Crape Myrtle: Vibrant late blooming flowers of Crape Myrtle give way to a dazzling display of fall color. (Barry Block)

Southampton - That cherished time of year has arrived back to the Hamptons - Fall! The pumpkin and apple picking festivals are in full swing, and some of our favorite harvest foods are in season. Golden and copper tones slowly emerge over the canopies, signaling the beginning of Autumn to the East End. This is also a great time to capture wonderful color from late blooming shrubs and trees. Remember, summer isn't the only time for interesting color! Incorporating a few of these plants within your landscape will help to extend the season and allow you to enjoy your outdoor space longer. Here are my top three choices for fall blooms and foliage:

Beautyberry - Callicarpa
Beautyberry is one of the best fruiting perennial shrubs for mid-fall color. In Greek, the genus name Callicarpa means callos, "beauty" and carpos, "fruit." It is fast growing, reaching three to four inches tall and almost as wide with arching branches. In late spring to early summer, inconspicuous flowers of blue, violet, pink, or white are arranged in clusters on the stems between the leaves. However, it's the shiny clusters of richly-colored purple-blue berries against yellow foliage that produce the big show in September. The berries encircle the stems and almost "drip off," creating a great attraction in the landscape when many plants are winding down their display. Not only are the berries a beautiful sight, but they also persist into winter, affording winter interest and food source for songbirds. To achieve greater fruit production, plant several together. Beautyberry is small enough to fit easily into a perennial or mixed border, perhaps near Ornamental Grasses, Perovskia, and late-blooming Rudbeckias for a satisfying late-season display. Due to their remarkable berry display, beautyberry shrubs are also striking enough to be used as specimen plants.

Crape Myrtle - Lagerstroemia
Crape Myrtles are truly one of the most versatile plants in the landscape, and among the longest blooming! They have been planted along highways in the southern United States for generations, and are becoming more widely used in gardens. Depending on the variety, some grow as shrubs or as trees that may be either upright or spreading. Often the new foliage each spring is wine or maroon colored and some put on a dazzling display of fall color. Flowers are born late summer and bloom through fall in big showy clusters ranging from white to many shades of pink, purple, lavender, and red. The fruits that follow are brown or black. However, the beauty still continues! Come winter, Crape Myrtles display a dramatic architectural beauty highlighted by distinctive exfoliating bark. A single plant is a magnificent specimen. Planting multiple ones of the same color, but different heights can be quite effective. A cluster of them planted close together can provide a flowering canopy in summer and a study in texture during winter months. They are an amazing four-season plant!

Caption Here

Blue Mist - Caryopteris
There are few true blues in the world of flowers, especially in Autumn, but the blooms on a Caryopteris come very close! This woody perennial forms a neat, low two-foot tall mound, is extremely drought tolerant, and virtually maintenance free. The bluish purple feathery-like flowers give Caryopteris its common name of Blue Mist. They are clustered in panicles above the silvery-gray foliage, creating a blue haze from midsummer into fall when most gardens look spent. Due to their aromatic foliage, Blue Mist is also deer tolerant and instead attracts butterflies with its abundant flowers. The blue flowers mix particularly well with either pastels and whites or vibrant yellows. Since they bloom later in the summer, Caryopteris is a nice companion for Rudbeckia, Buddleia, and Goldenrod. Their small size makes them a good choice in any size garden.


Blue Mist: The bluish purple feathery-like flowers give Caryopteris it's common name of Blue Mist.