More than Mums! Fall Planters & Containers With Vivre!
Given our love of autumn and our how much we adore fall planter and container gardens that, depending on the weather, can carry through to almost winter, we thought it fun to explore the alternatives beyond the ubiquitous Mums. Chances are your summer container arrangements are still vibrant and lovely, actually thriving in these crisp mid-September temperatures. Unfortunately, by October, your colourful spring and summer planters are going to be showing the strain of the change of season if not actually wilting away and nearing their inevitable demise.If you live here full time, we’ve got you covered providing you with design services that you’ll enjoy day in and day out.
Part-timers… let US stage your space, taking on the transition to autumn, providing welcoming charm for your next arrival!
As we talked about a couple of weeks ago, we have the perfect solution! 1. You can call/text 250-342-0383 or email us as to how we can help you create or transition containers or, 2. let’s dive into the world of fall containers and how to design and plant them. We’ll also offer up some of the best plants to incorporate for best results… and they go well beyond your standard fall mums! It may come as a bit of a surprise, but autumn planters can actually be easier to plant and maintain than those you’ve created for spring and summer. Impending frost pushes the timeline and therefore influences the selection of plants available. Planter choice is important and should be made first. In need of a unique container for your fall arrangement? Check out our great selection! Try to match the scale of the container to the size of your plants as well as the number of plants you’ll be using. The colour and style of pot ought to be complementary to the type of plants you are going to choose. Don’t forget good drainage: fill the bottom third of your planter with gravel, broken pottery or anything else that will provide space for the water to drain.Think Short-term!
What makes fall displays a little easier is that we rely far less significantly on blooms. We’ll be looking to incorporate long-lasting, colourful foliage as well as design elements such as grasses, mosses and bold berries. It’s this variety of colour and texture that will help your containers look their best for as long as possible. Contrary to summer planting, where we are focused on what’s good for the plant long-term, autumn container gardening allows us to shift to what will simply look good in the immediate. Fall containers and baskets fall into 2 categories, mono-plantings and the traditional thriller-filler-spiller model.Mono and Filler Plantings
Fall container gardens tend to fall into two categories: mono-plantings and filler. Generally, mono-plantings use the same colour, and often, the same plant to fill the container. This is where your big-box store mums come in. Other options for mono-planting include white heather, white cyclamen and ornamental cabbage and kale in similar tones, in one planter. You can also fill your container with plants such as Sedums, Heuchera, or Pansies.
Want help creating the perfect autumn display? Call/text 250-342-0383 or email us for more information!
To add more variety and drama to your container arrangement, consider beautiful filler options that, when packed tightly together, bring life to your pots right away!
Consider a tall centrepiece or focal point. Make the most of the plant’s stature by centre planting it or positioning it towards the back to add dimension. Adding height this way will serve to capture the eye and grab some serious attention. Add a little extra variation by adding inanimate items rather than plants. Accents such as a piece of driftwood, a collection of birch branches, willow stems or even your favourite lantern bring some individuality and interest to your planter.
When creating a planter with more than one plant, be sure to consider adding some spilling plants to really bring some added dimension. These plants will droop and hang over the sides of the planter. In autumn, these are typically grasses, ivies, ground covers and similar varieties that also offer some resistance to winter cold, providing for some longevity to your display.
Want help creating the perfect autumn display? Call/text 250-342-0383 or email us for more information!
Regardless of the design you choose, the KISS – Keep It Simple Stu%@# – principle applies! The most beautiful fall planters bring impact through their simplicity. Keep the number of plants to a precious few and, as with the general rule of design, stick to odd numbers (1, 3 and 5).
As for colours, a cool palette predominates in the fall, typically greens, pinks, purples and blues. They also work well with the neutral container colours like white, black or grey.
When you choose your palette, for the most part, stick with it! A cool colour planter should not have the summery palette of yellows, oranges and reds as they’ll surely clash. It’s ok to mix a palette and neutrals, but don’t mix the two palettes.
The days are getting shorter and your autumn planters are a great way to add convenient accent lighting to your walkway, patio or deck. Add a few solar or LED lights to your planters for added effect. Lanterns work great as do faux-candles, particularly with Halloween just around the corner! This is also a great effect to carry into winter.
The beauty of fall planters as they can be approached as temporary works of art! Bottom line: there really isn’t right or wrong. Do you love it? Yes? Mission accomplished! Your fall planters are a great way to just experiment and have fun, enjoying colour, texture and unique autumn beauty in your containers until the snow flies.