It was the end of the tour. We had seen magnificent fall foliage throughout the Niagara Falls area, including near the cataract itself, on Goat Island, along the gorge at Whirlpool State Park (shown here) and in the charming villages of Youngstown and Lewiston.
It was time for lunch. As we approached a restaurant known for its stunning views of the lower Niagara River, I tried to ignore the pathetic (and unnecessary) attempt at autumnal decoration that had been randomly placed on the entranceway steps. I couldn’t, though.
There were four or five plastic containers of mums, most well past whatever prime they may have had. One (shown above) was so bad I couldn’t imagine what the flowers had looked like when they were viable.
There was just no need and I’d question the need for these in just about any situation. For one thing, most appear to be a big waste of money. They seem to be bred to produce big, dense clumps of flowers that begin to decay as soon as they’re brought home from the big box store. I suppose garden centers and nurseries might do better, but even if the flowers last, the stiff, awkward plants look like they may as well be made out of plastic – at least to me.
There are so many alternatives. First, have trees. Autumn foliage frames and beautifies home exteriors infinitely better than a few mums on the steps. Second, have shrubs and perennials with fall color, as so many have. I’m loving the various effects of Japanese maples, Boston ivy, amsonia, viburnum (above) and hydrangea (below) around my property at this time and I haven’t even tried for fall color in my plant choices.
Third – and most fun -go all in for Halloween. This will last for weeks and it can be anything you want it to be. Though excess seems to work the best. I would rather see animatronic skeletons than mums any day of the week. There is a free-wheeling ease about Halloween decor – which has legit folk roots – that December’s holiday decor lacks, burdened as it is with the extra stress of that holiday.
But by all means, if you live anywhere near areas with spectacular fall foliage, get to them now. It’s one of the best years I have ever seen.
Total agreement about those potted “cushion” mums. Who wants a plant that succeeds in looking like a (worn out) cushion?
But a brief, sincere cheer for those tough-as-nails, truly perennial, late blooming garden chrysanthemums, like Sheffield Pink and Emperor of China. The Emperor flops all over the place, even when pinched back at mid-season — which I rarely manage to do, anyway. But its lovely dusty pink, often darkening toward the center, earns its space. And Sheffield Pink branches with no help, stays pretty low all summer, then stretches its apricot blossoms up to maybe 18-24″ as frost approaches. In my Zone 6A garden, it will retain color well into November. A great plant.
Yes. I have perennial mums but in terms of impact they do not compete with fall color on other perennials, shrubs and trees in my garden. Great plants, though!
I am amazed at people who buy mums in full bloom! I always think.. anticipation is part of gardening joy.. awaiting the blooms.. such fun.. Mine come back year after year. Can look like a few toothpicks in the dirt, then viola!! blooms!!
Ahh, I wondered when the annual mum-bashing would come. Ok, so not really bashing, but seems to be something negative every Fall about mums. I love mums in the Fall, and even more importantly, my wife loves them. She puts up with me living in the garden, so I try to give her something she loves. I agree that they look terrible when sitting alone on some steps or are past their prime. I do have some on the steps but they are mixed in with other plants that are still in bloom (Zone 8) or have beautiful fall-colored foliage, both of which hide the sticks that support those blooms. And yes, I throw in a pumpkin or two and some small Halloween decorations. I also have some in pots from last year, and some in the yard that come back each year but I don’t trim them into those crammed round shapes like newly purchased ones. With respect to the “but they don’t last” I have found that if I keep them watered I can get almost a month out of them, especially if I can get them when they are just beginning to bloom. Bonus points if I can get them half-off because the store bought too many and needs to get rid of some.
I’m with you, Greg. Just love them but Elizabeth is so right about foliage turning wonderful colors. Sadly, I’m only in New England twice a year but I make sure that one visit is in mid-Fall. I visit Arlington Mass. and Exeter & Concord NH – all spectacular with giant old Hydrangeas turning colors.
Among many others.
It’s been a wild, pretty fabulous Fall here on the Front Range of Colorado. Ground cover big leaf ivy (Hort. name?) turns a gorgeous red, huge ash trees with incredibly gold leaves and even our few, paltry Hydrangeas which didn’t bloom much, have some just stunning leaves.
Sounds like a very good marriage, too!
Agreed, Greg! To me, fall would not be the same without mums, whatever form they might be. They’re part of the seasonal experience. The shift to cooler temperatures, warm apple cider, beautiful foliage on the trees and shrubs, corn stalks, pumpkins, mums…I love ALL of it. I don’t care what type of pot they are growing in or that they are in a dome shape–they are just as beautiful as any other. All of the potted cushion mums I buy get planted into the ground eventually, in hopes that they’ll be hardy to my zone 6 and have enough time to get established. Every spring I am delighted by seeing which ones made it, and I welcome them back.
Ms. Licata,
Possibly your article and it’s title were not intended to cover ALL mums. Or, maybe they were, but you have not seen, or grown perennial mums grown and sold by nurseries (not big box stores ’round here). These perennials are typically planted in Spring in order to have a full season of root growth necessary to survive our zone 6 winters here.
The mums I speak of are truly perennial (if grown properly) and come in many flower forms and colors not seen in grocery store and big box displays. They are grown in the ground, not in pots . . . at least that’s how I do it.
You might like them.
Regards,
John
Yes, I am aware of perennial mums. They aren’t really the point of this post, though.
My late husband liked to give me flowers but I told him, no mums. So one fall he brought home some of those potted mums. when I asked him about it he said he was told they were chrysanthmums. Meantime my perennial daisy flowered plants were covered with bees on the prolific out- of- bounds bloom. I think the objection to the potted variety is that they lack any real personality–all are tightly forced into smug compact uniform mounds intended not to be planted in the garden but to be discarded decor like straw bales and corn stalks.
Hello Sally, I always plant those after the first store-bought blooms fade & dry up. They just need the right conditions inc’g a good amount of water at first.
And tons of sunlight. And a bit of room to spread.
I would advise to avoid buying plants at Lowe’s, though!
I was in the nursery business for 35 years. If you buy mums do not buy those in full bloom in Sept. they will succumb to heat and are nearing the end of their ornamental season. In October, instead, purchase Belgian cushion mums. Bred to be later, with stronger stems, and stunning colors. Ask for them at the nursery if you do not see them. Nurserymen/women want to know what you WANT. Again, Belgian mums. And they are beautiful throughout October which I consider more of the fall season than September. I might add the winter hardy heirloom mums are beautiful at this time of year planted in beds. A few varieties I highly recommend are ‘Campfire Glow’ and ‘Brandywine Sunset’.
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Rhus typhina. Staghorn sumac. It’s the most incredible red this time of year, in stark contrast to moody grey skies, and after the lovely foliage is gone the gnarled branches and clusters still make for excellent winter interest. I am not a fan of mounded-mum-and-cornstalk decor but can appreciate the heirloom varieties that some flower farmers are bringing back.