The first snow has fallen, unexpectedly so, and it is time to put your garden to bed. Simple housekeeping is of essence. Start with the hand tools that served you well all season. Inspect them, clean them, wipe them with oil and hang them up. It probably will be too cool to sip lemonade on your patio, so put the cushions away, cover your outdoor furniture, and count the days till springtime. Don’t let fallen tree leaves smother your grass; mulch them with your mower to dime-size pieces and give your lawn additional nourishment.
The perennials you have so enjoyed over the months are past their bloom: they need to be cut and moved to your compost pile. But beware, do not cut tree peonies, clematis and hydrangea, or you will forfeit next year’s blooms.
The thrifty gardener will also lift tubers of dahlia, gladiolus, canna and begonia, tuck them in peat moss and store in a cool dry space for next year’s enjoyment. Of course, being an intrepid gardener, you have harvested seeds all summer long from your columbine, hollyhock, nicotiana, forget-menot and more to share with your friends.
Fall is a transition to a different kind of gardening. You will be surprised by cyclamen hederifolium, the autumn flowering cyclamen. They like to live in dappled shade of deciduous trees, and their pink flowers appear in late fall before their marbled leaves. This cyclamen is dormant during the summer, hardy and easy to grow.
Another plant of interest and a winter pleasure is the hellebore (Lenten Rose), surprising you with a great mix of colors, ranging from pale pinks to deep wine red. Once considered connoisseurs’ plants, hellebores are now among the hottest perennials, thanks to their early bloom, long-lasting flowers and the profusion of colors. An outstanding cultivar is Helleborus x Regal Ruffles Strain, double flowers in a color range of pinks, reds, yellows and greens. All hellebores prefer light shade in well-drained soil.
Hardy camellias reward the gardener with striking and profuse blooms when the rest of the garden sleeps. They do require a sheltered location and will delight you with their blossoms.
For most gardeners, perennials are indispensable, as welcome for their yearly reappearance as for the beauty of their flower or foliage. During the winter months, when you plunge into solitude, you will have the opportunity
to evaluate and consider plants that look after themselves.
Add two or three new perennials to your garden each year and consider plants that will give you magical, multi-season interest. And don’t be afraid to make mistakes — it’s the only way to gain experience. The delicate seed heads of allium cristophii last well into autumn and provide a good focal point in the garden. The burgundy reds of sedum Autumn Joy and Matrona will give you great color interest through December. Even the modest lunaria (Honesty), known as money plant, has many seasons of interest. Self-sowing, it is so easy to grow, with bright purple blossoms in spring that transform in midsummer to large, flat disks that turn silvery white in fall and brave the winter winds.
Keep in mind achillea, echinacea, stonecrop, liriope and, of course, wonderful grasses like hakonechloa and carex, left to fade for winter interest.
Can beer make plants grow? And how about stopping slugs with eggshells? More than 100 common and uncommon gardening practices are offered in Jeff Gillman’s book “The Truth About Garden Remedies.” The results in this book will surprise even experienced gardeners. Good fireside reading material.
“Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.” John Boswell
Gotti Kelley, past president of the Navesink Garden Club, also serves on the
board of The Garden Club of New Jersey.