beginning to show a little damage. But so many of my other annuals are still looking beautiful that I'm having a hard time convincing myself to pull anything out.
I know those colder days are coming, but for now, I'm happy to let the garden keep doing its thing.
And honestly, this has been one of my favorite parts of the growing season. Not just because the flowers are still blooming, but because I'm getting to see which plants really performed well from spring all the way into fall.
A Little Flower That Completely Surprised Me
If I had to choose one plant that surprised me the most this year, it would definitely be Artist Blue flossflower (Ageratum).
I really underestimated this little plant when I added it to the garden in spring.
I planted it in mass, hoping it would fill some of the open space and add a little blue-purple color between the other flowers. What I didn't expect was just how beautifully it would perform all season.
It filled in quickly, required very little attention from me, and has continued blooming from spring right into late October. Even now, after months of summer heat and changing weather, it looks just as lovely as ever.
That's pretty impressive for a little filler flower!
I love finding plants that work hard without needing constant attention, and this one has certainly earned a place in next year's garden. I'll absolutely be planting it in masses again.
The Annuals That Just Keep Going
Artist Blue isn't the only plant still putting on a show in my fall cottage garden.
My Lemon Coral sedum and Campfire Marshmallow bidens are looking wonderful, and the lantana is still hanging on for a little longer.
Both my annual and perennial salvias are continuing to look beautiful, too.
Then there are the dahlias! Mine seemed to take most of the growing season to really get established, but they've finally come into their own. Vibrant Violet has been a particular favorite of mine. Sometimes a little patience really does pay off.
Another plant I've been especially pleased with is GoldDust mecardonia. It has done such a beautiful job filling in around other plants that I'm planning to use more of it as a seasonal ground cover next year.
The Suncredible sunflowers are nearing the end of their season, but they've been fabulous all summer long.
And I can't forget the euphorbia.
I planted both Diamond Frost and Diamond Snow this year, and I love them for different reasons. Their airy white flowers bring such a softness to the garden, especially when they're growing among brighter blooms and colorful foliage. I'm already planning to add Diamond Mountain next year.
My begonias have been another success. Both Double Up White and Surefire Red have performed beautifully, and I'll be looking at adding more varieties next season.
Even Violet Knight lobularia seems to be enjoying the cooler temperatures. It's catching its second wind and blooming beautifully again.
And my Toffee Twist carex is still looking lovely. I've been treating it as an annual, but I'm curious to see whether it might make it through our Southern Illinois winter.
At this point, I think I'll just enjoy all of them until the frost makes the cleanup decisions for me!
The Beauty That Stays After the Flowers in a Fall Country Cottage Garden
Something I've come to appreciate more as my garden develops is how important foliage and structure really are.
Of course I love flowers. That's probably pretty obvious!
But the ornamental grasses, evergreens, and interesting foliage plants are doing so much work in the garden right now.
The grasses bring movement and texture, the evergreens give everything a little structure, and the darker foliage adds contrast to all those lingering blooms.
My perennial nepeta is still looking beautiful, too.
I've learned that the combinations I love most aren't necessarily the ones with the most flowers. They're the ones where everything works together, even when some plants are no longer blooming.
That's something I'll continue paying more attention to as I plan future garden spaces.
Fall Planting and Making Room for Next Year
Even though I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to this year's garden, I'm already working on the next one.
I've been adding more perennials, including some beautiful heuchera and new Empress Wu hostas. I'm also moving a few of my existing hostas into shadier locations where I think they'll be happier.
Some of the other plants waiting to be planted include my Denim 'n Lace Russian sage, red hot pokers, along with a few hydrangeas and shrubs.
Now that our new sidewalks are in place, I'm seeing some of these planting areas a little differently. A few plants that seemed perfectly placed before are beginning to feel like they'd be happier somewhere else.
And that's okay!
I've never expected to get every plant in exactly the right place the first time. Sometimes you have to live with a garden for a while before you really understand what works.
I'm also beginning to establish a new planting area on the south side of our property, along with a shade garden on the north side of our house.
The north-side garden is especially exciting because there's very little planted there right now, other than a magnolia tree. I'm envisioning a cottage-style mixture of beautiful foliage, flowers, and different textures that will make that shady area feel like a garden of its own.
It won't all happen at once, but that's part of the fun. I enjoy watching a new space slowly come together.
What This Garden Taught Me
If there's one thing this growing season has reminded me, it's that you really can't judge a plant by how it looks during its first few weeks in the garden.
Some plants, like my Artist Blue ageratum, turned out to be so much better than I expected. Others took most of the summer to find their stride.
And some combinations looked completely different once everything had grown together.
That's why I love trying new things in the garden. Every season teaches me a little more about what grows well here, what I enjoy looking at, and what I might want to do differently next time.
For now, though, I'm not in any hurry to clear away the last of this year's flowers.
There's still plenty to enjoy, and I intend to enjoy every bit of it while I can.
How is your garden looking this late in the season? Do you have any annuals that have surprised you with how long they've continued blooming? I'd love to hear about them!
Everything still looks so beautiful. All of my plants and flowers look very sad right now. I don't know how in the world you remember the specific variety names of all your plants! Great job. Your gardens look more beautiful every year and I am learning from you as you go.
Love all the great tips and education.
Artist Blue ageratum is so pretty! Definitely adding to my garden wish list! As always such gorgeous inspiration coming from your garden.