when we think about beautiful fall color, maple trees usually get most of the attention, and for good reason! their brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows can be absolutely spectacular, especially when the afternoon sunlight catches their leaves just right. but there's so much more to autumn color than maples, and some of my favorite fall displays come from plants that might surprise you. i love walking through a garden in october and noticing all the different shades of gold, copper, burgundy, and bronze tucked in among the more obvious bursts of color. sometimes it's the quieter plants that make the biggest impression.
there are so many wonderful trees that bring beautiful fall color to our landscapes here in the western suburbs of chicago. serviceberries are one of my favorites, with their delicate branching structure, beautiful spring flowers, summer berries, and brilliant orange-red autumn foliage. oaks bring rich shades of russet, bronze, and reddish brown, often holding onto their leaves well into the colder months. ginkgo trees are absolutely stunning when their fan-shaped leaves turn a clear, golden yellow, sometimes dropping almost all at once and creating a beautiful golden carpet beneath the tree. sweetgum, black gum, and even some varieties of dogwood can add incredible shades of red, purple, and orange to the landscape. each has its own personality, and each contributes something different to the garden as the seasons change.
and then there are the shrubs, which i think are sometimes overlooked when we're thinking about fall interest. fothergilla is a wonderful example, with foliage that can turn shades of yellow, orange, and red, sometimes all on the same plant. chokeberry brings rich red and burgundy tones, while many viburnums develop beautiful shades of wine-red and purple. oakleaf hydrangeas are another favorite, with their large leaves turning deep burgundy, bronze, and reddish purple as the weather cools. even shrubs that seem fairly unassuming throughout the summer can suddenly become the stars of the garden in october.
perennials and ornamental grasses have plenty to contribute as well. amsonia is one of my absolute favorites for fall, with its fine, feathery foliage turning the softest golden yellow. hardy geraniums can develop beautiful shades of red and orange, while sedum often takes on deeper, richer tones as the season progresses. ornamental grasses bring a whole different kind of beauty to the landscape, with warm shades of copper, tan, bronze, and gold, along with seed heads that catch the sunlight and move gently in the breeze. i love the way these softer textures mingle with the more dramatic colors of trees and shrubs, creating a garden that feels layered, natural, and full of life, even as everything begins to settle in for winter.
it's one of the things i enjoy most about landscape design. rather than relying on one spectacular tree to provide all the autumn color, we can create an entire landscape that changes gradually throughout the season. some plants begin coloring up in september, others reach their peak in october, and still others hold onto their beautiful foliage or seed heads well into november and beyond. by combining trees, flowering shrubs, native perennials, and ornamental grasses with different seasonal characteristics, we can extend the beauty of fall and create a garden that continues to offer something interesting long after the summer flowers have faded.
when we're designing new planting beds or renovating an existing landscape, i always like to think about how the plants will work together throughout the entire year. spring blossoms, summer flowers, fall foliage, winter branching structure, and even the dried seed heads of perennials all have their place. thoughtful plant selection is such an important part of creating a natural, four-season landscape, especially here in northern illinois, where our gardens experience such dramatic seasonal changes. and of course, the colors are never exactly the same from one year to the next, which makes the whole experience that much more interesting.
at rooted outdoor living, we specialize in landscape design, landscape planting, garden renovations, and landscape construction throughout naperville, aurora, plainfield, yorkville, batavia, geneva, glen ellyn, wheaton, downers grove, lisle, and the western suburbs of chicago. whether we're designing a naturalistic garden, incorporating native trees and shrubs, or creating outdoor living spaces with natural stone patios and walkways, we love finding ways to bring beauty and interest to the landscape throughout all four seasons.
maple trees will probably always steal the show when it comes to autumn color, and i'm certainly not complaining! but there's something really special about discovering all the other plants that contribute to the beautiful patchwork of colors we see each fall. sometimes all it takes is slowing down a little, looking beyond the treetops, and noticing just how much is happening closer to the ground.