Mary Spencer’s Fall 2023 Garden

We’re in Westminster, Maryland, today to see how fall is treating Mary Spencer’s garden. Last time we visited Mary it was in the spring (Spring in Mary’s Garden), so it is fun to see how different the garden looks at the other end of the growing season.

A beautiful combination of fall leaf colors from the trees and shrubs contrasts with flowers from impatiens (Impatiens walleriana, Zones 10–11 or as an annual) that haven’t been hit by frost yet and so are still flowering away.

A spot to sit and soak up the autumnal beauty

It pays to slow down and look at the details. In the background is a cloud of incredible fall leaves, and in the foreground a tree trunk looks as if it has a pair of eyes.

A fall planter features rudbeckia (Rudbeckia hirta, Zones 3–7, but short lived and usually grown as an annual), ornamental pepper (Capsicum annuum, Zones 9–11 or as an annual), and ornamental cabbage (Brassica oleracea, Zones 6–10, biennial).

A pumpkin, some pink mums (Chrysanthemum hybrid, hardiness varies by cultivar), and a purple flamingo bring pops of color to the changing foliage of perennials, including Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 5–9).

Beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica, Zones 6–8) has intense purple berries that look great over a long stretch of later summer into winter, but they may never look better than when the foliage is turning color, making a purple-and-yellow display that is just beautiful.

Perennials usually don’t have quite the intense fall color of trees and shrubs, but they still make a layer of gold along the ground, with promises of returning in the spring with bright new leaves and flowers.

Pots of flowers, pumpkins, and a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum, Zones 5–9) make a seasonally perfect