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Welcome, September! Does the rapidly approaching end to summer give you the blues, or are you ready for fall? I, for one, am looking forward to fall. The cooler temperatures will be a welcome relief not only for us, but for our plants too! Plus, it’s a great time to get new plants in the ground—the warm soil and cooler weather get plants off to a great start. Are you making any fall planting plans?

 
Blue flowers, lobelia, rose of Sharon, globe thistle

If you’re planning on adding some blue to your garden, we’ve got 20 plants to get you started, from flowering shrubs to groundcovers. And, if you plan carefully, you can have blue flowers in your garden from early spring through late fall, including these late-season bloomers: Laguna® Sky Blue lobelia, Blue Chiffon® rose of Sharon, and Blue Glow globe thistle (pictured). Photos by Proven Winners.

Contemporary garden with lounge chairs

See how a California designer responded to the challenge of creating a modern, yet warm and inviting garden. Plus, he shares 5 tips to help you do the same—such as using plants to connect to your surroundings. Photo by Colin Miller.

 
 
Pitchfork in compost

Have you tried making your own compost yet? If so, you probably know it can be a bit of a challenge to get the balance just right. If you’ve not tried it yet, is it because you’re not sure what to put in it—and what not to? Learn more about how to create your own compost and how to use it in your garden. (Hint: A fresh layer added to the garden in fall will break down over the winter and make for revitalized soil in spring.)  

Oso Easy Double Red shrub rose

If you heard it was a good thing to give your roses a boost in late summer, you heard right. However, don’t go grabbing that leftover fertilizer that you used in spring. Roses need a different type of food late in the season, one that promotes root growth, not foliage. Learn more about what to feed your roses and when.

Fall is also a good time to plant roses—as long as it is at least 6 weeks before your average first frost date, to give the roots time to get established before the plants go dormant over the winter. Learn more about basic rose care and planting. Pictured: Oso Easy Double Red® shrub rose. Photo by Proven Winners.

 
Fall flowers, bidens, daisy, calibrachoa, petunia

If you’re thinking about what to plant to add some late season color to your landscape, Proven Winners has just what you need. They’re stocking up just in time to bring you the perfect autumn accents for your beds, borders, and containers, such as Campfire® Flame bidens, Golden Butterfly® marguerite daisy, Superbells® Grape Punch™ calibrachoa, and Supertunia® Latte™ petunia (pictured). See all that they have available to order online and get them delivered right to your doorstep. 

There is a lot that can be done in and for the garden this month, no matter where you are: change out and refresh containers, order and plant bulbs, replenish soil, harvest the last of your summer veggies, and much more. What do you do in the garden in September?

Happy gardening!
   -Linda