 |
Who let this handsome guy into the field?
Introducing The Husband, Mike Downey. |
"'Limelight' will be perfect that time of the year!" greeted me when I announced my fall wedding plans what seems like a lifetime ago. I shrugged, laughed, or made some noncommittal statement to my coworkers. While they immediately began planning bouquet combinations with their go-to fall flower,
Hydrangea paniculata, I was still wrapped up in the words "fiance" and "bling" like I had never heard them before.
Fast forward to a month ago, the eve of The Big Day. My fiance, maid of honor, and I were on a cut flower mission in the nursery's stock fields. We operated with "woodlandy" and weird as the criteria for bouquets and centerpieces (my only must-have was
Sugar Shack® Cephalanthus). Hydrangeas didn't fit into those categories exactly, but as we turned the corner to find towering rows of 'Limelight', blooms teetering between its trademark green and coquettish pink, any reservations I had about our most popular shrub faded. My coworkers were right. They
were perfect, and I suddenly couldn't imagine our fall wedding without them.
Alas, this post is not about my (super amazing) nuptials or even the flowers I used. This post is about those plants, like 'Limelight', that give you the magical warm fuzzies of the autumn season. Here is my list of the 15 quintessential fall shrubs your readers should know, from hydrangea blooms to fantastic foliage and fruit.
 |
Clockwise from left to right: Red Wall® Parthenocissus, Handsome Devil™ Viburnum, Little Henry® Itea,
Gatsby Moon™ Hydrangea quercifolia, and Yuki Cherry Blossom™ Deutzia |
- Yuki Cherry Blossom™ Deutzia (deutzia): selected for heavy-blooming, pink spring flowers, this dwarf deutzia also develops purple foliage when the cooler temperatures start.
- Gatsby Moon® Hydrangea quercifolia (oakleaf hydrangea): while its over-sized blooms dry, this native hydrangea's oak-shaped foliage transforms to rich shades of red and burgundy.
- Little Henry® Itea (Virginia sweetspire): this compact native becomes a fiery mound of orange-red leaves in fall.
- Red Wall® Parthenocissus (Virginia creeper): this native vine was selected specifically for its clear red fall color and as a quick cover for fencing.
- Handsome Devil™ Viburnum (viburnum): a wash of orange, red, burgundy, and green makes this glossy viburnum a standout.
 |
Clockwise from left to right: Purple Pearls™ Callicarpa, All That Glows™ Viburnum, Sugar Shack® Cephalanthus,
Little Goblin™ Ilex verticillata, and Brandywine™ Viburnum |
- Purple Pearls™ Callicarpa (beautyberry): the purple fruit, purple foliage, and purple stems of this native hybrid make it an autumn triple threat.
- Sugar Shack® Cephalanthus (buttonbush): normally, the fruit on this native shrub stays a blushy-green, but Sugar Shack buttonbush pushes it to bright red. It is also dwarf, has glossy foliage, and crazy-amazing flowers.
- Little Goblin™ Ilex verticillata (winterberry holly): this compact holly holds its own in the landscape with extra large red fruit.
- All That Glows™ Viburnum (viburnum): the blue fall berries shine against the glossy foliage of this semi-dwarf variety (plant All That Glitters™ viburnum for its pollinating pal)
- Brandywine™ Viburnum nudum (viburnum): the red fall foliage is showy enough on its own, but add pink and blue berries - that don't need a pollinator to form - and you're on to something spectacular.
 |
Clockwise from left to right: Sonic Bloom® Red Weigela, Bloom-A-Thon® Red Rhododendron,
Fire Light® Hydrangea paniculata, Bloomerang® Purple Syringa, Oso Easy® Double Red Rosa |
- Fire Light® Hydrangea paniculata (hardy hydrangea): the red autumn flowers of this new variety recently wowed our Facebook fans. Rich color, strong stems, reliable blooms - what's not to love?
- Bloom-A-Thon® Red Rhododendron (reblooming azalea): this reblooming, shade tolerant azalea also comes in white, pink, and lavender.
- Oso Easy® Double Red Rosa (rose): the double red flowers on this disease resistant landscape rose will continue blooming (and blooming and blooming) until frost.
- Bloomerang® Purple Syringa (reblooming lilac): fragrant lilacs in fall? A must!
- Sonic Bloom® Red Weigela (reblooming weigela): the reblooming Sonic Bloom® series took weigela from a one-hit spring wonder to a shrub worthy of three-season praise.
