A Casting Call for Fall Color

It's time for your garden's wardrobe change. Ms. B, too, is a member of the fall fan club and has just the lineup for a colorful container.

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Dear Ms. B, 

I’ve emerged victorious through summer gardening ups and downs. But my favorite season is upon us, and I’m excited to put out the casting call for my fall flower lineup! Can you help?

—Falling for Fall

My Dear Falling,

I’m right there with you in the fall fan club. Those warm autumnal hues, the jeweled trees with their leaves aglow, that crisp morning air, apple picking, PUMPKIN SPICE. This is Minnesota.

A new season gives you permission to try something new and offers you a host of fresh plant options to lift your spirits and curb appeal.

As Mother Nature changes her wardrobe palette, so too can your containers. To give them the most dramatic fall face-lift, live by the same three words we went over in our spring lesson plan. I’ll remind you, in case you forgot:

Thriller. Prized for their peacockery—big, bold, bright, beautiful—these are the drama kings and queens of the floral universe. Upright plants with showy shapes, big flowers, or other glamorous attributes, these A-listers can and should take center stage in your containers because they are the stars. Plant them in the center or the backside of the pot for maximum effect. Autumn thrillers include celosia, dried eucalyptus, purple fountain grass, rudbeckia (bees love it!), and decorative stems with gourds or pumpkins.

Filler. What would a star be without its entourage? Think of these almost like the extras in a movie. They provide context, texture, and color, and should be planted in the center of your container or in front of the thriller. Plants that fill fall seats include ornamental oregano, peppers, and kale. But no autumn container worth its stitches goes without mums, mums, mums. They come in a wide variety of colors, from white to wine. We put them in the filler category for planting purposes, but understand they have big dreams for your container’s silver screen—and they love being planted as the nights begin to cool off.

Spiller. The elegant train. The trailing scent of perfume. The curtain call. Here comes the prop department to set the scene. Plants that build the most dramatic impact this season include dichondra and ivy. Position the spiller near the border so it can grow over the edge and trail down the pot.

As a general rule, you’ll need about six to seven plants, some from each category, for a 12-inch container.

And voilà, you’ve got a box-office hit!

Pro Tip

Add festive accents like pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, curly willow, and permanent stems of fall leaves for the ultimate harvest showstopper. bachmans.com

Meet the Twin Cities' new gardening columnist and your new best friend, Ms. B. Read more of her encouraging tips and guidance on all things digging, planting, and blooming in her column each month in Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and here.