Pink turtleheads with Montgomery Blue Spruce, Crimson Pygmy Barberry, Hosta undulata, and Pennisetum grass. Mid-September. Panicum Shenandoah with Double Knockout Rose. Late September-Early October. This is the grass behind the previous picture, Miscanthus Graziella with Itea Henry's Garnet. Picture taken last October. The brilliant Itea leaves often stay on until the beginning of December here! This is the bed in front of the large grasses with small shrubs and four Pennisetum Hamelins. Picture taken in late September in the slanty fall sun. A chance picture taken at the very end of October 2006 of dying Siberian Iris foliage and the very late blooming Sedum sieboldii (October Daphne). This sedum doesn't always make it to bloomtime in my garden. Even without flowers on the sedum, I'm fortunate in that the Siberian Iris foliage stays green and upright into late September for me and the tiny blue-grey edged pink leaves of the sedum are lovely & don't splay open until bloom. Another very late October 2006 picture of Honorine Jobert anemone and a stray (self-planted) bit of Sedum Autum Joy, probably from a broken off stem. The front of this bed is lined with AJ, but the anemone blooms always face backwards!! Helianthus angustifolius First Light, the last plant in my garden to bloom, with Goldflame Spirea, already in its fall orange color. End of September-Early October. This picture is from last year, as the helianthus is just beginning to open its buds today.

Here are a few more H. macrophylla cultivars that are said to bloom on new wood (remontant): Forever & Ever Sadie Ray David Ramsey Decatur Blue Oak Hill Pink Shira (PPAF) New, may not be available yet. Luis has good advice regarding ample moisture during the winter. If they are planted in sandy or other sharply drained soil, it is important to monitor the soil mosture frequently during the winter, until the root system is well established. If you have no rainfall for 2 consecutive weeks and none is forecasted soon, it would be adviseable to water them. Even though they may have no foliage, they have active flower buds that were formed in late summer/early fall, that requires moisture.

Scarlet sage (Salvia Coccinea) should still bloom from seed by fall, they germinate quickly, but take some time to get going on clay. They're not 100% perennial in zone 8a, but a lot can eventually return depending on mulch/weather and they do self seed well. They bloom from now until frost, but best show for us has been in early fall. Your spot sounds good because they seem to appreciate a little shade. We've been happy using them as a temporary ground cover in the open spots while the shrubs grown in. Here is a link that might be useful: Salvia coccinea at wildflower.org

Thanks, Holiday-ers! That shower curtain idea came from punk! I knew someone had done that but couldn't remember who...it's fabric...guess I don't have to iron or worry about spills! LOL! I'm not too much into 'fairies' (like our Purplemoon here on the forum)...her's are always so darn cute! But these garden fairies I keep out all yr round on porch corner cupboard...they do look 'summery' & we need to keep summer here awhile longer! Those bubbles are quite fun...when they shrink a bit, you just add water! They are nice & full today...guess I got them in Dec 2009 cause here's a couple pics of the way I used them for Winter decor: Glad you enjoyed...thanks again for your comments, Holiday-ers! Jeanne S.