I’ve spent 35 years pushing the limits of bloom time in my gardens. Little gems like Cyclamen hederifolium (top of page) are a gentle reminder of the beauty that still exists in the October garden. Every one of my gardens still has something in bloom that will help to sustain our native bees until they seek cover and winter habitat in a few weeks. Now is a great time to look for ‘pockets of opportunity’ in your own garden. This time of year, foliage is King! Grasses and ferns add textural interest as well as over-wintering habitat for beneficial insects. Even the dahlias and zinnias that I grew last spring from seed continue to offer sustenance to beetles and bees. Some blooms are riddled with holes from beetles, but the bumblebees still find caches of pollen and nectar to carry to their underground nests.
I love the sedum ‘Autumn Fire’ which demonstrates a much better, tidier, habit than the older cultivar ‘Autumn Joy’ that requires support to prevent splaying and flopping.
Perhaps you have an area of non-native invasives that could be eradicated and replaced with one of these!
