creating fall planters quickly
The cooler weather and colourful foliage announce Autumn's arrival and make us want to celebrate this change of season - but how do we show our excitement for all fall has to offer? Check out these quick ways to swap out summer planters for fall designs and add a bit of fall flair for the season on the patio or front door!
Leaf it Alone if You Can
Our first tip is that you don't have to chuck your summer container gardens or completely replace them when fall comes calling. Use those recycling skills on your outdoor planters. Take stock of what is in your pots and easily replace the summer annuals in your planters that won't survive the cooler weather.
Perennials can stay in your container gardens, especially grasses or shrubs. Then, pick out some favourite fall annuals to fill in the pots and create eye-catching designs. Take a look at some of our favourites for fall below.
Keep the grasses, evergreen trees, perennials (like heather, lavender, or salvia) and surround them with colourful pansies, trailing ivy, colorful heuchera and more! Having a perennial centrepiece in your planters will make it easy every season to change them up.
Coneflowers are one of our favourite stapes for planters that will look amazing in spring and summer, plus translate beautifully into autumn! Add in matching heuchera, celosia, and a few beauties like cabbage and dracaena.
Vegetables that are Healthy for Your Eyes
Ornamental cabbage can often be overlooked, but it really looks spectacular in a container garden design. Just don't snack on it unless you know for sure it's the edible kind! This strong leafy foliage will especially pop when the weather gets cooler, as this plant gets more colourful the colder it gets outside (kind of like when your lips turn blue!) Although it's an annual, it seeds itself quite easily so you could end up with new plants next year.
Other unusual but fall-friendly ideas for annuals include ornamental peppers, sage, and other cold-weather herbs.
Pop Goes the Colour
A perfect pansy can brighten up any planter! The best part is they come in so many colours that you can always match every design. Get a bunch and plant a crowd of pansies in your pots.
Super classic chrysanthemums can't be overlooked in the fall. Many varieties are hardy perennials and can bloom year after year. Other fall annuals, like heuchera, asters, celosia, and marigolds, add gorgeous colour — and they aren't super expensive to buy and add to your planters for the season.
Height & Movement?
Yes, please!
We love grasses in our container gardens! Not only do they add texture, height and movement, but they look amazing during the Autumn season. They aren’t all green either, with beautiful reds, purples and yellows available in various grass varieties at the garden centre. Find out the Five Reasons We Love Grasses in this blog post.
Grasses can be kept in your planters year-round, but if they are quick spreading varieties then you'll need to divide and conquer when they start taking over the pot! Take a look in spring and fall, before you add any seasonal annuals.
All in the Details
Don’t forget an accent or two! (No, we don’t mean a cute French accent or rolling your tongue when you say “gracias”.) Autumn accents, such as mini-pumpkins or gourds, add a splash of colour and a nod to the season.
Natural ideas include pinecones, branches, pumkins, and sticks, log rounds or even dried moss. For even more ideas take a look at our list of 10 ideas for your Fall container gardens right here.
Have a great time freshening up your container gardens for fall, getting creative, and enjoying the Autumn season! Don't forget some hot cider and a walk through the pumpkin patch, this season passes quickly and we need to enjoy every moment.
