Lila’s Autumn Garden in Washington: Part 2


Hi GPODers!

Yesterday we saw some beautiful plant close-ups from Lila Johnson in Mill Creek, WA. I wonā€™t copy Lilaā€™s entire intro (be sure to go back if you missed it), but one pertinent paragraph was the following:

Right now the ā€œstarā€ is the coral bark maple (Acer palmatum ā€˜Sango Kakuā€™, Zones 5ā€“8) in full yellow mode. We have it uplit at night and it truly is a star. And when the leaves are gone, that coral bark is incredible. I think the winter time is my favorite time for this tree, it stands out when all else is done for the season.

I didnā€™t include any photos of this small but mighty tree in yesterdayā€™s post, so Iā€™m kicking off with it today.

Lila certainly did not over-hype the vibrancy of her incredible coral bark maple, and the beautiful blue pot that sits in front is the perfect contrast to the foliageā€™s golden hue. The tiny fuchsia in the lower left corner appears to be Lilaā€™s new ā€˜Neon Tricolorā€™ fuchsia (Fuchsia ā€˜Neon Tricolorā€™, Zones 7ā€“9) we saw yesterday. On the right, a pink geranium continues to put on a fantastic floral show.

Coral bark maple through arborEven from afar, the coral bark maple absolutely dominates the scene with its outrageous color.

Full Moon Japanese maple in fallOf course, Lilaā€™s Full Moon Japanese maple (Acer japonicum, Zones 5ā€“7) on the opposite side of the arbor is also a show-stopper. We saw some great shots of this tree yesterday, but this perspective reveals the stunning palm tree near by. Looks like itā€™s a hardy windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei, Zones 7ā€“11), which would make sense for Lilaā€™s locale.

fall garden with seed heads in foreground

Lilaā€™s garden has just about everything you could want in an autumn garden. Flowers still blooming, foliage sporting sensational color, and even seed heads adding even more interest. These might beĀ crocosmia seed pods.

hardy fuchsia in front of full moon mapleAnother hardy fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica, Zones 6ā€“9) in Lilaā€™s garden adds more beautiful pinks and purples to her fall garden. Paired with the palm tree, these bold colors bring a tropical flare to more traditional PNW plantings.

Full Moon Japanese maple behind arborFull Moon Japanese maple in background behind the arbor.

Vine maple with Little Lime hydrangeaVine mapleĀ (Acer circinatum, Zones 5ā€“9) (27 years old), ā€˜Little Limeā€™ panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ā€˜Janeā€™, Zones 3ā€“8), and 27 year old rhody and azalea.

coral bark Japanese maple lit up at nightOur coral bark Japanese maple, uplit last night! 10/25/2024

Thank you so much for sharing your gloriously colorful fall garden, Lila!

Weā€™d love to see the color in your fall garden, too. From pots of seasonal flowers, to towering trees in all shades and hues. Follow the instructions below to submit your photos, of send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad

Ā 

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