When the Leaves Come Falling Down

Look for the simple things, parts of your day or garden that bring joy. And drink them in and be happy for the changes that come naturally.
If you let things rest, let them slow down and enjoy them at their best, it will be like enjoying a well-cooked stew, a great book or a wonderful movie.
All you had to do was a little planning in advance. Buy the ingredients, or better yet grow them in your garden! Listen to the advice of your partner and read that book they always talked about, or just be teenagers again and go enjoy a movie, it doesn’t have to have car crashes, but let it be a long one.
There is so much natural beauty in our area in fall, that one may just need to walk the county park, or go to Belleplain and bike the roads, you will be amazed at the show that nature puts on.
The scientific reason colors emerge isn’t nearly as important as the physical sight of orange, red, purple, yellow, and greens exploding from the branches and tickling your eyes against a blue sky or grey day.
Can I bring this home you ask? A miniature version to see from my windows? Of course, as I said above, just a little planning, some good ingredients and time.
We offer some wonderful ideas for fall color: Sourgum, Maple, Oak, Bald Cypress and Crape Myrtle if you need something large. Viburnum, Chokeberry, Beautyberry and Itea if you need a shrub massing, even ferns, daylillies and sedums will entertain the senses down near the ground with wonderful changes in their personalities in your garden.
As I have often said in previous columns, when the frost melts those annuals, and they look horrible and leave big empty, non-productive places in your garden, think of all the good some well-placed perennials would have done for your multi season eyes, and the little critters who depend on these great habitats.
Take advantage of the knowledge our fine staff, great selection of healthy plants and our willingness to plant them for you.
The fall will also take care of your plantings naturally, warm days, cool nights encourage good rooting, and water stay available as there isn’t as much transpiration and evaporation this time of year, and hopefully the occasional rain will come and play its little symphony on your garden.
Mulch heavily then sit back for a time released color explosion for years to come, when the leave come falling down.
—Stan Sperlak is a noted garden designer, author, artist and instructor of all things fine art and horticulture. He writes this column while teaching in Tuscany Italy, enjoying a different but similar transition to the sleeping days of winter. Visit at capeshoregardens.com or drop in at 1028 Rt9 S. Court House