16 GARDEN GATE | OCTOBER 2019 | ISSUE 149
Autumn Spice
by the Potful
W
hy be satisfi ed with containers that fi zzle out
by the end of summer? Mixing up your plant
selection a bit can give you a combination that looks
better and better as the growing season goes on and
provide a wealth of changing colors and interesting
elements for a splashy late-season spectacle. There
are a few simple traits to consider for fabulous fall
containers: colorful foliage, showy seedheads and
long-blooming fl owers. Pulled together, all of these
elements bring the feeling of autumn abundance to
the smallest of spaces.
FIRE UP THE FOLIAGE Think about using the
colors of fall foliage as a palette for autumn containers.
Easy to put together and maintain, these combinations
can provide color and interest in an otherwise-subdued
landscape. Many plants hold their foliage and form,
even when temperatures plummet and the plants stop
growing. Look for plants like coleus, coral bells and
iresine, whose leaves already come in autumnal shades
of purples, russets and oranges.
SHOW OFF SEEDS Some plants not only look
attractive when they are in fl ower, but they have
attractive seedheads as well. In August and September,
ornamental grasses take the stage. Their soft-textured
foliage weaves and their seedheads nod in the wind.
Dwarf or purple fountain grass or dwarf maiden grass
provide a wide range of colors and textures to create
interest for all seasons.
RELIABLE BLOOMERS Fortunately, there are many
plants that hold their blossoms late into the season,
including the marigolds and celosia shown here. Annu-
als like these are the key to season-long color, but you
can also create a robust show of golds, reds, oranges
and purples using perennials. Think coreopsis, gloriosa
daisy and garden mums. Here are three great-looking
container recipes on the following pages that are
guaranteed to put on a colorful display until freezing
temperatures announce the end of the season.
—James A. BaggettFall Flames
Design a container that appears to burst
into fl ames by combining hot colors that
glow like embers in a cozy campfi re. The
celosia and the ornamental peppers will
persist until frost, and the marigolds and
St. John’s wort will continue to bloom
with regular deadheading. Decorate
with a few carefully placed gourds or
pumpkins for a fi nal autumnal touch.
Allow the soil in this container to dry
out between waterings. Water once or
twice a week (or perhaps daily in the
heat of the summer). Pinch the tips of
newly planted marigolds once or twice
to encourage bushy plants. Trim back
the stems of the alternanthera whenever
it looks thin or leggy to keep it bushy
and full (you can use the stem cuttings
to start new plants). Be sure to apply
a slow-release or all-purpose fertilizer
once a month.PLANT LIST (number to plant)
A Celosia
Celosia argentea cristata ‘New Look’ (1)
B Marigold
Tagetes patula Super Hero™ Spry (4)
C Ornamental peppers
Capsicum annuum ‘Chilly Chili’ (1)
D Alternanthera
Alternanthera dentata Little Ruby™ (1)
E St. John’s wort
Hypericum kalmianum Blues Festival® (1)
Container is 18 inches in diameterBotanical
NamesColeus
Plectranthus
scutellarioides
Coral bells
Heuchera spp.
and hybrids
Coreopsis
Coreopsis spp.
and hybrids
Fountain grass
Pennisetum
alopecuroides
Garden mum
Chrysanthemum
spp. and hybrids
Gloriosa daisy
Rudbeckia hirta
Iresine
Iresine herbstii
Maiden grass
Miscanthus
sinensis
Purple fountain grass
Pennisetum
setaceum
‘Rubrum’See three more fall
container recipes.GGMagExtra.comGG14916_19_Combos.indd 16GG14916_19_Combos.indd 16 6/26/2019 8:57:37 AM6/26/2019 8:57:37 AM16 GARDEN GATE | OCTOBER 2019 | ISSUE 149
Autumn Spice
by the Potful
W
hy be satisfi ed with containers that fi zzle out
by the end of summer? Mixing up your plant
selection a bit can give you a combination that looks
better and better as the growing seasongoesonand
provide a wealth of changing colorsandinteresting
elements for a splashy late-seasonspectacle.There
are a few simple traits to considerforfabulousfall
containers: colorful foliage, showyseedheadsand
long-blooming fl owers. Pulled together,allofthese
elements bring the feeling of autumnabundanceto
the smallest of spaces.
FIRE UP THE FOLIAGE Thinkaboutusingthe
colors of fall foliage as a palette forautumncontainers.
Easy to put together and maintain,thesecombinations
can provide color and interest in anotherwise-subdued
landscape. Many plants hold theirfoliageandform,
even when temperatures plummetandtheplantsstop
growing. Look for plants like coleus,coralbellsand
iresine, whose leaves already comeinautumnalshades
of purples, russets and oranges.
SHOW OFF SEEDS Some plantsnotonlylook
attractive when they are in fl ower,buttheyhave
attractive seedheads as well. In AugustandSeptember,
ornamental grasses take the stage.Theirsoft-textured
foliage weaves and their seedheadsnodinthewind.
Dwarf or purple fountain grass ordwarfmaidengrass
provide a wide range of colors andtexturestocreate
interest for all seasons.
RELIABLE BLOOMERS Fortunately,therearemany
plants that hold their blossoms lateintotheseason,
including the marigolds and celosiashownhere.Annu-
als like these are the key to season-longcolor,butyou
can also create a robust show of golds,reds,oranges
and purples using perennials. Thinkcoreopsis,gloriosa
daisy and garden mums. Here arethreegreat-looking
container recipes on the followingpagesthatare
guaranteed to put on a colorful displayuntilfreezing
temperatures announce the end oftheseason.
—James A. BaggettFall Flames
Design a container that appears to burst
into fl ames by combining hot colors that
glow like embers in a cozy campfi re. The
celosia and the ornamental peppers will
persist until frost, and the marigolds and
St. John’s wort will continue to bloom
with regular deadheading. Decorate
with a few carefully placed gourds or
pumpkins for a fi nal autumnal touch.
Allow the soil in this container to dry
out between waterings. Water once or
twice a week (or perhaps daily in the
heat of the summer). Pinch the tips of
newly planted marigolds once or twice
to encourage bushy plants. Trim back
the stems of the alternanthera whenever
it looks thin or leggy to keep it bushy
and full (you can use the stem cuttings
to start new plants). Be sure to apply
a slow-release or all-purpose fertilizer
once a month.PLANT LIST (number to plant)
A Celosia
Celosia argentea cristata ‘New Look’ (1)
B Marigold
Tagetes patula Super Hero™ Spry (4)
C Ornamental peppers
Capsicum annuum ‘Chilly Chili’ (1)
D Alternanthera
Alternanthera dentata Little Ruby™ (1)
E St. John’s wort
Hypericum kalmianum Blues Festival® (1)
Container is 18 inches in diameterBotanical
Names
Coleus
Plectranthus
scutellarioides
Coral bells
Heuchera spp.
and hybrids
Coreopsis
Coreopsis spp.
and hybrids
Fountain grass
Pennisetum
alopecuroides
Garden mum
Chrysanthemum
spp. and hybrids
Gloriosa daisy
Rudbeckia hirta
Iresine
Iresine herbstii
Maiden grass
Miscanthus
sinensis
Purple fountain grass
Pennisetum
setaceum
‘Rubrum’
See three more fall
container recipes.GGMagExtra.com