Fall Garden Favorites
“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting, and autumn a mosaic of them all.”
Stanley Horowitz
As the sun sets on summer and the crisp air brings in fall, refresh your sun-faded garden with a mosaic of wonderful autumn colors. A new season gives us the opportunity to do something new, bold and beautiful in the garden. These five plants will thrive throughout fall and early winter.
Hardy Chrysanthemums
Mums are a great way to brighten any spot in the garden.
- Available in many shades of red, orange, white, pink, purple and yellow.
- Mums typically bloom August through November with flowers that last several weeks.
- To keep the plant dense and compact, pinch new growth 2 or 3 times before July when mums set bud for fall.
- For better blooming, prune off spent flowers often.
Overwintering Chrysanthemums
- After the flowers fade and the foliage dies back in mid to late December, cut your mums down to the ground and mark or label the location of each plant.
- Apply 3-4” of mulch to protect the roots during the winter.
- In mid-March remove the mulch from the base of each plant to trigger new growth.
- Fertilize every 4-6 weeks with an all-purpose plant fertilizer.
Learn more about mums HERE.
Ornamental Grasses
Add movement and texture in the garden all year long with ornamental grasses. Their low maintenance nature makes them a great option for fall planters, around pools and patios, and in sunny garden beds.
- Most grasses are perennial and will return every year; however, some are annual and will not. We can help you determine which type will best fit your needs.
- Grasses can be enjoyed for their dry foliage through winter. Cut them down in late winter before new growth appears in early spring.
- If needed, perennial grasses are best dug and divided or transplanted in early spring.
Cabbage & Kale
Kale and cabbage are available only in the fall and early winter months. They look great in sun to part shade flower beds or planters.
- Fall cabbage and kale will last throughout most of the winter provided we do not have too much snow.
- Ornamental cabbage and kale are not grown for eating.
- Cabbage have larger, flat leaves. Kale has curlier leaves that hold their color better. Both types come in shades of white, pink, or purple.
Pansies & Ornamental Millet
Pansies
One of the most popular bedding plants for cool weather.
- Flowers come in a variety of colors from shades of blue and purple to red, yellow, and white.
- Pansies grow 6-9 inches tall and prefer full to part sun.
- They will survive frost and even bounce back during very cold weather.
Ornamental Millet
A dramatic plant that grows 3-5 feet tall. Direct sunlight induces the purple leaf color.
- Bold corn-like foliage in burgundy or bright chartreuse with plumes in brick red or burgundy that look like foxtails.
- These colorful plants make a great addition to the fall garden or large container.
- Millet makes a great cut flower and dead heading will ensure they bloom all season long.
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