We often hear from Cherry Ong when she’s traveling to visit a marvelous public garden, but today she’s letting us in to see her home garden in Richmond, British Columbia. She says that she’s learned to love fall and is sharing the beauty of her shade garden with pictures she took in early October.
Cherry uses foliage to great effect. Here a warm Heuchera (Zones 5–9) is paired with the bright yellow foliage of Mexican orange (Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’, Zones 7–10). The yellow foliage effect is backed up by a big clump of Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aurea’, Zones 5–9).
How is THAT for foliage effect? A variegated skimmia (Skimmia japonica, Zones 7–9) looks amazing with its contrast of pink flower buds against the leaves.
A perfect foliage combination: The divided leaves of the hellebore (Helleborus hybrid, Zones 4–9) contrast beautifully in both texture and color with the broad, silver leaves of Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla, Zones 3–8).
This dark Japanese maple (Acer palmatum, Zones 5–9) looks all the darker with a sunny Japanese forest grass as a backdrop.
I love the dark, glossy foliage of this begonia (Begonia hybrid, hardiness varies by cultivar, usually grown as annuals)
Toad lily (Tricyrtis formosana, Zones 4–9) is a quiet presence in the shade garden until it explodes into bloom each fall.
Each toad lily flower is beautifully speckled with purple.
Cheerful pots full of foliage
A look out into the garden reveals a beautyberry (Callicarpa sp., Zones 5–9) loaded down with purple berries.
This beautyberry is living up to its name.
A final view of Cherry’s garden
How has fall looked in your garden? Send pictures to [email protected]! We’d love to see and share them.
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