36 Fall Planter Ideas That Bring Seasonal Beauty to Your Doorstep

Create stunning, colorful displays with annuals, perennials, and grasses.

colorful fall container garden
Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

In late summer and early fall, as the weather becomes cooler and the light changes, it's time to replace summer annuals in pots and containers with cold-tolerant plants for autumn.

Seasonal annual favorites such as mums, flowering kale, and pansies, as well as graceful grasses and other perennials, offer numerous ways to create stunning fall planters. Here are container combinations that will liven up the space outside your home well past the first frost.

01 of 36

Add Height With Grasses

Towering Grass container garden
Credit: Jacob Fox

Use the height of ornamental grasses to your advantage to balance the proportions of large fall planters. Rich gold, orange, and purple hues pair perfectly with a farmhouse-style wooden planter to decorate this porch.

A. Switchgrass 'Northwind'

B. Chrysanthemum

C. Golden barberry

D. Cordyline

E. Trailing sedum

02 of 36

Forego Flowers for Colorful Foliage

Showstopper flowers container garden
Credit: Laurie Black

This beautiful fall planter idea doesn't rely on flowers, only colorful leaves. The planter's rich tapestry of hues and textures will last well past the first frost.

A. Mirror plant (Coprosma) 'Tequila Sunrise'

B. Grape holly 'Charity'

C. Foamy bells 'Stoplight'

D. Flowering kale 'Nagoya'

03 of 36

Evoke Harvest Season With Gourds

Harvest Hues container garden
Credit: Cameron Sadeghpour

Dish up the season's bounty by planting frost-tolerant coral bells and colorful Swiss chard in the center of a galvanized pan, then surround the plants with a colorful collection of gourds and mini squash. This easy fall dish garden idea can also be adapted to any available planter.

A. Swiss chard 'Bright Lights'

B. Coral bells 'Pinot Gris'

04 of 36

Make It Last With Peppers and Pansies

Autumnal Textures container garden
Credit: Cameron Sadeghpour

Plant an autumn-inspired container you can enjoy until winter sets in. The broad, fuzzy foliage of silver sage contrasts with the slender, arching leaves of sedge. Long-lasting ornamental peppers are set off by almost-black pansies to complement your Halloween decor.

A. Silver sage (Salvia argentea)

B. Sedge 'Frosted Curls'

C. Pansy 'Bowles' Black'

D. Ornamental peppers

05 of 36

Choose a Stylish Container

Burgundy Beauty container garden
Credit: Laurie Black

Pick a planter you love, then let it inspire your fall plantings. Consider a brightly colored pot to help bring some extra oomph to a gray late autumn day. Select plants with foliage or stems with similar or contrasting hues. In this container, bright red coralbells almost match the container color, while the rest of the plants provide contrast.

A. Blueberry

B. Lacinato kale

C. Ornamental millet 'Jade Princess'

D. Coral bells 'Berry Smoothie'

E. Deadnettle 'Orchid Frost'

06 of 36

Maximize Impact With Lots of Plants

Purple Punch container garden
Credit: Laurie Black

Use at least one plant with height, one with bright colors, and one with bold textures in each container garden design. There won't be time for plants to grow in, so pack the pot full for immediate impact. Honeysuckle, leucothoe, and coralbells fill this container with lush foliage, while little bluestem adds texture and rises above the rest.

A. Little bluestem

B. Honeysuckle 'Twiggy Dwarf'

C. Leucothoe 'Rainbow'

D. Coral bells 'Berry Smoothie'

07 of 36

Combine Different Plant Textures

Kale and hardy container garden
Credit: Laurie Black

Flowers are fleeting, so keep the show going all season long by creating fall planters with foliage that looks lovely in autumn. Grasses, kale, coral bells, and foamy bells are colorful and textural. They can take a slight frost, so they're dependable anchors for fall pots.

A. Lacinato kale 'Rainbow'

B. Orange New Zealand sedge (Carex testacea)

C. Mexican orange blossom 'Sundance'

D. Mirror plant (Coprosma) 'Roy's Red'

E. Viola 'Sorbet'

F. Foamy bells 'Stoplight'

08 of 36

Accent With Colorful Twigs

Standing Tall container garden
Credit: Laurie Black

Long, straight stems like these from redtwig dogwoods are an easy way to add pizzazz to fall containers. Paint them for even more color, and use a tall, narrow container to heighten the effect.

A. Ornamental millet 'Purple Baron'

B. Maidengrass 'Morning Light'

C. Variegated hebe

D. Dwarf mugo pine

E. Wintergreen

09 of 36

Plant With Colorful, Low-Maintenance Grasses

Grow Glorious Grasses container garden
Credit: Marty Baldwin

Ornamental grasses are a no-brainer for adding movement and color to fall gardens. Keep them in mind for your container plantings, too. Most grasses look great in pots. Here, purple fountaingrass and blue fescue create a lovely contrast with pink mums and yellow strawflower.

A. Blue fescue

B. Chrysanthemum 'Cecilia'

C. Strawflower 'Sundaze Golden Yellow'

D. Purple fountaingrass

10 of 36

Go for Bold Colors in Smaller Containers

Make An Accent fall flowers container garden
Credit: Kim Cornelison

Small containers are great because you can easily move them around into new arrangements, use them to fill gaps in the garden, or change up your landscape's look. This container is a perfect match for a festive series of small pumpkins.

A. Zinnia 'Magellan Orange'

B. Deadnettle

C. Pansy 'Panola Orange'

D. Rosemary

E. Celosia 'Prestige Scarlet'

11 of 36

Fill in With Dried Flowers

Mix Materials flower container garden
Credit: Helen Norman

One secret to great fall planters is to combine live plants with dried ones. Here, dried flowers from oakleaf hydrangeas on top and bigleaf hydrangeas on the bottom add grace and interest to this charming fall planting idea.

A. Bergenia

B. Sedum 'Xenox'

C. Rubygrass 'Pink Crystals'

12 of 36

Try Perennials With Interesting Foliage

Plant Perennials container garden
Credit: William N. Hopkins

Perennials can be the highlight of fall planters, especially if you choose varieties with flashy foliage. Treat them as annuals at the end of the season, or plant perennials as soon as you can before the ground freezes.

A. Euphorbia 'Efanthia'

B. Fountaingrass 'Hameln'

C. Diascia 'Flying Colors Trailing Red'

D. Coral bells ''Dolce Creme Brulee'

13 of 36

Make a Bold Statement With Colorful Stems

Forgo Flowers container garden
Credit: Marty Baldwin

Sometimes stems can be more colorful than leaves. In this fall planter idea, Swiss chard's eye-catching stems steal the show from the more muted hues of the foliage.

A. Swiss chard 'Bright Lights'

B. Flowering kale 'Pigeon Purple'

C. Coral bells 'Marmalade'

14 of 36

Combine Plants That Have Similar Fall Hues

Add Formal Flair flowers container garden
Credit: Kim Cornelison

Make a statement at your entrance with a classic garden urn or two. Use flowers and foliage with similar autumn hues to create a warm welcome.

A. Fountaingrass 'Burgundy Giant'

B. Coleus 'Sedona'

C. Zinnia 'Zesty Scarlet'

D. Black-eyed Susan 'Cordoba'

E. Calibrachoa 'Superbells Tequila Sunrise'

15 of 36

Favorite Fall Planter Idea

Keep It Cool container garden
Credit: Marty Baldwin

Asters and kale are surefire picks for a great fall show, and silvery foliage from 'Icicles' licorice plant is a perfect end-of-the-season accent. The annual flowers add late-season color, while kale helps fill out the container and create a lush fall plant arrangement.

A. Aster 'Purple Viking'

B. Flowering kale 'Kamome Red'

C. Licorice plant 'Icicles'

16 of 36

Match Foliage with Mum Flowers

Utilize Rich Colors container garden
Credit: Marty Baldwin

Celebrate the season with bronze and deep purple tones, which look especially regal when paired with bold, bright colors from mums in this fall container garden.

A. Leatherleaf sedge (Carex buchananii)

B. Chrysanthemum 'Golden Andrea'

C. Ornamental millet 'Jester'

17 of 36

Contrast Light and Dark Colors

Go Bold with Color container garden
Credit: Marty Baldwin

Add unexpected colors and contrasts to your autumn landscape with fall planters that feature soft pink flowers or silver leaves.

A. Chrysanthemum 'Soft Cheryl'

B. Dusty miller

C. Purple kale 'Redbor'

18 of 36

Choose a Color Theme

color theme container garden
Credit: William N. Hopkins

This fall planter idea is all about capitalizing on a color theme to look cohesive. Terra-cotta hues echo through the pot, flowers, and foliage.

A. Euphorbia 'Efanthia'

B. Coleus 'Ulrich'

C. Indian grass

D. Chrysanthemum 'Festive Ursula'

19 of 36

Mix Up Kale Textures and Colors

Play Up Texture container garden
Credit: Marty Baldwin

Frost-tolerant kale, both flowering and pretty edible varieties, is perfect for adding color and texture to late-season containers. Try a handful of varieties to create a dynamic display.

A. Flowering kale 'Osaka White'

B. Flowering kale 'Pigeon Purple'

C. Purple kale 'Redbor'

20 of 36

Use a Unique Container

Use An Interesting Container for the garden
Credit: Peter Krumhardt

Boost a set of great plants with an unusual container, such as an old, weathered birdbath. Or consider a bushel basket, wooden crate, or other material with character.

A. Loosestrife 'Golden Globe'

B. Coleus 'Tiny Toes'

C. Chrysanthemum 'Blushing Emily'

D. Kale

E. Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender'

F. Coral bells 'Dolce Creme Brulee'

G. Rubygrass 'Pink Champagne'

21 of 36

Accent With Accessories

art in container garden
Credit: Peter Krumhardt

Add garden ornaments or other artistic elements to give your fall containers a little something extra. A gourd birdhouse, for example, ties into the colors and lends additional height to this container garden idea.

A. Chrysanthemum 'Cheryl'

B. Sedge

C. Golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) 'Aurea'

D. Pansy 'Icicle'

E. Purple fountaingrass 'Rubrum'

22 of 36

Layer Flowers and Foliage

Pearl Millet in Fall planter on front porch with labels
Credit:

Carson Downing

The tall, dark seed heads of 'Jade Princess' pearl millet make a natural focal point, and its cascading, straplike leaves echo the more fine-textured bronze 'Bronco' sedge spilling over the edge of the pot. 'Autumn Fire' sedum and a 'Crush Orange' chrysanthemum brighten the scene with their flowers.

A: Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) 'Jade Princess'

B: Sedum (Sedum telephium) 'Autumn Fire'

C: New Zealand hairy sedge (Carex comans) 'Bronco'

D: Chrysanthemum 'Crush Orange'

23 of 36

Rely on Mums for Bold Seasonal Color

Instant Charm container garden
Credit: Kim Cornelison

Kale and mums are always a reliable fall planter combination idea. But nothing says you can't mix it up a little by adding in a few other plants to really set them off. Here, a russet red mum makes a great contrast for a purple calibrachoa in a galvanized container. These plants would also work well in a fall hanging basket.

A. Calibrachoa 'Cabaret Purple'

B. Chrysanthemum 'Brandi'

C. Flowering kale 'Osaka Purple'

D. Fountaingrass 'Hameln'

E. Sage

24 of 36

Celebrate Soft Colors

Soft Colors container garden
Credit: Peter Krumhardt

Container flower gardening is all about balance. Contrast autumn's bold reds, oranges, and yellows with blooms that boast soft shades of pink, lavender, and burgundy.

A. Flowering kale 'Osaka Purple'

B. Pansy 'Icicle'

C. Chrysanthemum 'Debonaire'

D. Purple fountaingrass 'Red Riding Hood'

25 of 36

Keep Planters Simple

Simple container garden
Credit: Peter Krumhardt

Even a few fall container plants can create a beautiful mini garden. This one offers a bonus of the strong fragrance of the flowering stock.

A. Sweet alyssum 'Wonderland Mulberry Mix'

B. Flowering kale 'Osaka Purple'

C. Flowering stock 'Vintage Lavender'

26 of 36

Go Bold and Beautiful

Cheerful Flowers container garden
Credit: Marty Baldwin

No matter the season, yellow shines in the landscape. Pansies are some of the best plants for fall because they flower well past the first frost, and many varieties have yellow petals.

A. Pansy 'Panola Yellow Blotch'

B. Licorice plant 'Icicles'

C. English ivy

27 of 36

Make a Bountiful Blooming Window Box

Colorful Window Box container garden
Credit: Peter Krumhardt

Mums are some of the most colorful and versatile fall plants. Use them to fill your window boxes for a burst of autumn color.

A. Chrysanthemum 'Draga'

B. Chrysanthemum 'Denise'

C. Flowering kale 'Osaka Purple'

D. Variegated ivy 'Glacier'

28 of 36

Rely on Perennials for Fall Color

fountain grass coral bells and golden creeping jenny
Credit: Helen Norman

This trio of perennials offers colors that make a dramatic statement in a fall planter. To overwinter the perennials, sink the pot into the ground or move it to a cool spot over the winter.

A: Fountaingrass

B: Coral bells ‘Peach Flambe’

C: Golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) ‘Aurea’

29 of 36

Accent Earth Tones With a Pop of Bright Color

Earthy Vibe container garden
Credit: Andre' Baranowski

A simple gathering of cold-resistant ruffled green kale, striking magenta chrysanthemum, and variegated beefsteak plant 'Aureoreticulata' evokes an autumnal mood in earthy containers.

A. Ruffled green kale

B. Chrysanthemum 'Magenta'

C. Beefsteak plant (Iresine herbstii) 'Aureoreticulata'

30 of 36

Make It Moody

Ornamental kale in Fall planter on front porch with labels

This cool-tone combo offers a departure from the season's usual harvest hues. Tough 'Scarlet Bor' ornamental kale stands tall above butterfly-attracting 'Dragon Blue' aster, silvery dusty miller, and 'Plum Pudding' coral bells. The spill of purple pansies lends a little romance.

A: Ornamental kale 'Scarlet Bor'

B: Dusty miller

C: Coral bells 'Plum Pudding'

D: Aster 'Dragon Blue'

E: Pansy

31 of 36

Pair Mums and Grasses With Similar Hues

Pop of Color container garden
Credit: Andre' Baranowski

Tassled purple fountaingrass adds height, texture, and just enough color to contrast with vivid magenta chrysanthemums in a simple terra-cotta pot.

A. Purple fountaingrass 'Rubrum'

B. Chrysanthemum 'Magenta'

32 of 36

Combine Colorful Fall Favorites

Container Garden with letters
Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

A pair of planters (one 12 inches wide, the other 18 inches wide) makes fall memorable with an eye-catching blue glaze that perfectly contrasts with orange pumpkins. The cool color of the pots harmonizes beautifully with the kale foliage and mum flowers. The pink tones in the festival grass echo those of the mums, and its spiky leaves add a contrasting texture to the whole arrangement.

A: Chrysanthemum 'Beth Violet'

B: Kale 'Chidori White'

C: Aster 'Viking'

D: Kale 'Toscano'

E: Burgundy cordyline 'Festival' ('JURred')

33 of 36

Mix Foliage, Flowers, and Fruit

Ornamental flowers container garden
Credit: Andre' Baranowski

Ornamental black pepper (Capsicum annuum 'Black Pearl') makes an outstanding display in a rusty cast-iron pot with pink verbena, bold purple kale, and ornamental cabbage.

A. Ornamental black pepper 'Black Pearl'

B. Pink verbena

C. Purple kale

D. Ornamental cabbage

34 of 36

Use Different Shades of One Color

Orange flowers container garden
Credit: Andre' Baranowski

An airy mass of long-blooming coreopsis 'Mango Punch' combines with matching chrysanthemums and a few berried spikes of ornamental black pepper in a footed urn fall planter.

A. Coreopsis 'Mango Punch'

B. Chrysanthemum

C. Ornamental black pepper

35 of 36

Add Fragrance to the Mix

Container Garden with letters
Credit: Erica George Dines

This fall planter breaks the typical color scheme of gold, orange, and red. A tall, fragrant rosemary plant is a focal point, set off by colorful asters, deep-green ivy, and pink mums.

A: Rosemary

B: Aster 'Days'

C: Chrysanthemum ‘Marsha Pink’

D: Pansy 'Majestic Giant'

E: English ivy

36 of 36

Borrow From Ikebana

Japanese maple in Fall planter on front porch with labels

This striking, ikebana-inspired container uses just three plants to evoke a landscape. With its arching form and red fall foliage, the Japanese maple is the centerpiece. Blue fescue and lime-green creeping sedum create a soft ground below.

A: Japanese maple 'Crimson Queen'

B: Blue fescue 'Elijah Blue'

C: Creeping sedum (Sedum rupestre) 'Angelina'

The maple is best for Zones 5-8; once the tree loses its leaves but before the ground freezes, plant it in your yard (it grows 10 feet tall and wide).

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