Now that cooler months are on the horizon, then it is time to amp up your fall garden. Begin by clearing out the last of summer’s faded blossoms and add plants that offer immediate drama to your outside space. The attractiveness of the plants is that, by and large, they do not rely on blossoms to you personally — their leaves, berries and even stalks are what hold your attention throughout the cooler season.
Pendleton Design Management
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
Japanese walnut offers the most stunning array of fall foliage available, in tones of bright red, russet and even yellow. These trees are a ideal focus in any garden, but are particularly attractive in modern and Asian landscapes. There is a vast selection of cultivars available, with varying heights and leaf colors. Two trusted cultivars are’Bloodgood’ and’Burgundy Lace’.
USDA zones: 5 to 2 (find your zone)
Water requirement: Moderate, but might need supplemental water when temperatures soar
moderate requirement: Full to partial sun
Mature dimension: Up to 25 feet tall, depending upon variety
Planting tips: Plant in autumn or spring, and lightly prune in winter to keep shape. Feed with a general balanced fertilizer in early spring before new expansion comes out.
Amy Renea
Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris)
Swiss chard brings color, flavor and nourishment to your garden with an exuberant sense of design that few other plants possess. The leafy greens sit upright brightly colored stalks in hues of orange, red, white and yellow, bravely staring down both heat and cold. A close relative to the beet, swiss chard serves as both backyard decoration as well as a healthy addition to any meal.
USDA zones: you’re able to grow swiss chard in almost any zone.
Water requirement: Typical
moderate requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature dimension: 1 to 3 ft tall
Seasonal interest: Nearly year-round color, depending upon your climate
Planting tips: Sow seeds in late summer or plant new chard transplants from the nursery.
J. Peterson Garden Design
Beautyberry (Callicarpa bodinieri)
This is an excellent shrub alternative for fall, with long-lasting purple berries combined green stalks. The large green leaves are plentiful from spring till they fall later in the fall. Small purplish-pink flowers appear in summer until the berries appear. This tree is a smart alternative for Asian gardens, mass plantings, borders or as a specimen planting.
USDA zones: 5 to 8
Water requirement: Regular water; more during intense heat
moderate requirement: Full to partial sun
Mature dimension: 6 ft tall
Seasonal interest: Flowers appear in summer, followed by purple berries in fall.
Planting tips: Plant in spring or fall and prune yearly in early spring before new growth appears. A program of balanced fertilizer in spring will also ensure healthy new growth.
Debra Prinzing
Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum)
An amazing specimen shrub for multiseason interest, Katsura supplies both color and shade in the home arena. The brand new spring growth is bronze, followed closely by bluish-green in the summertime and finally turning orange to golden yellow in the fall. Plant Katsura in the front yard or back, along the street or liner your driveway for an eye shadow accent.
USDA zones: 4 to 8
Water requirement: Regular water; more during intense heat
moderate requirement: Full sun
Mature size: Up to 50 feet tall
Seasonal interest: Foliage beams spring through autumn
Planting tips: Plant in fall or spring and feed using a general-purpose fertilizer in the spring before new growth emerges. Lightly prune in winter for contour and wellness.
J. Peterson Garden Design
Ornamental Cabbage and Kale
All these cabbages and kales are members of their Brassica spp family, the exact same group that creates broccoli, cauliflower, turnips and Brussels sprouts — the only difference is these are ornamental and not normally eaten. They surely can be redeemed, but they don’t have the exact same good taste as their culinary counterparts — and besides, with leaves this gorgeous, why do you want to harvest it? Tuck them into container plantings or bulk them in borders.
USDA zones: As a yearly, can be increased in most zones
Water requirement: Typical
moderate requirement: Full sun
Mature dimension: 12 inches tall
Seasonal interest: Fall and winter
Planting tips: Plant in fall once the days have cooled or in spring if you live in a colder weather.
Barbara Pintozzi
Blueberry (Vaccinium spp)
This might be a sudden plant suggestion, but it really shouldn’t be. Depending upon where you live, blueberries can offer yearlong foliage interest and flavorful fruit during the summer months. These plants are fantastic for container plantings as well as in orchards and tucked in to perennial gardens. Their fall foliage often turns a vivid red and remains evergreen in milder climates.
USDA zones: 4 to 8
Water requirement: Regular watering; much more through intense heat
moderate requirement: Full sun
Mature dimension: 3 to 7 feet tall, depending upon variety
Seasonal interest: Spring blossoms, red fall foliage
Planting tips: Plant in spring or fall and prune off twiggy increase in spring before new growth emerges.
Proven Winners
Coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides)
It’s a long botanical name to explain one of the most easygoing and colorful foliage plants around. Even though you may gain from the dazzling selection of coleus colors nearly yearlong, there’s something about the harvest colors that appear to really pop in the fall. If you live in a colder climate, be ready to bring your coleus inside for the wintermonths, or take clippings and root them in water to plant next spring. Use coleus in container plantings or on your perennial beds and borders.
USDA zones: 10a into 11
Water requirement: Typical
moderate requirement: Sun to color
Mature size: 12 to 18 inches tall
Seasonal interest: Blooms are typically white and fairly insignificant. You can either pinch off them or let them do their thing, but the foliage will shine from spring till fall.
Planting tips: Plant in spring or tuck into container plants in the late summer or fall. Take cuttings to root in water in any time of the year, then plant in the spring after the danger of frost has passed.
J. Peterson Garden Design
Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
A tender suburban tree with otherworldly foliage colors, croton immediately wakes up the fall garden. Long, colorful leaves in colors of yellow, green, orange and red are the ideal foil for container plantings with ornamental grasses and fall annuals. For all those living in colder climates, treat this one as a yearly or bring it inside for the chilly months.
USDA zones: 9 to 11
Water requirement: Typical
moderate requirement: Sun to partial shade
Mature dimension: 4 to 6 ft tall
Seasonal interest: Spring through autumn
Planting tips: Plant in spring to fall in mild climates; in colder climates, utilize croton as a container plant accent or as a yearly in a perennial border or bed.