Add Height with Grasses

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. 'Northwind' switchgrass

B. Chrysanthemum

C. Golden barberry

D. Cordyline

E. Trailing sedum

Forego Flowers for Colorful Foliage

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 first frost.

A. Coprosma 'Tequila Sunrise'

B. 'Charity' grape holly

C. 'Stoplight' foamy bells

D. 'Nagoya' kale

Evoke Harvest Season with Gourds

Dish up the season's bounty by planting frost-tolerant coralbells and 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

B. 'Pinot Gris' coral bells

Create a Long-Lasting Display with Peppers and Pansies

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

B. 'Frosted Curls' sedge

C. 'Bowles' Black' pansy

D. Hot peppers

Choose a Stylish Container

Pick a planter you really 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. 'Jade Princess' millet

D. 'Berry Smoothie' coral bells

E. 'Orchid Frost' deadnettle

Maximize Impact with Lots of Plants

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. 'Twiggy Dwarf' honeysuckle

C. 'Rainbow' leucothoe

D. 'Berry Smoothie' coral bells

Combine Different Plant Textures

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

A. 'Purple Lacinato' kale

B. Orange sedge

C. 'Sundance' Mexican orange blossom

D. 'Roy's Red' coprosma

E. 'Sorbet' viola

F. 'Stoplight' foamy bells

Accent with Colorful Twigs

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. 'Purple Baron' ornamental millet

B. 'Morning Light' maidengrass

C. Variegated hebe

D. Mugo dwarf pine

E. Wintergreen

Plant With Colorful, Low-Maintenance Grasses

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 for pink mums and yellow strawflower.

A. Blue fescue

B. 'Cecilia' chrysanthemum

C. 'Sundaze Golden Yellow' strawflower

D. Purple fountaingrass

Go for Bold Colors in Smaller Containers

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. 'Magellan Orange' zinnia

B. Deadnettle

C. 'Panola Orange' pansy

D. Rosemary

E. 'Prestige Scarlet' celosia

Fill in with Dried Flowers

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. Pig squeak

B. 'Xenox' sedum

C. 'Pink Crystals' rubygrass

Try Perennials with Interesting Foliage

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. 'Efanthia' euphorbia

B. 'Hameln' fountaingrass

C. 'Flying Colors Trailing Red' diascia

D. 'Dolce Creme Brulee' coral bells

Make a Bold Statement With Colorful Stems

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. 'Bright Lights' Swiss chard

B. 'Pigeon Purple' flowering kale

C. 'Marmalade' coral bells

Combine Plants That Have Similar Fall Hues

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. 'Burgundy Giant' fountaingrass

B. 'Sedona' coleus

C. 'Zesty Scarlet' zinnia

D. 'Cordoba' black-eyed Susan

E. 'Superbells Tequila Sunrise' calibrachoa

Favorite Fall Planter Idea

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. 'Purple Viking' aster

B. 'Kamome Red' flowering kale

C. 'Icicles' licorice plant

Match Foliage with Mum Flowers

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

B. 'Golden Andrea' chrysanthemum

C. 'Jester' purple millet

Contrast Light and Dark Colors

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

A. 'Soft Cheryl' chrysanthemum

B. Dusty miller

C. 'Redbor' purple kale

Choose a Color Theme

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. 'Efanthia' euphorbia

B. 'Ulrich' coleus

C. Indian grass

D. 'Festive Ursula' chrysanthemum

Mix Up Kale Textures and Colors

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

A. 'Osaka White' flowering kale

B. 'Pigeon Purple' flowering kale

C. 'Redbor' flowering kale

Use a Unique Container

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. 'Golden Globe' loosestrife

B. 'Tiny Toes' coleus

C. 'Blushing Emily' chrysanthemum

D. Kale

E. 'Mona Lavender' plectranthus

F. 'Dolce Creme Brulee' coralbells

G. 'Pink Champagne' rubygrass

Accent With Accessories

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. 'Cheryl' chrysanthemum

B. Sedge

C. 'Aurea' golden creeping Jenny

D. 'Icicle' pansy

E. 'Rubrum' purple fountaingrass

Layer Flowers and Foliage

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: 'Jade Princess' pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum)

B: 'Autumn Fire' sedum (Sedum telephium)

C: 'Bronco' sedge (Carex comans)

D: 'Crush Orange' chrysanthemum

Rely on Mums for Bold Seasonal Color

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. 'Cabaret Purple' calibrachoa

B. 'Brandi' chrysanthemum

C. 'Osaka Purple' flowering kale

D. 'Hameln' fountaingrass

E. Sage

Celebrate Soft Colors

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. 'Osaka Purple' flowering kale

B. 'Icicle' pansy

C. 'Debonaire' chrysanthemum

D. 'Red Riding Hood' purple fountaingrass

Keep Planters Simple

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. 'Wonderland Mulberry Mix' sweet alyssum

B. 'Osaka Purple' flowering kale

C. 'Vintage Lavender' flowering stock

Go Bold and Beautiful

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. 'Panola Yellow Blotch' pansy

B. 'Icicles' licorice plant

C. English ivy

Make a Bountiful Blooming Window Box

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. 'Draga' chrysanthemum

B. 'Denise' chrysanthemum

C. 'Osaka Purple' flowering kale

D. 'Glacier' variegated ivy

Rely on Perennials for Fall Color

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 (Pennisetum alopecuroides)

B: Coral bells (Heuchera ‘Peach Flambe’)

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

Accent Earth Tones with a Pop of Bright Color

A simple gathering of cold-resistant ruffled green kale (Brassica oleracea), striking magenta chrysanthemum, and variegated Iresine herbstii 'Aureoreticulata' evokes an autumnal mood in earthy containers.

A. Ruffled green kale

B. Magenta chrysanthemum

C. 'Aureoreticulata' beefsteak plant

Make It Moody

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: 'Scarlet Bor' ornamental kale

B: Dusty miller

C: 'Plum Pudding' coral bells (Heuchera spp.)

D: 'Dragon Blue' aster

E: Pansy

Pair Mums and Grasses with Similar Hues

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

A. 'Rubrum' purple fountaingrass

B. Magenta chrysanthemum

Combine Colorful Fall Favorites

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 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 (Brassica oleracea 'Chidori White')

C: 'Viking' aster

D: Kale (Brassica oleracea 'Toscano')

E: Festival grass (Cordyline 'Jurred')

Mix Foliage, Flowers, and Fruit

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. 'Black Pearl' ornamental black pepper

B. Pink verbena

C. Purple kale

D. Ornamental cabbage

Use Different Shades of One Color

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. 'Mango Punch' coreopsis

B. Chrysanthemum

C. Ornamental black pepper

Add Fragrance to the Mix

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 (Rosmarinus officinalis)

B: Days aster

C: ‘Marsha Pink’ chrysanthemum

D: Majestic Giant pansy

E: English ivy (Hedera helix)

Borrow from Ikebana

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

A: 'Crimson Queen' Japanese maple

B: 'Elijah Blue' fescue

C: 'Angelina' creeping sedum (Sedum rupestre)