Grow a Beautiful Fall Garden in a Pot

I don’t know about you, but where I live (USDA zone 6) it’s been a long, hot, dry summer. With triple-digit temperatures for most of the summer, my containers look worse for the wear.

I'm starting to dream of cooler temperatures, autumn colors and falling leaves. I’ve already started thinking about revamping my container gardens for the coming season, and I can’t wait to get my hands on some cool-weather plants to refresh the look (and my mood).

So what makes a plant appropriate for fall? Typically you’re looking for rich, warm colors and the ability to tolerate cool nights. Mums and pansies are quintessential fall plants, but there are many noteworthy foliage-focused plants whose colors evoke fall.

Here are seven great options for your fall containers.


Coral Bells
(Heuchera)

Coral Bells (shown here in front), comes in a wide variety of color options, and as perennials in zones 4 to 9, they can tolerate temperatures well below freezing.

USDA zones: 4 to 9 (find your zone)
Water requirement: Medium moisture; well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: 1 to 2 feet tall and 1 to 1 1/2 feet wide


A few varieties of Huechera particularly suited for fall designs include Amber Waves (shown), which has striking amber and orange leaves, and Chocolate Ruffles, with deep burgundy to purple leaves. Heuchera works nicely with strappy grasses and finely textured plants like Solidago or asparagus fern.


Ornamental Cabbage or Kale
(Brassica oleracea)

Ornamental cabbage is another fall favorite. It’s an annual that when planted in late summer will last well into fall, even through a few frosts. While it can flower, it’s prized for its beautiful (and edible!) foliage (shown in the front of this fall arrangement). Ranging from frosty blues to sage greens with purple and white accents, ornamental cabbage has a nice mounding habit that should put it front and center in your arrangements.

USDA zones: Grows everywhere as an annual
Water requirement: Medium moisture; well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall and wide


Japanese Sedge
(Carex hachijoensis ‘Evergold’)

Japanese Sedge is a mounding Japanese short grass with evergreen leaves highlighted by golden-striped centers. Here, it gracefully cascades over the pot's edge on either side, creating airiness in the arrangement.

USDA zones: 5 to 10
Water requirement: Medium to wet soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall and wide


Chinese Mustard
(Brassica juncea)

Chinese mustard, seen here in the center, has a broad, crinkly leaf whose colors range from bright green to deep russet. It pairs well with wispy grasses and deep purple pansies.

USDA zones: Not applicable; grow as an annual
Water requirement: Medium moisture; well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall and wide


Ornamental Pearl Millet
(Pennisetum glaucum)

Ornamental pearl millet is striking in autumnal arrangements. Though it’s an annual, it remains a focal point even as it dries. With its lime-green foliage, the Jade Princess variety contrasts nicely with both finely textured plants and those with broad leaves, and its cylindrical purple-brown seed plumes appeal to birds.

USDA zones: Not applicable; grow as an annual
Water requirement: Dry to medium moisture; well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall and 1 1/2 to 2 feet wide


Creeping Jenny
(Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’)

Creeping Jenny will keep its bright chartreuse color for several frosts. It makes a terrific “spiller” plant in containers, dripping down the sides and accenting richly hued flowers and foliage, including asters and Red Star spike.

USDA zones: 3 to 9
Water requirement: Medium moisture to wet; well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 3 inches tall and 1 to 1 1/2 feet wide


fountain-grass'>Purple Fountain Grass
(Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’)

Purple fountain grass has exceptional dark purple foliage with fluffy, bottlebrush-like spikes. Its overall shape is reminiscent of a fountain, which is how it gets its common name. Although an annual in colder zones, it will continue to look striking throughout fall.

USDA zones: 8 to 10 (grow as an annual elsewhere)
Water requirement: Medium moisture; well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: 3 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide


By adding these beautiful plants to a container and throwing in a pumpkin or two, you can have a lovely display to take you through autumn.

Are you ready for fall? What are you planning to plant when the colder weather hits?

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