Fall is officially here and it’s the perfect time to breathe some new life into your containers. Here are some of the best plants for fall planters and a bit of inspiration on how to arrange them. I just love the jewel tones of fall, as well as the forms of gourds, pumpkins and stalks that are common and great choices for autumn design.

#1 Mums:

Technically, Chrysanthemums, are the quintessential fall flower. Full-bodied with a spicy scent, they come in a variety of vibrant colors, including burgundy, bronze, purple, white, orange and pink. Mums can withstand cooler temperatures making them a perfect choice during the fall season. 

Inspiration: One of my favourite looks for fall is an enormous mum, potted with wheat, amaranth or other spiky stalk planted right in the centre. Sophisticated and striking!

#2 Cabbage:

Another fall favourite, renowned for their wonderful texture and colour are decorative cabbages. Ornamental cabbages and kales present a cool colour pallete in shades of purple, pink, green and white. Textures vary from smooth ruffled rosettes to intensely curled heads. They are incredibly hearty in cooler weather and add lovely, round, mounding structure to containers: large rosettes with colourful leaves. This beauty from Home Depot is an affordable favourite kale.

#2 Swiss Chard:

Next on the list of best plants for fall planters is Swiss Chard. While most of us think of Chard as a great addition to our veggie gardens, this beauty stuns in fall containers. It really is perfect for any fall planting! Swiss chard will spruce up fall arrangements, and can be used in combination with mums and decorative cabbage, too. Swiss Chard boasts great colourful stalks, floppy deep green leaves and is very resistant to chilly temperatures.  Romance Gardens and Greenhouse offers small pots, already perfect for transplanting if you have trouble locating them locally. Oh, and they’re edible, too.

So many flowers grow well in containers as long as the containers have adequate drainage holes and are large enough to accommodate the plant’s root system. You can stick to just one flower variety per pot.  Or, you can follow the popular “thriller, filler, and spiller” approach by combining a tall, eye-catching plant like corn or wheat with a shorter bloom like cabbage and one that explodes from the pot, like a robust mum.

For a classic fall display, consider adding pumpkins, gourds and straw bales to your designs. Happy fall, Y’all!