Some Edgy Ideas

Asparagus fern when you least expect it…

One of our display beds is up against the building, under a tree, behind some shrubs—it’s in heavy shade. So the first thing we did was use regular old asparagus fern as an edging. It looks very nice—it’s something you don’t see everyday. We just used straight asparagus fern, there’s nothing fancy about it.

Daisy-style blooms on a pretty dwarf for autumn

Here’s a pretty dwarf sunflower that’s a nice height for an edging plant—it comes in at around 8–10 inches. Remember: outside-the-box thinking doesn’t mean you need to go crazy. Traditional autumn charm can be creative if used in an unexpected way, so take this little rudbeckia out of the basket or window box.

Better yet, leave it in your fall planters and use a collection of them as edging. Daisy-style flowers are extremely popular now, and this combination of gold and brown ties other seasonal design elements together. 

Gold and brown tie other fall colors together 

‘Toto Rustic’ is just a great plant—it’ll go all the way to frost. You can also use it as a cut flower for indoor arrangements, and the butterflies add a little choreography to the geography. 

This variety is available in the 6-inch pot. To learn more about rudbeckias for autumn, please click on one of the following:

http://www.dgiplants.com/2013-reviews/autumn/223-fresh-rudbeckias-for-autumn

http://www.dgiplants.com/2014-reviews/summer/272-rudbeckia-toto-rustic-and-toto-gold

‘Super Parfait Raspberry’—a beautiful bicolor for autumn

If you’re looking for a change of pace from mums our ‘Super Parfait Raspberry’ dianthus is a beautiful bicolor shade for autumn. Deep rose-pink flowers have crimson eyes and like the cool weather so they last far into the fall. 

Breeders crossed chinensis and barbatus types to get the large, self-cleaning blooms this series is famous for—flowers measure about 2-3/4 inches each. They’re also fragrant so they keep the butterflies around for a while longer.

At around 6–8 inches tall this is a dwarf to keep in mind for all types of seasonal containers. ‘Raspberry’ is also an inspired choice for designer edging—we normally associate dianthus with spring but this color fits right in with autumn decor. Another plus: since there’s no deadheading plants stay tidy with very little maintenance. 

We grow ‘Super Parfait Raspberry’ in the 4.5-inch pot.