Hopefully your container gardens performed well this summer, but chances are by now they may be ready for a bit of a facelift! Don’t pack up those window boxes and decorative planters just yet. After all, there’s still plenty of beauty to be had well into the fall. Unless you want to completely re-pot (which I’m more than happy to do for you), you can work with what looks good and build from there. Remember that your planters, window boxes, etc., can be enjoyed throughout entire year. They can even play host to holiday greens, ornaments and other decor.

While plants like mums and asters may come to mind, there are several others that can tolerate cool autumn temperatures and keep your landscape, front stoop or patio looking beautiful.

Coral bells, also known as heuchera, make the top of my list because of their vast colors and leaf textures, in addition to their hardiness. Some coral bells thrive in full sun, shade, or anything in between. Most are hardy down to -25 °F. These are mounding plants and work on their own or combined with either contrasting plants or in shades of the same color. They look great with mums, ornamental grasses, turf lilies and even gourds!

Delicate-looking, but truly hardy verbena will continue looking great well into the fall. Many can withstand temperatures down to 15 °F and will continue flowering even after the first frost. Great on their own, they’re also perfect for filling in spaces and for draping over the edges of planters, window boxes or hanging baskets. With colors ranging from deep blue to purples and pinks to fiery reds, they’re drought tolerant and require only an average amount of water.

Decorative cabbages are full and fun plants, while kales can offer a spiky and “off-beat” kind of look. Both will take you well into fall with great style and beautiful shades of greens with purples and pinks. As an added advantage, flowering cabbage and kales’ colors deepen as the temperatures drop, especially after a frost.

Kales look great in shallow baskets, modern planters and window boxes. They are exceptionally bold plants, so I like to use them in unique containers or combined with unusual plants.

Fall means, beautiful leaves, crisp air, cozy sweaters and beautiful container gardens! It’s a great time to get your ‘creative on’ and add color and warmth to your front door steps or back deck or patio!