Enjoy the Season With These Fall Planter Ideas
Autumn brings cool temperatures and gusty winds, but it also transforms foliage into a burst of purple, orange, red, and yellow. Better yet, it provides an invitation for you to add to this color scheme through the magic of a fall planter. And when you use the right planter, the inherent beauty of the foliage pops even more. Here are some terrific planter ideas that will allow you to do just that.
1. Bring on the Pumpkins
There’s nothing that brings upon the vibe of fall quite like a pumpkin. These gourds do more than make a signature seasonal pie. They instantly add a perfect combination of orange color and rustic sensibility to any backyard planter.
It’s pretty easy to make a pumpkin work for your planter. All you need to do to maximize the effectiveness is merely place the gourd within a visible place within your planter, and surround it with colorful foliage.
You can also enhance the pumpkin’s rustic feel by placing it and its surrounding plants in a country-style container. A planter in the design of a barrel or a basket will do nicely here.
2. The Power of Cotoneaster Berries
Sometimes, you don’t need to fill your planter with an abundance of different colors to convey the feeling of fall. Just a simple splash of color to pop out amongst some greenery will do the trick. One of the best ways to inject a dash of color into your plants is by putting cotoneaster berries in your pot.
These tiny, bright berries almost look like holly berries, which gives them a little versatility if you’re planning to carry over your fall planter into winter. Granted, they may take a little elbow grease to secure. However, as the above video demonstrates, the work that may be required isn’t too arduous.
While you can surround these berries with extra pops of color, you may find it best to simply allow the berries’ red hue to play off the green by itself. This is especially the case if you are looking for a planter concept that will last you into the spring.
3. Pick a (Fall) Color, Any (Fall) Color
You don’t have to resort to using berries to convey the message of fall with your planter. All that’s needed is to pick an autumnal color that you like and fill your planter with that shade.
If you do go this route, you don’t necessarily need to add green to the plant. A bright burst of purple or orange will do plenty to convey autumn’s goodness without green in the background. This is especially the case if you decide to use an earth tone-shaded planter or piece of pottery.
With that being said, you may want to consider surrounding your singular colored plant with a few other separate green plants. Doing this will work to further draw focus onto the colorful plant, as they may cover up visual distractions.
4. Give Your Garden a Bronze Medal
Fall doesn’t always have to be defined by bright colors. Sometimes, monochrome-like earth tones can deliver a brilliant dose of beauty. One of the best ways to do this would be to fill your fall planter with bronze leaves.
These leaves, when combined with a bronze or clay planter, can convey the unique beauty that lurks behind autumnal weather. It’s not flashy in the least bit; rather, the hues are quiet, subdued, and a bit chill. In other words, they represent the ideal ambiance for a pleasant autumn day.
5. Leave Room for Spooky Stuff
More than ever, fall seems to be built around the anticipation of Halloween. In some cases, the celebration of All Hallow’s Eve coincides with the official beginning of autumn. So why not have your fall planters get in on some of the fun?
While you can add a little creepiness to your plant by adding artificial black flowers or similar phony foliage, you can also sneak in a few props here and there to create an eerie effect. In a way, the latter option may be the preferred choice, since you can remove them after October 31. That way, you can still take in the seasonal beauty of your planter after the fact.
6. Stack ‘em Up
Typically, you can get away with merely placing a pumpkin or two in your planter to create a proper fall effect. However, if you have a hanging planter and you’re itching to flex your creative muscle with your plants, you can create a stack of gourd-driven goodness.
Obviously, large pumpkins that may serve as jack-o-lanterns in October won’t work. However, little gourds are pretty easy to come by, and are relatively inexpensive. You’ll need to arrange the pumpkins in such a way that they don’t fall out of the hanging apparatus, but that’s where your creativity will come in handy.
7. Repurposed Farming or Gardening Materials
Since fall equivocates so well to rustic vibes, it makes total sense to re-use old gardening or farming equipment into your fall planter plans. Items like an old wheelbarrow, for example, bring a country-fried ambiance to any backyard, simply because of its association with working the land.
Besides, these bits of equipment also come equipped with a very important underlying message – good gardening can be hard work. This, then, can become a symbol of the concerted efforts that you put into your garden every day to make it look as gorgeous as it does. It may also convey this vibe to your non-gardening friends.
Even if you don’t use gardening equipment to symbolize the rustic ambiance of fall, you should take some time to pat yourself on the back if you do take the time to create a fall planter that embraces the season. You may be reluctant to do so, since its generally considered a humble pastime. However, be assured that such self-congratulatory plaudits are earned.
Photo Credit
Photo by Linnaea Mallette licensed under CC BY 1.0
Photo by mongopapa licensed under CC0
Photo by Linnaea Mallette licensed under CC BY 1.0