Plant More Kale

Incredibly dark ‘Scarlet Bor’

Wednesday is National Kale Day—yes, it has a day. Kale is a super food after all, and from a landscaping point of view it’s often an eye-catching ornamental. ‘Scarlet Bor’ is our case in point, one of the most beautiful kales you’ll find. It’s also one of the most delicious so this plant truly is worth celebrating.

Golden foliage for sun or shade 

‘Aurea’ makes me think of a Thomas Kinkade painting, with warm, welcoming light eminating from the windows of quaint, cozy cottages. By adding this golden grass to the autumn landscape we can achieve the same affect. Simply place the glowing foliage in shady spots that need brightening.

Often there’s a pond or stream near the cottage in those paintings, with a cobblestone bridge crossing over it. That would be a great spot for a dramatic clump of ‘Aurea’—it thrives in moist-to-wet soil and can also be grown in shallow water. You’ll get double the lightening effect if you count the shimmering reflection of the arching yellow leaves.

Fine, narrow leaves are edged in green

We grow this grass in sun or shade—it reaches about 3 feet high—but we find that the glowing effect is more prominent in shade. If you look closely you’ll see that the fine, narrow leaves are edged in green. As autumn sets in, the yellow steals the show and eventually the foliage turns to toasty brown. It can also be planted in average soil—just be sure to water regularly.

Carex ‘Aurea’ is available in the 1-gallon pot.

Light up porches and walkways with warm WonderFall™ pansies

We have some vigorous WonderFall™ pansies in 10-inch hanging baskets for fall. Actually, the series name refers to the trailing habit rather than the season, but these plants are covered with big blooms throughout fall, winter, and spring. They’ve become a favorite around here for cool season color. 

Back to the trailing habit—these plants fill in quickly and literally overflow the baskets. WonderFall™ is the only spreading pansy with traditional large pansy blooms. It’s a unique look that bumps up the color quotient considerably.

‘Yellow with Red Wing’ is the selection we’ve chosen for the season, a warm combination of autumn shades to light up porches and walkways. We also like the way the fierce fiery faces peer out of the deep green foliage—Halloween approaches! Add these baskets to your list of quick color choices for festive holiday displays.