Now’s the time to plant your fall container gardens! Check out the Baker’s Village blog for some great “how to” tips, as well as information about the plants that work best this time of year here in Ohio.
I love container gardening! It lets me express my creative side, and gives me a chance to plant perfect little “mini gardens” to brighten up my patio, front porch or yard. Although spring and summer are probably the best times to fill up those flower pots and flower boxes with beautiful flowering annuals, my fall container ideas are also all about foliage colors, textures and sizes (in addition to some very pretty flowers!).
To help you create gorgeous container gardens that will bring a little happiness and cheer to your outdoors, too, I wanted to share some of my container gardening ideas with you. First, let’s focus on the “how to”:
- Think “Fall Bounty” – Just like images of the fall harvest usually feature a big cornucopia of things, it’s often nice to fill your flower pots up with a “cornucopia” of different plants.
- Plan to Pack Things Tightly – There won’t be time for plants to grow in, so pack the pots or flower boxes full to create an instant impact.
- Choose Interesting Containers – Invest in flower pots that you love, or look around to see what else you can turn into the perfect container for your garden. I’ve seen great container gardens in old bushel baskets, cracked birdbaths, wheelbarrows, wooden crates, metal colanders, watering cans and more. Be creative! Plus, keep in mind that this is a great time to consider using brightly colored flower pots, since neutrals can look drab on a gray winter day.
- Use Thrillers, Spillers & Fillers – I’ve found that when it comes to fall container ideas, you just can’t go wrong following the tried-and-true “thrillers, spillers and fillers” approach to choosing plants. Here’s what this means…
- “Thrillers” are plants that provide height and drama. You’ll want to put these either in the center or at the back of your containers.
- “Spillers” are trailing plants that hang over the edge of the planter. Place these close to the edge of the container.
- “Fillers” go in the center of the container, between the thrillers and the spillers. Fillers are often more rounded or mounded plants. Fillers are the plants that make the container look full.
- Add Fun Harvest Elements – To make your flower boxes and pots really look like “fall,” consider adding in some harvest-themed elements such as gourds, Indian corn, small pumpkins, grapevine, or Spanish or preserved green moss.
Now that you now “how” to create a great fall container garden, you’re probably wondering what the best plants are to use. Here are some proven frost-hardy winners that work well in Ohio. Just keep in mind that all of these plants require six or more hours a day of full sun, so plan to place your containers in the sunniest spots you have available.
- Thrillers
- Grasses – Grasses are great for providing unique textures, colors and heights.
- Ornamental Millet – The deep, dark purples of this plant create garden intrigue, and really look great when paired up with a bold, bright color.
- Spillers
- Superbells – Even in the fall you can count on Superbells’ large, colorful blooms to create eye-catching appeal for your container garden.
- Superbena – These extremely vigorous verbenas are not only gorgeous, they’re also known for their strongly trailing habits.
- Fillers
- Classic Mums – Classic Mums can put on such a stunning display that it’s no wonder they’re one of the most widely used fall plants. I think the yellow mums are my favorite. Which do you like best?
- Asters – Fall Aster is one of the last flowers to bloom before winter sets in. Include some in your flower pots to enjoy a grand display of flowers after all of the other bloomers are done.
- Pansies – Sometimes I think that Pansies are like the “cheerleaders” of the fall container. They’re bright and colorful, and they keep up their cheerful display of flowers well past the first frost.
- Crotons – Even after the flowers have all finished blooming, Croton’s variegated, multi-colored foliage will still be adding texture, color and visual interest to your fall container garden.
- Ornamental Peppers – These are grown for show, not for eating. The bright colors last and last, adding whimsy and playfulness to the arrangement.
- Ornamental Kale and Cabbage – The colorful leaves of these plants change color as the weather cools down, going from a beautiful green to eye-catching purple.
- Heuchera – Heucheras are known for their flashy and attractive foliage. Choose from a wide range of unusual colors, including key lime, deep green, silver, yellow, orange, red and more.
Want some more great container gardening ideas? Stop by the store to see all of the container gardens we’ve created. I promise you’ll get some inspiring fall container ideas that will help you create beautiful mini-gardens, too!
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