Fall Annuals Bursting with Color!

 The Iowa State Fair is over, the family vacations have been had and the kids are back in school.  It’s starting to feel like all the things signaling that fall is almost here have appeared (despite the warm summer temperatures we’ve had this week).  Oh and did I mention the fall annuals have arrived in the garden center? Just one more thing that signals fall is on its way!  There are so many great fall annuals (besides mums) to use in your planters that I have just to share a few of them with you.

Beautiful fall Mums in an array of colors.

Yellow blooms of Hypericum

Hypericum with Red Berries

Ornamental Peppers

 Ornamental Peppers are one of my newest favorite fall plants that I only recently began incorporating into my fall plantings. They are beautiful because their foliage and peppers come in so many colors.  Foliage can be purple, green, white, or variating combinations.  The peppers are typically red, purple, white or green.  Their colorful combinations can really add some great interest to pots.

Annual Grasses add great color, texture and height to fall planters.

Ornamental Grasses are a fabulous plant for the fall because they add height and texture to a planter.  In the fall most grasses have interesting seed heads or plumes in shades of brown, burgundy or purple.  The grasses will also turn color as the fall progresses into similar shades of brownish reds and purples.   

Peacock Kale

Kale and Cabbages are some of the most cold tolerant plants out there.  Their ability to withstand temperatures up to 15 degrees makes them a perfect addition to any fall (or even winter) planter.  Their ornamental foliage with shades of green, white, and purple and their wide vareity of textured leaves makes them a great accent plant. 

Pansies love the cool fall weather!

Pansies are a cheerful addition to any fall planter because they can withstand cold temperatures (28 F) and come in a variety of bright colors.  They come in shades or combinations of purple, pink, yellow, orange, white and lavendar.  Plant them in full sun to part shade for best results.

Try using sedums in your fall planters for added texture.

 Sedums are fun to use because they can tolerate cooler temperatures and they have a wide variety of colors and textures.  They make a great accent plant for any fall planter.

In my next blog post I will show you how to put these plants together to create fabulous fall combinations!