Fall planters can have a stunning visual impact
on a home’s front entrance. When big enough to see from the street, ornamental
fall foliage can nicely compliment a home’s hues, or stand out in bright, stark
contrast to the backdrop.
If you’re creating your own fall planter this autumn, Head
of Horticulture at Royal Botanical Gardens Belinda Gallagher says there are
“three or four things that every fall planter should have.”
First is an ornamental grass, preferably something purple.
Gallagher recommends Pennisetum ‘Rubrum’
commonly called red fountain grass, which is not only pretty, but provides
movement and colour. Ornamental kale and cabbages also work wonderfully
Gallagher says, and though she’s “not as crazy about chrysanthemums,” they are
always popular.
Chrysanthemum lovers should try to select a plant that’s
still in bud for a longer period of show. If not, Gallagher says you may want
to change the plant part way through the season to increase the bloom time.
Other great additions to a fall planter include herbs such
as creeping thyme, clumps of chives and other edibles like ’Bright Lights’
Swiss chard, a stalky plant whose multicoloured stems like cold weather, making
them great for the fall planter.
If you want the biggest bang for your buck, Gallagher
suggests adding dwarf shrubs that you can pop into a container for the fall
then plant in the garden. The horticulturalist also recommends adding interest
by “setting in pumpkins, gourds or ornamental corn cobs.”
Though homeowners traditionally go for the burnt orange and
yellow tones in fall planters, Gallagher’s seen a lot of the pink and purple
chrysanthemums with maroon foliage in the last couple of years, a look she
calls “quite striking,” particularly with pinky hued bricks and when combined
with cream and burgundy ornamental corn.
No matter what container you use for your fall planter,
Gallagher says you want to make sure that it can hold some water, but not too
much and it should have holes for drainage.
If you’re an apartment dweller or someone with less space
for gardening, Gallagher recommends grouping a few planters together – using
each planter for a single type of plant. One with grass, one with mums and
another with gourds, then “use the group of planters to make your design and
combine texture.”
