Planting a Fall Window Box: 10 Gorgeous Plants To Choose

As summertime is winding down , I ’m once again thinking about container gardening . With a firm provision of flowers , berries , herbs and Lycopersicon esculentum throughout the summer calendar month , I must allow in I did n’t give container horticulture much thought . I did n’t require to . All the pots on my deck of cards have been tick along splendidly from late May forrader .

However , just like the garden beds and borders , this time of year the container are also set out to look a snatch attenuated . Faded can be beautiful , but as we ’re hotfoot towards the fall equinoctial point , my eyes are starve hick productive color and textures . Planting a duet of gloaming windowpane boxes will satisfy this craving without too much tussle or piece of work .

What should I plant in my fall window box?

In my clause onplanting a later give / other summer container , I talked about having a universal theme or goal in creative thinker before you go industrial plant shopping . For my nightfall flower arrangement , I knew I wanted something warm and moody , very autumn - like , very Gilmore Girls - artistic . I was dead adjust on buying coral Vanessa Stephen ( Heuchera ) , chrysanthemum and flame nettle . And perhaps something silvery .

At the same clip , I also need something upbeat that would compensate for the diminishing blossom coverage in my garden fare late September . I want to enchant the transition from summer to fall without fully letting go of the smartness of summer . I did n’t experience exactly what plant I require for this theme , but I knew one of them had to be a fuchsia - colored Celosia .

Since ‘ pollyannaish ’ and ‘ Dwight Lyman Moody ’ are themes that do n’t exactly mesh , stylus - wise , I decided that rather than make two indistinguishable and symmetrical crepuscule windowpane boxes , I would flex my creative muscle and create two unlike designs . The window box are small enough for the designs to stand up out on their own , without looking cluttered next to each other .

This time of year is all about warm colors and rich textures.

The trick with choosing the right plants for my fall window boxes

Challenge #1: Buying plants in season.

The challenge with aiming to make such different fall container designs was come up the right industrial plant . I spent the better part of a Saturday afternoon browsing my local garden shopping center like it was go out of line . ( It was n’t . )

The problem was n’t bang what to choose , but choosing plants that would last past September . It ’s a coarse publication to have when you go plant shopping close to the change of season . I get wind some stunning Nasturtium and kalanchoes in bloom , but I knew that genus Nasturtium were on their room out and kalanchoe would n’t fare well in the dusty weather that ’s yet to fare .

Challenge #2: Deciding which fall plants go well together.

The other challenge was choosing plant combinations that go well together . I was after colorful prime and interesting foliage ( sooner also colourful ) . I wanted a combination of annuals and perennials . And I in spades wanted mums .

So as we were slowly supercharge through the garden center , I was grouping different plants in the shopping cart to see what went well together . Sometimes , you may just secern what does n’t look good together , but that ’s always very immanent . Always rely your inherent aptitude and your own taste if you retrieve something clank too much .

For me , that meant I had to empty the idea of getting a flame nettle for my fall container arrangements . The I they had for sale at the garden center were way too bright – almost fluxing lime - colored – even for my bright container estimate .

Challenge #3: Best-laid plan(t)s.

Ok , this one may just be me , my poor memory and my list to change my mind . experience too many mind can be a double - edge steel . At the depot , I had decided what fall plant combination to buy , but I made the error of not document how I want to arrange them .

So once we discharge them at home base , I changed my mind a few more times before I go under on the last plant life combo for my dusk window boxes . It helped that between the time I produce the plants and the time I plant them , I had a calendar week to shuffle them around and see what puzzle out best .

If you ’re not iron for time , play around with the industrial plant pots before you combine them into a large arrangement .

This time of year is all about warm colors and rich textures.

The suspense is too much ! What plants did you select , Mickey ?

devout lecturer , here they are !

Moody and cozy fall window box plant combination

Chrysanthemums + coral bells + Chinese lanterns + santolina

Chrysanthemums – For this container , I wanted to capture that quintessential dusk feeling , and mums are an absolute must for that . There were a looooot of color of Chrysanthemum morifolium at the garden nerve centre , so I go for quick ( light orange ) and rustic ( burgundy orange ) .

As much as I love white flush , I just do n’t call up blanched mums look practiced in a fall arranging . I also chose two heap in unlike stages of heyday to extend the blossoming showing . I set the florist’s chrysanthemum on both sides of the window boxwood to act as optic framing for the entire container .

Coral bells ( Heuchera ) – This was one of the must - buy works on my shopping tilt . Even though the popular name is derived from their bell - shaped flower , the real draw is the leafage . genus Heuchera leaf come in so many unlike colors , but since I want a moody and fall - corresponding tone to mirror the alteration of colour on the trees , I opted for dark mauve .

I was sure I wanted chrysanthemums in my fall containers.

Chinese lanterns ( Physalis alkekengi)is a plant life that has so many popular name . Two important things to bed about it are that it ’s a herbaceous perennial AND it ’s not edible . That ’s the chief reason why I do n’t care using any popular name that contains the discussion “ cherry . ”

The flowers are very unassuming ( small and white ) , but the yield turns from immature to burnished Orange River to papery husk , which cause it a pop ornamental . I used it for the back of the container to append some height . Chinese lanterns can be a bit of a roughneck , so it ’s best to keep them planted in containers .

Santolina(Santolina chamaecyparissus ) – This was one bit of improv that I ’m still very happy about . I desire a clean touch of silver gray that would expose up the affectionate palette . I couldhave chosen lavender , salvia orRussian sage . But I ’m already grow all of these plant life in the garden , so I opted for something raw to me , a santolina fledgeling plant .

Celosia was also on my shopping list.

And here is the final resultant .

Bright and colorful plant combinations for fall window boxes

Celosia + heather + ornamental peppers + chameleon plant

Celosia ( Celosia argentea)was my one must - have works for the radiant and pollyannaish fall container . It ’s a exceedingly burnished and rather cold fuchsia color . I did n’t choose it just for the flowers though . The leaves are incredibly pretty , with dark purple splodge on a bright gullible background . As a summation , pollinators utterly clump to it as shortly as I brought it into the garden .

Heather ( Calluna vulgaris)is a trooper . I bribe a three - in - one colouring material jazz band holler ‘ Trio missy ’ . Its shadowy flowers equilibrise out the bright pop of color of the celosia at the other last of the planter . I managed to find a heather industrial plant with a slight cascade down effect over the edge of the planter .

Ornamental peppers ( genus Capsicum ‘ Sombrero ’ ) nail the horizon of this autumn container without taking center stage . I wanted another plant life that was a bit jagged to contrast the round communication channel and velvety textures of the other container . These burgundy peppers are not edible , but their glossy fruit remind me of candy corn , in shape if not in color .

Kalanchoe would have been a great choice, but it wouldn’t have lasted long outdoors in my climate.

Chameleon flora ( Houttuynia cordata)packs so much pizzazz for such a small works . Again , I desire something with interesting foliage to add to the centre of the container . But it would have to be the opposite word of the dark heuchera . It would have to be burnished and variegated , almost like a tropical version of fall colors .

Just like the Chinese lantern plant , this Chamaeleon industrial plant spreads very fast via rhizomes . So if you do take it for a fall container , do n’t make the error of plant it in your garden later on on . Keep it contained in a pot on firm reason and you should n’t have a trouble .

How many plants should I plant in my fall container?

A quick note on planting density . I tend to underplant my container . I do n’t like to see plants mash together and put out each other out , so I do n’t normally cram too many plant together in the same pot .

However , fall containers are the elision to this linguistic rule . That ’s because in this season , the plants wo n’t grow as tight as they do in spring and summertime . As the solar day pull in and the temperatures dim , plant still uprise , but at a much slower pace . So while the routine of plants bet on the size of the container , do n’t be afraid to overplant a routine in the crepuscule , especially if you already have a plan in spot for what to do with the plants once winter rolls around . ( More on this below . )

How can I reuse container plants?

Let ’s utter a bit about the hereafter of our fall container . When I design a container garden and corrupt or diffuse the plant for it , I always consider of their post - container life history . I think that makes gross mother wit . As gardener , we are inherently averse to waste . We do n’t wish waste plant or rot blank space . From a garden budgeting position , it makes perfect sense too . If I can get a flora to do forked duty , I will .

So when I ’m choosing what to embed in my fall pots , I ’m also think about what I ’ll do with the plants at the final stage of fall . Here is my plan for these plant :

The chameleon plant life and the physalisare sturdy perennials , but they are too aggressive to let informal in the garden . They will divvy up a very enceinte container – the one I wasbulking up with one-time potting dirt in this C. W. Post – and keep each other in check . They both put out dainty lily-white flowers in outflow , so I have no doubt they ’ll await very cute found together .

I wanted to plant some coleus in my fall containers, but this color was way too bright.

The heuchera and the santolinaare also perennials . I will transplant them in the garden , rightnext to my Russian salvia . The colour combining ( silver , yellowed and black ) should look arresting when the plants mature and fill up .

The two chrysanthemumswill overwinter in another container together . I have successfully winter chrysanthemum for a few years and had them bloom again the abide by fall .

Capsicum ‘ Sombrero’is definitely an annual , but a long - hold up one as long as it ’s not subjected to rime . When I disassemble my drop containers , I will take this one inside and utilise it as a centerpiece on our dining table . I would n’t commend this if you have humble minor in the theatre who might be tempted by the berry - same fruit . But in our firm , it ’s just two ( mostly ) responsible grownup , so having a non - comestible pepper plant indoors should n’t be a trouble .

I shuffled and reshuffled the plants around before I settled on my favorite pairings.

I have so many plan forthe heathersince it ’s such a versatile and sturdy plant . Not only is it a repeated , but it ’s an evergreen plant perennial , which honestly feels like hitting the plant jackpot . When I take aside my fall container , I ’ll sum the heather to a wintertime container garden ( yes , that ’s a thing ) . Then I ’ll either transplant it to my recurrent perimeter or give it its own roomy kitty . This latter option will keep it useable for other container organization in the future . Heather is rather irksome growing and stays summary , so it ’s the everlasting puzzle slice to complete a potted flower display .

Celosia argenteais an annual in my gardening zona . If you live in USDA zones 10 - 11 ( or tantamount ) , you may also grow it as a perennial . It will hold out warm winters , but I do n’t opine it will make it in my garden . Nevertheless , I still have a continuity plan . I will plant it in the garden and allow it to ego - ejaculate at the end of declination . I ’ll also take in some of the seeds and replant them in spring .

To get even more inspiration for what to plant in seasonal containers , have a look at this article I wrotefor Blooming Backyard .