The Best flowers and shrubs to plant this fall
Summer may be on it’s way out, but that doesn’t mean your flowerbeds have to be!
Fall weather is starting to slowly sneak up on us and while a lot of people love this time of year, there’s also a lot of people wondering how to keep their landscape looking as good in the colder months as it did in the warmer months.
Planting in the Fall can be tricky. You have to find plants that can withstand the colder temperatures and frost, while still trying to bring color and dimension in the off season.
Planting in the Summer seems so much more straightforward and easy than planting in the Fall does. No need to worry though! After you read this, you’ll be able to walk into your nearest home improvement store or nursery and confidently pick out what you need to have a healthy and colorful Fall landscape that the whole neighborhood will be jealous of.
4 Flowers perfect for your fall garden
1 . ) Camellias
These flowers have some of the most beautiful, intricate blooms that will brighten up your Fall flowerbeds. Don’t let their dainty appearance fool you, they are tough enough to withstand the colder temperatures with no issue.
You can get two different types of Camellias, depending on when you’d like for them to bloom. Sasanquas typically bloom from mid Fall to early Winter whereas Japonicas typically bloom from Mid Winter to Spring.
2 .) Chrysanthemums
These are the classic Fall flowers that you likely see everywhere this time of year. They hold up nicely in the cooler weather and their colors are the perfect Fall shades and make for gorgoues landscaping.
They have a bit of trouble when it comes time for the first frost, so look for the best blooms to come in the September to October time. There are a variety of colors and shapes of blooms to pick from, so don’t be afraid to get creative.
3 .) Dianthus
This dainty flower comes in multiple shades of colors, adding the perfect pop to your landscape. There’s some really unique color variations that you can get with this plant so look around at options near you and get the perfect Fall collection for your home.
As an added bonus, these plants aren’t just good to look at, they also put off a subtle sweet fragrance. You can catch a whiff when the winds blows through them.
4 .) Pansy
This plants are some tuff cookies, able to bounce back easily from the frost and allowing you to relish in their unique color patterns well into the cold weather. These plants also have multiple color variations, making it fun to create your perfect Fall landscape.
These plants carry their vibrant colors into the colder weather and will give you and your home a pop of summer color in the grey of Winter.
4 Shrubs Great for Fall and Winter
1 .) Loropetalum
These low maintenance shrubs are perfect for the colder weather. They are hardy enough to make for beautiful hedges and are great for groundcover as well. The pink blooms are total eye catchers, while the white blooms are a more subtle look and blend into the leaves a bit more.
The real beauty in these shrubs is the fact that they require little to no pruning, especially if planted in the right spot. They also transplant easily, which gives you tons of versatility for how you might want to use them in your Fall landscape.
2 .) FirePower Nandina
This shrub is tough and durable for the colder months, while still delicate enough to bring some color to your landscape. They are slow to spread, but provide a great show of color year-round, switching from colorful blooms to berries. This shrub is also easily transplanted, allowing you to pick and choose where it’s best on display.
Although it doesn’t have much of a threat when it comes to pests or diseases, it does require careful pruning. More good news? They are very drought tolerant!
3 .) Howardi Ligustrum
These shrubs are quick to grow, making them great for hedges and privacy. They have a terrific, sweet fragrance that can fill a yard and beautiful white blooms in the late Spring.
This shrub has a vibrant green color that will bring life to your cold weather landscape. It’s fast growing branches and tolerance to pruning allows you to really be creative with the look you want them to have in your landscape scene.
4 .) Variegated Pittosporum
This shrub is tough and adaptable, making it a great option for our area. It’s dense foliage allows for great hedges and greenery in the colder months. This shrub does have some fragrant blooms that will pop up, however heavy pruning can cut back on those blooms.
These shrubs do great in both containers and as ground coverage, making them versatile to your Fall and Winter landscaping needs.
Save these graphics for a quick reference guide to Fall planting! Click here to download
Plus, one last tip for growing plants in the Fall - Scroll down!
One tip for growing plants in colder weather
Colder weather doesn’t have to mean fewer flowers, there’s plenty of options for keeping your landscape looking lush and green year-round. However, you’ll want to make sure that you look and make sure that the plant you choose will survive your planting zone.
For example, here in Lexington, SC we are in USDA Zone 8a, which means you’d want to get plants that are suitable for zone 8a. If you aren’t sure what zone you’re in, the USDA has a map on their website where you can put in your zip code and find your planting zone.
