Podcast Show Notes

Halloween is a great excuse to look at the garden a little differently. In this episode, Hanna and Sarah explore how to keep Nebraska gardens colorful, interesting, and a little spooky from mid-October through Halloween and into Thanksgiving.

They talk about designing for contrast, structure, texture, sound, and nighttime interest, as well as using native plants, fall foliage, seedheads, annual containers, pumpkins, natural materials, and simple decorations.

Plants mentioned

• Amsonia — Amsonia spp.
• Beet — Beta vulgaris
• Birch — Betula spp.
• Black mondo grass — Ophiopogon spp. (commonly sold as Ophiopogon planiscapus cultivars)
• Bur oak — Quercus macrocarpa
• Butterfly milkweed — Asclepias tuberosa
• Catalpa — Catalpa spp.
• Coleus — Coleus spp. / Plectranthus scutellarioides
• Coneflower — Echinacea spp.
• Dusty Miller — Senecio cineraria (also treated botanically as Jacobaea maritima)
• Goldenrod — Solidago spp.
• Heuchera / coral bells — Heuchera spp.; the 'Caramel' cultivar is mentioned specifically.
• Holly — Ilex spp.
• Lady in Black aster — Symphyotrichum lateriflorum 'Lady in Black'
• Little bluestem — Schizachyrium scoparium
• Maple — Acer spp.; a purple-leaved maple is discussed, but the exact species is not identified.
• Pansy — Viola × wittrockiana
• Purple fountain grass — Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'
• Ratibida — Ratibida spp.
• Ruby Crystals grass / ruby grass — Melinis nerviglumis 
• Smokebush — Cotinus spp.
• Sycamore — Platanus spp.
• Turtlehead — Chelone spp.
• Vinca vine — Vinca spp.
• Willow — Salix spp., including pussy willow
• Ornamental mums / chrysanthemums — Chrysanthemum × morifolium