Autumn joy: late-blooming sedum spices up an unthirsty border

When conditions are rugged, plants must be tough. Such is the case on this steep, south-facing hillside in a Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, backyard. In this richly hued planting flanking a stairway made of dry-stacked sandstone slabs, landscape architect Herb Schaal selected shrubs and perennials he knew could thrive in that location.

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For much of the season, the focus is on feathery, blue green 'Hughes' juniper and silver-leafed snow-in-summer. Then in late summer or early fall, the real show begins when the 1- to 1 1/2-foot-tall, dome-shaped heads of Sedum 'Autumn Joy' burst into bloom, displaying dozens of starry pink flowers. Like a chameleon, flower color changes dramatically--from pink to coppery pink to rusty orange as the season progresses. Remarkably, the plants survive on only 1/2 inch of irrigation water per week.

DESIGN: Herb Schaal, EDAW, Fort Collins, CO (www.edaw.com or 970/484-6073)

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID WINGER

COPYRIGHT 2005 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group