It’s Fall in Colorado!

Yesterday, fall is officially here!

Late September is a great time to freshen the containers and beds with brilliant color that says “fall has arrived.”

Plus, recent rains have water-logged many containers. If that didn’t set your petunias and other annuals back, then the first frost just around the corner will take them out for good.

There’s value in fall color. Many of the traditional plants that we use for fall color last well into autumn and early winter – and many will come back next spring. You will see them again as early as March and April next year. That’s great ongoing value for the effort we take now to create seasonal interest in patio pots and planting beds.

Use these flowering plants for fall color

• Pansies – can be found in a variety of fall colors, from the Halloween mix of orange and black petunias to the autumn golds and yellows. Blooms may be nipped by early frost, but on warmer days – and if grown in protected areas – you can see blooms well into January. And, they will show up again next spring.

• Violas – are super-hardy flowers that come in variegated or solid-color blooms. They, too, are cold hardy and will come back in the spring.

• Dianthus – has soft, pretty flowers and will also return next spring.

• Snapdragons – come in a variety of colors and you will see them next spring, too.

• Mums – are the traditional fall standard, but they are not as cold hardy as the other plants on the list. They won’t survive frost, so they will need protection against frost to prolong their bloom time. Mums add great interest to fall containers because of the many colors and also the many sizes of containers that that are available.

Add texture, too

• Place grasses in the center of containers of mixed plants to add height and movement in the fall breeze.

• Use ornamental kale for the mounding component in containers. This is the ornamental variety of the veggie often used for its foliage interest and texture.

Plant a container for the home team! The Bronco mix of orange, blue and white pansies will show your team spirit. Plant them in a porch container and drop in the team banner on Bronco Sunday to show your support!

Include perennials in your fall planting plan Fall is prime time to plant perennials so they have a head start on the next growing season. Perennials that we use in the fall may not be in bloom, but their value is in their texture and foliage that adds contrasting interest among flowering plants.

Look for sedums, grasses, primrose, agastache and rudbeckia. Another plus for perennials is that you may find fall bargain pricing now at local garden centers.   Or hire a professional to do the dirty work for you – Designscapes Colorado would be happy to help you with your fall color and seasonal decor, contact us at info@designscapes.org or 303-721-9003.  Thank you.

This entry was posted in Gardens, Pots & Planters, Designscapes News, Annuals & Perennials