Late Summer and Fall are one of our favorite times of the year.  The days get a little shorter each day and the temperature starts to moderate with cool nights becoming the norm.  The Garden kicks into high gear then as the Dahlias  start to strut their stuff, Roses keep opening beautiful flowers and the Annuals and Grasses really put on a show.

We are fairly new to Dahlias having only grown them for a couple of years now.  Our trip to Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia proved to us how unbelievably beautiful they could be.  The wide range of clear colors in so many shapes and sizes impressed us greatly.  We are now Dahlia aficionados!  We are growing over one hundred varieties - some of all the types.  Here are some of our best bloomers.

Another feature we have added in great abundance to the Gardens the last few years are Hanging Baskets of all kinds.  This year we will have Hanging Baskets of mixed annuals such as "Silver Falls" Dichondra , "Blue Daze" Evovulous , Lysimachia,  "Figaro" Dahlias, Torenia, Fucshia, Verbena, "Trailing" Snapdragons , Scaevola "Fan Flowers", "Wave" Petunias , Chenile Plant and Helichrysum.  By Fall they are at their peak with color and length.

Pots and Planters full of Annuals are placed throughout the Gardens to add color in places where flowers would not normally grow such as under larger trees.  These did great last year as you will see from the following pictures.

Late Summer and Fall is the season for colorful Fall Wildflowers.  These come and go as they please since we do nothing to encourage of discourage them.  Even our old nemesis the Kudzu vine sports its heavily perfumed blossoms then.  Remember the "Hearts a bursting" that bloomed and set seed pods in the Summer.  Well, now the pods burst open to show you where it gets it's name.  Here are some of the flowers of Fall.  I also thought you might like to see the spider web I caught early one morning.

The Ground Covers that we have planted on the banks have usually completely filled in by Fall and make a spectacular display.  This year we will be planting several banks with Blanket Roses which bloom all Summer and spread to cover large areas.  Ipomoea "Variegated, gold and purple Sweet Potato Vines looked great this year along with Verbenas.

Grasses have gained their maximum height and put on seed heads to make their presence known.  We will be growing several Miscanthus varieties, Japanese varieties and Pampas grasses this year.  We fully expect them to add much beauty to the Gardens.

Tree Color is the attribute for which Fall is most noted.  Being in the middle of 160 acres of Forest usually gives us a good display each year, but a lot depends on the weather.