Fall has come as one of the biggest surprises,” says Penney Hubbard. Over 46 years, the Ruxton resident and her husband A.C.—with the late, renowned plantsman, Kurt Bluemel—have transformed a two-acre hillside into one of Maryland’s finest gardens.
Like any gardener, Penney appreciates her garden in all seasons. But she has come to cherish its months before frost most fondly. “Fall,” she says, “is one of the most spectacular times in the garden: the pods, the seeds, the color. We get so much growth in the fall here—a resurgence after the heat and humidity that seem to stall things during Baltimore summers.”
For Penney, who has always preferred a natural look in her garden––tidy, but not formal or overly manicured––the relaxed appearance of the fall garden comes as a special reward at the end of the growing season.
Before the first frost, a final burst of roses offers blooms and new height. Colors of annuals become almost fluorescent. Grasses waft across the hill. A stand of Amsonia hubrechtii by the pool turns feathery gold. Arcs of yellow Solomon’s seal shine by sweeps of still-green ferns. Pods on perennial begonia dangle in the woodland garden. Leaves fall into a rich mosaic around everything.
“Things that are still green and had turned slightly dull or brown have a resurgence of vibrant green again, says Penney. “That green contrasts with the changing color, making it all the more dramatic.”
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