Happy Monday GPODers!
While we’re not quite done celebrating summer color here on the blog, this submission from Mary Murphy in Minnetonka, Minnesota was a great reminder that the first days of fall can be just as exciting and vibrant as our peak season displays—as long as you have the right plants. Mary has shared many bright blooms from her garden in the past (Check out her previous submissions here: More Blooms From Mary, Lily Love, Close-up Views in Mary’s Garden, and The View From the Kitchen Window), and today she’s showcasing the plants that keep the color coming as the temperatures begin to drop in the midwest.
Hi! My name is Mary. I love in Minnetonka, MN. I have submitted a couple of times before. Colors look so rich this year.
One of the many benefits of growing flowers is the ability to bring them inside for even more enjoyment. Mary’s Dahlinova® Lisa Dark Pink dahlias (Dahlia ‘Dahlinova Lisa Dark Pink’, Zones 8–10) in small vases are the perfect pop of color for a bare windowsill.
Creating cut flower arrangements is undoubtably an art form, but you don’t need to get overly fancy to inject some joy and color into your home. A big bunch of Oklahoma Pink zinnias (Zinnia elegans ‘Oklahoma Pink’, annual) make such a vibrant and happy centerpiece.
Their are many flowers that fill the late summer to early fall transition with color, and ‘Chocoholic’ bugbane (Actaea ‘Chocoholic’, Zones 4–8) is a particular standout. The delicate flowers and buds match the many other pink blooms that can be found throughout Mary’s garden, while the dark stems bring a level of cool moodiness that is particularly festive this time of year.
Mary keeps the sweet confection theme going with these delightful, deep red ‘Chocolate Cherry’ sunflowers (Helianthus annuus ‘Chocolate Cherry’, annual)—great in the garden and in autumn cut flower arrangements.
Another enchanting ‘Chocolate Cherry’ bloom is just starting to unfurl,
Some roses pitter out early in the season, but others like John Cabot rose (Rosa ‘John Cabot’, Zones 3–9) keep the show going until frost. Mary’s is still producing intoxicating clusters of bright pink blooms.
The vibrancy in Mary’s garden continues with a mixed planting of gorgeous gladioli (Gladiolus, Zones 8–11).
Sneezeweed is another star that sails through summer and keeps that color going into early autumn. This gorgeous variety Mary has planted is potentially the Mariachi™ ‘Salsa’ cultivar (Helenium autumnale ‘Salsa’, Zones 3–9), which starts out bright red and shifts to orange-streaked blooms in late summer and early fall.
Lastly, spider flower (Cleome houtteana, Zones 10–11 or as an annual) brings a tropical and exotic look to late season gardens, and continues Mary’s wonderful pink color palette.
Thank you so much for sharing these fabulous flower portraits with us, Mary! While winter isn’t easy in Minnesota, you certainly fill every other season with color that is worth waiting for.
What flowers carry your garden from the heat of summer into the crisp days of fall? Before flowers put on their final performance of the year, consider sharing your 2025 garden with the blog. Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with #FineGardening!
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