A glorious fall garden

Colorful autumn blooms

Autumn marks the end of the growing season for most gardeners. But it's the start of a glorious time of year for Arla Carmichiel and Steve Kelley of Long Lake, Minnesota (15 miles west of Minneapolis).

Wide borders outline their house, garage, and 31/2-acre property. Clumps of peach-colored plume poppies tower overhead. Bright-yellow stands of rudbeckia shine waist high above rosy-purple blooms of chelone, also called turtlehead. Below, still-green spikes of knee-high iris foliage add to the pleasing blend of shapes and textures.

This plant-loving couple pack as much as they can into wide beds that look better in fall than at any other season. In a sunny spot, tawny ornamental grasses and dusty-pink sedums complement the changing colors of nearby maples and oaks. A lacy combination of white Japanese anemones and yellow goldenrod seems springlike, except for the fall leaves nearby.

If it's an unusual perennial that peaks at this season, Steve and Arla probably grow it!