Fall Hues for the Flowerpots

Fall hues for my cottage home

With a break from the summer heat, comes the time to refresh the planters and flowerpots in the outdoor areas of my home that we'll continue to use until Thanksgiving. This year, lantana has been an all-star plant in my landscape and in planters and pots. In our area it is an annual, but it is hearty and survives the high heat and humidity that August brings. I'm keeping the lantana that is still looking good and removing the plants that just have nothing more to give.

I never go into a season with a super specific plant list in mind, but categories of plants that I know have worked well in the past. I like to go to the garden center and see what color combinations speak to me and evolve the plan as plants get added to my shopping cart. In the last few years my "go to" place for common plants is the Lowe's home improvement store that's very nearby. This particular store has a really nice garden center, and I can easily find the basics without having to drive further. Their prices also seem reasonable.

One of my "hacks" has become, purchasing a pot that actually has multiple plants in it. Rather than planting it in one place, I divide it and use it multiple places. This season I was able to buy a hanging basket of violas that was actually 8 individual plants, celosia that had 3 individual plants, and the tropical Croton Petra that had 2 plants. It pays off to take a minute and compare pots to count the stems.

I struggled with my front porch pots this summer. We were traveling in June, so I didn't try to start any annuals until July. Well, by then it was too hot and my half-price, garden center finds, just couldn't get established. Lesson learned! This fall these tall, slender pots are holding the divided Croton Petra, and a beautiful fall color mix of petunias. Thank you, Lowe's for the "Ready Refill" marketing of these color blends that are ready to go in a pot or sit inside a decorative container. These petunias are what set my color palette for this fall.

This summer I was also challenged to keep the assorted blue with brown glazed pots on our deck looking good. I have kept the lantana and am filling in withe more of the 1-quart pot yellow mums, violas, and the beautiful fuchsia and gold celosia. This cozy outdoor living space should be lovely for morning coffee and afternoon reading for weeks ahead.

The planter by my garage door gets the full brunt of sun, heat, and wind. I'm learning that a sturdy tall plant surrounded by smaller flowering plants seems to work well as long as we are consistent with watering. This fall the central plant is a clump of Ginger Love Fountain Grass. This provides height, color, and texture. It is surrounded by the over-seasoned lantana, four 1-quart pots of yellow mums, and four of the dainty orange violas. This should be good mix to provide ongoing color and last well into the fall months.

There are so many beautiful plants well suited for this season. Look beyond the mums and find companion plants such as evergreens, assorted grasses, various colors and texture of kale, pansies, asters, and ornamental peppers. Mix it up and enjoy!

Stay tuned for updates throughout the season.