Reported by MIKE IRVINE & MARCIA TATROE

Learn what to plant when with our year-round checklists: sunset.com/checklists.

PLANT
Set out bulbs of Iris histrioi-
des ‘Katharine’s Gold’ for cold-
and snow-defying pale yellow
flowers next March. At only
6 inches in height, this rock gar-
den iris is perfect for water-wise
beds sited in full sun, where they
can dry out in summer.

Jazz up porch pots by pulling
out tired annuals and replacing
them with chrysanthemums that
are available in a wide range of
fall colors. Try Glow Girl Spiraea
betulifolia for a small, easygoing
shrub with pink buds that open
to frothy white flowers in spring.
The lime green foliage turns
burgundy-red this time of year.
Site in full sun and keep moder-
ately moist.

Start a ‘North Star’ cherry—
a dwarf, tart variety that tops
out at 10 to 12 feet. Ideal
for smaller yards, this tree is
disease-resistant and self-
fertile. It performs best in
well-drained soil and full sun.

Arrange autumn crocus bulbs in
a shallow bowl and display
indoors for their bright pink blos-
soms. When the flowers fade,

plant the bulbs in an outdoor

bed, where they will get the

chance to come back and bloom

year after year.

MAINTAIN

Bring tropical and sub-

tropical pond marginals like

blue bell, butterfly ginger, and

papyrus into the house until

next spring. Stand the pots in

IDEA WE LOVE

Tunnel vision

Look to a supporting cast to pick up the slack as plants settle into dormancy. “As we transition into

colder months, the trellis becomes a piece of sculpture,” says artist Jennifer Asher , co-owner of

Los Angeles’ TerraTrellis. Here in the Sunset Test Garden, one of her steel arbors with a weather-

resistant finish becomes an elegant focal point sourrounded by the cloudlike seedheads of Muhlen-

bergia rigens and the vibrant fall foliage of ‘Navah o’ thornless blackberry. It’s autumn’s last call , but

the arbor will glisten with hints of morning frost and cast long shadows along the path throughout

the winter. Landscape by Homestead Design Collective; homesteaddesigncollective.com.

an impermeable dish or a crock

filled with several inches of

water, and place in a sunny win-

dow or under grow lights.

Lift peonies that didn’t bloom

this season. Dig up the entire

plant with the roots attached,

mix in several inches of com-

post, and bury with its pinkish

buds just above ground level.

Move containers of hardy cactus

and succulents to a covered

porch patio or overhanging

eave to prevent them from get-

ting too wet and suffering from

rot over the winter. Cover pots

too large to move with a heavy

frost blanket and shake off any

snow that accumulates after a

storm or a heavy dumping.

42 OCTOBER 2018 ❖ SUNSET

Home & Garden

ROCKY

MOUNTAINS

CHECKLIST

SAMANTHA BROWN