ODE TO THE AUTUMN ANEMONE - 11 reasons why it should not be missing in any garden
How I love late summer!
Bold colors, harvest baskets filled with glossy tomatoes, green and yellow zucchini, juicy peaches, and fragrant plums. Summer is showing its best side once again.
And in the midst of this abundance blooms a flower that I look forward to every year: the autumn anemone.
Of course, tastes differ, but I find it difficult to understand why this wonderful, uncomplicated, beautiful, even shade-happy plant cannot be found in every garden.
Whether pink, rose, or white, with single or double petals, it brightens up any garden and becomes a dreamy eye-catcher. Combined with dahlias , Argentinian verbena , or roses, it enchants any garden and immediately conveys the feeling of sitting in a cottage or farm garden.
And these are my reasons why everyone absolutely needs an autumn anemone in their garden from now on:
1. It is completely undemanding
Even though she looks like a sophisticated ballerina with attitude as she dances her choreography in the slightest breeze, inside she's a strong, healthy country girl with rosy cheeks and a good mood. She even grows in my gravel. A bit smaller than her neighbors in the flowerbed, she's perfectly content.
2. It does absolutely no work
I don't fertilize it, I don't spray it (I don't do that anyway), I just cut it back in the spring. And that takes no more than half a minute per plant. When I empty my coffee grounds into the garden, it sometimes gets some. Sometimes it doesn't. And if I have any fresh soil left over in the spring, it gets a bit too.
3. It blooms forever
And when I say forever, I mean forever. The first ones start blooming for me in mid-July, and they're still blooming in October. Not all of them, though; pay attention to the variety when buying. The flowering period should usually be stated on the label or in the description.
4. She is content in the shade
I have autumn anemones that only get a little bit of sun every day. And they're happy.
5. She is happy in the sun
I have autumn anemones that get nothing but sun every day. And they're happy.
6. It is a bee pasture
It buzzes, hums, and teems with life. Bees, bumblebees, butterflies, hoverflies, and other beneficial insects love it.
7. It is healthy and pest-free
I don't want to overpromise, but none of my autumn anemones have ever been sick. Sooty mold can occur in rare cases, but I've never had that here in the cottage garden. They also avoid pests (yes, even slugs!!!).
8. She holds in the vase
It feels at home there, too. It adds lightness to any bouquet, is reminiscent of meadow flowers, and complements many other blossoms.
9. It reproduces on its own
Now, this might not be a big advantage for some with small gardens or those with a penchant for gardening discipline and precision. I think it's fantastic, and it's perfect in a cottage garden. The more, the merrier! If it feels comfortable, a small plant will quickly become a decent size. And if it gets too much for you, neighbors are always happy to have small plants. And if you cut them right after flowering, they won't produce seeds.
10. She looks beautiful in winter
However, if you leave the seeds on, you'll have a wonderful spectacle in the winter. Small, fluffy, delicate, white balls decorate the garden for months throughout the fall and winter. One of the few plants that truly has something to offer even in winter.
11. She is sooooo beautiful to look at
And the best part? It's pretty, too. And not just OK-pretty, but really pretty. It would be in my garden even if all of the above points 1-10 didn't apply. For me, it's an inseparable part of the cottage garden.
