The Golfing Gardener: Fall, soccer, flowers and foliage

The Golfing Gardener: Fall, soccer, flowers and foliage

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, September 8, 2026

With fall simply across the nook, the annual custom of soccer season is right here as soon as once more. I understand that many are maybe not large sports activities followers per say, however then once more loads of people are, following their favourite workforce with an nearly non secular devotion. Personally, I’m attempting my hardest to overlook in regards to the Mariner’s most disappointing season, however then once more, maybe they are going to win 20 of their final 25 video games and make a remaining run in 2026… Who is aware of? At this level I feel not, so onto to soccer this gardening sports activities fan goes.

Now, I’m not a sports activities columnist by any means, however I assumed it may be enjoyable to include some enjoyable vegetation this week that strut some native workforce’s colours. Perhaps it’s an NFL workforce like our defending Super Bowl Champions the Seahawks that catches your fancy, sporting the colours of lime inexperienced, blue and silver. Maybe it’s a native faculty or your alma mater that encompasses your sports activities ardour. There are many nice colleges within the PNW to assist, with out query, and even throughout the nation for that matter. I favor the Huskies, another person follows the Cougs, one other mistakenly loves the Ducks and one more is a real Beaver believer. I feel you see the place I’m going with this… In all honesty, are there actually any “college” sports activities or “student athletes” anymore? I’d supply a convincing “No!” as this previous curmudgeon cringes on the sum of money our present “student athletes” earn in fashionable instances. Apologies, I’m digressing right into a rant on faculty sports activities, again to some vegetation…

Get Your Hawk On! I chuckle typically after I see colours listed for our beloved Hawks. Blue, lime inexperienced and gray develop into a way more stylish “college navy, action green and wolf grey,” which in fact sounds much more fascinating, proper? I’ve had enjoyable through the years with these colours in fall, typically with vegetation and others with static gadgets. Gardeners can discover pots in all of these colours for certain, and including in contrasting vegetation can create a beautiful autumn container that screams Seahawk. Always keep in mind when making a pot that it’s all in regards to the thriller, the filler and the spiller, so select acceptable foliage and flowers for a hanging workforce coloration container. Maybe even somewhat flag or workforce prop tucked in can add much more Hawkness!

All Hail the Huskies! This is one the place I positively present my allegiance, as do many UW supporters. The colours of royalty, purple and gold, can be utilized for fall for certain. For me, I am going with alternating purple and golden-yellow Pansies in my window packing containers and if I maintain them pinched and watered, they are going to develop and bloom all through the winter into spring earlier than I swap them out for summer time annuals. I keep in mind years in the past serving to Jim Lambright, retired Husky coach (and an ideal man!) get his purple and yellow Pansies each fall to plant a ginormous “W” on the finish of his driveway. Purple Cabbage and Kale also can work properly, as do golden Mums and purple Asters.

Coug It Up In Style! Now I like the Cougs as effectively, as ought to all of us, and actually solely root in opposition to them once they play the Huskies. Others maybe are the alternative, which is completely acceptable. Displaying the stunning colours of crimson and gray, Cougars are among the most passionate followers in our space. One die-hard Coug I labored with for years cultivated Dusty Miller (gray) with crimson crimson Mums each fall to point out her spirit. Go Cougs certainly!

Support the Compass Direction Schools! It appears that each state has these and Washington is not any totally different. We have the Eastern Washington Eagles (crimson/white) hailing from cheerful Cheney. In stunning Bellingham resides the Western Washington University Vikings (blue/silver/white). Just over the mountains, windy Ellensburg holds the Central Washington University Wildcats (crimson/black), the Golfing Gardener’s faculty again within the day. There are so many different good colleges in our state, every sporting college colours on all the pieces from espresso cups to bumper stickers to hats and jerseys. So why not do that within the backyard?

Fall brings us soccer and it additionally brings us glorious planting climate (and hopefully some rain!). Local backyard facilities are stocking up with recent vegetation for autumn, and as a bonus many run helpful gross sales and promotions this time of yr too. Visit your favourite and communicate with a Certified Professional Horticulturist about your wants, permitting them that will help you discover precisely what you search. Gaze upon the autumn foliage and flower choice, discover these excellent workforce colours after which show them prominently in your panorama. Whether you’re decking out a pot by the entrance door or including some pop to a backyard mattress, the colours of fall are each various and hanging.

I hope this was a enjoyable change to speak about matching your workforce spirit and colours with some festive enjoyable vegetation and equipment in your outside areas. Perhaps even take this all the way down to the High School degree – the colours of native establishments just like the Lake Stevens Vikings, Everett Seagulls (my spot many moons in the past), Cascade Bruins, Snohomish Panthers, Glacier Peak Grizzly Bears, Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks, Getchell Chargers, Arlington Eagles, Monroe Bears, Kamiak Knights, Jackson Timberwolves, Archbishop Murphy Wildcats and plenty extra. Many of us host sport day events, whereas others might merely invite only a fellow followers over, decked out in workforce gear to look at the sport and share the fervour of soccer. And that’s my level on this area – sport the Steve Largent jersey, or the Warren Moon, and even the Ryan Leaf, however don’t overlook to match that spirit within the backyard. It is tremendous simple so as to add some seasonal coloration and accents that exude your workforce’s spirit, so use that creativeness and wow your company at your subsequent sport day celebration. Anything much less could be uncivilized.

Trevor Cameron is a Certified Professional Horticulturist and serves as common supervisor for Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville, WA. He might be reached at sunnysidenursery@msn.com.