Fall scenery is so rich in color and warmth, but while our trees and shrubs are taking on such gorgeous autumn shades, many of our summer annuals have bitten the dust. If your container gardens and pots look tired lately, we recommend adding some late-blooming fall annuals and ornamental plants to spruce up the scenery! Here are some container design ideas to get the creative energy flowing.
Try Something New with These Fall Container Ideas
Why settle for basic when you can aim for breathtaking? These creative fall container designs have got it all: bold colors, fabulous textures, and off-the-charts curb appeal!
Spice Things Up with Ornamental Peppers
Ornamental peppers are some of our favorite fall annuals. Their bright, colorful little fruits look like tiny patio lights—perfect for perking up the porch! As new fruits ripen and take on new colors, you’ll be left with a multi-colored display with greens, yellows, oranges, reds, and even deep purples.
Place little containers full of ornamental pepper plants around the perimeter of your patio or porch. The resulting display is a color fiesta!
Chrysanthemum Topiaries
Mums have long been the go-to fall annuals for container gardens and porch displays. We’re always looking for creative and innovative new ideas for displaying classic plants, and we love the new trend of chrysanthemum topiaries. Since chrysanthemums naturally take on a perfectly round, tidy shape, they look amazing on tall, slender pedestals to create the illusion of a topiary.
We recommend finding two matching containers on tall, weighted bases to flank either side of your porch or entryway. Choose chrysanthemums in red, yellow, orange, or apricot for a classic fall look. For a romantic, whimsical display that gives off major Bridgerton vibes, try softer, more feminine shades of pink, lavender purple, or creamy white.
Hello Gourd-geous
There are so many beautiful ornamental gourds and squashes in season right now! We love piling them up around containers or adding a few small ones inside containers as fillers between plants. For a display that’s sleek and sophisticated—not kitschy—try to coordinate the colors of your gourds with your flowers. White and light green gourds look beautiful with white chrysanthemums, and dark green gourds look dramatic and striking with deep purple flowers and fountain grass. Classic orange and yellow gourds pair perfectly with orange flowers and the surrounding fall scenery.
Fast-Growing Cool-Season Edibles
There’s still some time to grow garden edibles before the frost hits! Fast-maturing veggies and herbs that thrive in cool weather are perfect for fall container gardens. This way, if we’re due for an overnight frost a bit sooner than anticipated, you can bring your containers in for the evening. Place them back outside once it warms up, and you’re good to go! Opt for starter plants instead of seeds whenever possible so that you can enjoy your harvest sooner.
Some of our favorite late-season edibles to plant in containers include:
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Arugula
- Broccoli
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Rosemary
Contrast with Cool Jewel Tones
Just because all the trees and shrubs are sporting warm colors doesn’t mean you have to follow suit! Stand out from the crowd with a display of cool, jewel-toned container gardens. Deep blues, purples, and teal greens bring a sense of luxury and modernity to the scenery.
Here are some cool-toned plants that look gorgeous in fall containers:
- Ornamental cabbage and kale
- Pansies and violas
- Purple fountain grass
- Purple chrysanthemums
- Purple, red, or caramel heuchera
Ready to start designing your fall containers in Illinois? Browsing through our garden center is always a great way to brainstorm new ideas for creating a garden display that’s uniquely yours!
Visit Platt Hill Nursery to stock up on all the plants, containers, and supplies you need to create a spectacular display for your porch and patio.
Platt Hill Nursery is Chicago’s premier garden center and nursery.