companions in any container , you can create a spectacular display by combining asters and mums with some flowering kale . Kale is a favourite of mine and is another hardy plant that adds appeal to any container . The ruffled leaves have serrated edges that add interest . The plants themselves look like frilly cabbages . When in bloom , the centre of the cabbage changes colour — from white to cream , purple to red — while the outside leaves remain green . Kale is an underutilized plant in many gardens and is a wonderful fall plant because of its fall-like colours and resistance to frost .
Flowering kale is more tolerant of shade than mums or asters , but it will perform best in the sun . The sunlight makes the colours on these plants more pronounced . Kale prefers a light , well-drained soil that is kept moist but not damp . Grouping mums , asters , and flowering kale can make a dramatic statement and help squeeze the last bits of colour from the fall in dramatic fashion . For example , a grouping of deep red mums with white asters and red kale makes a beautiful combination . Purple mums with lavender asters and white and green kale is also a winner . If you still have marigolds in your pots or in the beds , they are also very tolerant of the colder temperatures and will continue to bloom quite happily through the fall . You can transplant these hardy plants in the fall into containers with no problem . In fact , having an established root system from growing through the summer makes them even hardier to resist the temperature fluctuations of the fall . You can also group some colourful marigolds in with the kale . My wife would tell you that it ’ s
a bonus that most marigolds already come in fall colours .
The ideas are endless and can extend our growing season and the enjoyment that comes with it . The arrival of fall does not mean we are done gardening yet !
Gerald Filipski once again reminds us that the gardening season does not end with August . A member of the Garden Writers Association of America , Jerry has been writing for news & views since Autumn 2017 . news & views AUTUMN 2021 | 39