Fall planting

It is fall, almost officially by now, and the solemn promise I made to not buy plants over the summer has ended. I more or less followed that promise. I did buy a "Brandy" rose, the only rose I really wanted for my garden and a Hibiscus called "Midnight Marvel" with purple foliage and red flowers. otherwise I resisted with all my might.  Once September rolled around my personal ban ended and this also coincides with end of season sales at the local nurseries. Perennials, shrubs, and trees on sale, yes please! Fall is also a great time to plant, the roots can get a little established before winter rolls around and the plants are less stressed the next spring. Here is a great guide from Michigan no less, about fall planting. 10 Tips for planting trees and shrubs in the fall

 My crowning jewel for this fall is a Shagbark Maple. the more commonly used name is Paperbark Maple but I love saying shagbark, it is a much more fun name. The scientific name is Acer griseum and it has a fantastic cinnamon colored peeling bark with a clear red fall color.

Oh, how I love that bark!

 I have been waiting all summer to pick up one of these, holding out until the fall sales, when this beauty went from being $125 to $75. I wanted to buy one last year at the same sale but I didn't like the shape of the trees they had. They looked more like shrubs and I wanted to make sure that I got one that would need very little training or pruning.

The other must get this year was a clematis called "Sweet Summer Love". Some great info on it here Sweet Summer Love Clematis.  It is a late blooming purple clematis that is also fragrant. This plant is right up my alley. There is a person living nearby with a white late blooming fragrant clematis and after seeing that one I hunted down this fabulous hybrid. it will also serve the purpose of covering up a gap in my neighbors chain link fence that my dogs can fit through.

I also scored some half off asters, red lupines, Hot Lips Salvia, Balloon flower, ice plant, and delphinium. The asters may have to be temporarily planted since they are to be planted on the outside of a fence that does not yet exist. The balloon flower may go up in the front in a bed I am hoping to work on in a couple weeks. Everything else, well, I haven't decided yet but I'm sure I will find space somewhere

Some more of my goodies