Fallscaping, by Nancy J. Ondra and Stephanie Cohen, photography by Rob Cardillo
Reviewed by Sara Malone, Sonoma County Master Gardener
One of the things that makes gardening in Sonoma County so rewarding is that we have four active seasons of gardening. Even for those gardeners who choose to pursue other activities during fall and winter, there are ample displays of colorful foliage, natives emerging from dormancy and winter-blooming trees and shrubs to belie the idea that fall and winter are the 'off seasons'!
Nancy Ondra and Stephanie Cohen's book, Fallscaping, provides inspiration to those who would like to extend their garden's display into the autumn months. While the book, like so many other fine gardening books, is written with an East Coast point of view, the lessons—and many of the examples—are equally appropriate for Western gardeners. The book combines specific plant ideas for fall color, whether from foliage, flowers, berries or seed heads, with suggested combinations and even a fall garden care primer.
The photography is stunning (Rob Cardillo also did the photography for Ondra's book on Foliage) and, to my mind, makes the book. The first time that I picked it up, I concentrated on the photos and almost ignored the text. In subsequent readings I used the photos to direct me to text that expounded on plants or combinations that were particularly spectacular or clearly possible here in Sonoma County. Many of the specific plants are used widely here, and if the authors dwell a bit too much on maples and hollies, there are many other choices that are more appropriate. Some of the suggestions are conventional—rose hips and ornamental grass seed heads—and some are much more uncommon—cannas are not generally thought of as fall plants for example, but they bloom well into late autumn here, and many have interesting foliage.
One of the best messages of the book is that it ably demonstrates that 'fall color' is not just red, orange and yellow leaves. The authors' view of fall gardens is that much of what we enjoy about our gardens—flowers, varied foliage, contrasting shapes, etc.—can be enjoyed well into autumn, with judicious plant selection and combinations. While the point is not made explicitly, the photographs demonstrate an aspect of the fall garden that enhances the beauty in a manner that we don't experience in summer—the low, weak sunlight which provides backlighting. When you plan to extend your garden into fall, don't forget about the direction of the sunlight and where you will see foliage and dried seed heads back-lit from the house. Then go shopping!