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in Fall· Garden· Tips and Tutorials

9 Fall Plants That are Perfect For Container Gardens

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Now that autumn is here, it’s time to refresh those window boxes, containers, and flower pots. Let me show you 9 of my favorite fall plants that are perfect for your container gardens.

fall flower garden container with pumpkins

There’s something so magical about a fall flower container garden, isn’t there? Those deep and gorgeous colors mixed in with a pumpkin or two really help to bring the garden alive again after most of the flowers start fading away.

fall flower garden container and greenhouse

And then when you add a few cornstalks into the garden mix, it gets even better!

Affiliate links are used for your convenience. Read my full disclosure here.

I’m a self-taught hobby gardener, not a Master Gardener. Everything I share with you on my blog is my personal opinion and things that worked for me along the way.

fall flowers for garden containers

I did a little fall container shopping the other day.

I took home some asters, mums, pansies, and ornamental cabbage and kale.

What I had trouble finding was any kind of grasses at a decent price and celosia. It wasn’t even October yet, and most nurseries I went to were very low on plant inventory.

fall flowers for garden containers

Fall Flowers for Your Garden Containers

1. Mums

Chrysanthemums are the perfect late-season bloomers and add color to any dull porch or container garden.

orange mums and ornamental cabbage

There are 2 types of mums…

  • Garden mums – Also known as hardy mums, these plants are perennials in zone 5-9.
  • Florist mums – Also known as cutting mums, they’re usually used as short-term bedding plants and won’t survive once winter comes.

When picking out a mum for your fall container, try to find one that is just starting to bud in order to maximize bloom time.

pansies

2. Pansies and Violas

Both pansies and violas can withstand the variable fall temperatures in many zones, and come in purple, burgundy, white, yellow, and more.

The difference between pansies and violas is…

  • Pansies have much larger flowers and leaves and usually have only a few flowers blooming at one time
  • Violas have a smaller flower but more blooms at one time.

Because they have little freeze tolerance, most pansies and violas will die in the winter. In areas with moderate temperatures, like in the Pacific Northwest, they usually come back again in the spring.


fall flowers for garden containers

3. Ornamental Cabbage and Kale

Ornamental plants, such as cabbage and kale, are festive plants for fall containers. They’re actually my favorite plant for the fall garden, bringing beautiful color and texture to mixed containers. They have the most gorgeous sage greens with pops of pinks, purples, and creams. Do you know the difference between cabbage and kale? Kale has spiky foliage.

ornamental cabbage for fall containers

The most amazing thing is that as the weather gets cooler, the colors of flowering cabbage and kale intensifies even more, especially after a frost.


asters

4. Asters

These beautiful daisy-like flowers bloom in late summer/early fall, so they create an abundance of color when most plants have faded with the season. Asters will attract butterflies to your garden too! 

asters

impatiens

5. Impatiens

Impatiens are the perfect option for shaded container gardens.

impatiens

These plants can start looking quite leggy in the late summer, but pinching back the stems it will encourage bushier growth and promote new blooms for fall.


fall flowers for garden containers

6. Celosia

Celosia, also called cockscomb, is a beautiful annual flower with blooms that look like the colors of a stunning sunset.

These flowers come in two primary shapes…

  • Feathery spikes
  • Crested blooms like a rooster’s comb

coleus plants for fall

7. Coleus

Coleus has the most colorful foliage and a wide variety of shapes and leaf sizes. With combinations of green, pink, red, maroon, and more, your flower containers will never lack interest.

fall flowers for garden containers

This fabulous plant complements just about any fall flower you combine it with.


fall flowers for garden containers

8. Ornamental Grasses

Add texture and interest to your fall containers by planting ornamental grasses. The plumes and ornamental foliage are perfect for autumn and are low maintenance.


petunias and marigolds

9. Marigolds

I have a mixture of nursery-bought and seed-sown marigolds and love this plant so much because of how long it blooms from early summer through the first frost.

marigolds

Marigolds are great for repelling insects and pests from garden plants because of their pungent scent. They are also a host plant for some Lepidoptera caterpillars.


fall flowers and pumpkins on a green metal chair

I hope you’ve seen a plant or two that can be used to refresh your fall flower container garden. I’d love to hear from you, leave a comment below.

Now it’s time to see some of my favorite gardeners with tips, tricks, and inspiration for the month.

Until next time.

Happy Gardening!


Chas | Chas Crazy Creations

Winterize A Garden – 6 Tips and Tricks You Need To Know


Stacy | Bricks ‘n Blooms

19 Easy to Find Plants for Fall Garden Containers


Mary | Life at Bella Terra

October Gardening Update


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8 Mistakes I Made in My Cut Flower Garden This Year

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Filed Under: Fall, Garden, Tips and Tutorials Tagged With: fall annuals. fall annuals and perennials, fall container flowers

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. CoCo says

    10/14/2021 at 12:54 pm

    I literally don’t know which of these containers to pin first, Kim, wow – they are gorgeous! One of my favorite things about your posts is how you make gardening seem attainable no matter what the climate or skill set. I’m always encouraged to work with what I have and in a way that feels sustainable. Love your style sweet friend, CoCo

    Reply
    • Kim says

      10/25/2021 at 1:13 pm

      Thank you CoCo. I think I can make it look like anyone can do it is because I literally knew nothing about gardening up until we bought this house 9 years ago. If I can do it, anyone can! I always love your kind words.

      Reply
  2. Marguerite says

    10/10/2021 at 5:18 pm

    Everything looks so beautiful, and as always, your Greenhouse is stunning. My mums are doing really well in their containers & I can’t believe I have so many new bloooms on my geraniums. Autumn is looking good! Have a great week.

    Reply
    • Kim says

      10/13/2021 at 7:53 pm

      Hi Marguerite! Thank you for the sweet compliments. I’m so excited that everything is looking great for fall. Especially the geraniums. You know I always like to hear how they’re doing. Hope everything is well, so good to hear from you.

      Reply
    • Kim says

      10/25/2021 at 1:13 pm

      I’m so glad your plants are doing well Marguerite! I love to hear your updates and follow along.

      Reply
  3. Rachel Harper says

    10/10/2021 at 9:44 am

    Kim,
    I’m loving these plants. Thanks for all the tips.

    Reply
    • Kim says

      10/13/2021 at 7:53 pm

      Thank you for being here Rachel!

      Reply
  4. Nan, Odessa, DE says

    10/10/2021 at 6:30 am

    Please give an example.using cabbage/kale and other fall plants in a common container that we all have access to, say a galvanized bucket. Please! I never know how to place plants. Particularly large kale with cocks comb, pansies. If it all one flower I can make rows. Ha! Ha!
    Help. Everything you share is appreciated. Thank you.

    Ps I can do ok with road in window box, too.

    Reply
    • Kim says

      10/13/2021 at 9:16 pm

      Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I am one of those wild planters who does not follow the rules when it comes to garden containers. And that’s probably why I didn’t talk more about how to plant them. There is the thriller, filler, spiller rule. For thrillers, you can use grasses, celosia, and cabbage. You can also use an evergreen shrub. These can be placed towards the back or in the center of the container and are the stars of the show because of their height, color, or texture. Spillers can be something that hangs over the sides of the container like ivy. And then pop in other plants where they fit.

      Reply
  5. Chas - Chas' Crazy Creations says

    10/05/2021 at 7:10 am

    What a great post Kim! These are all stunning and beautiful flowers. Our growing season in the fall is strange because we get fluke snowstorms that kill everything, then back to 75. I would love to have more plants during the fall. Hugs

    Reply
    • Kim says

      10/06/2021 at 8:51 pm

      I’ve heard that about your area. That would make me so sad. We usually don’t have to worry about anything freezing until November so that still gives me time to get things done. Hugs right back Chas!

      Reply
  6. stacy says

    10/05/2021 at 4:31 am

    I love all your plant options for all and the greenhouse always looks so pretty decorated for fall!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      10/06/2021 at 8:52 pm

      Thank Stacy! Love that we were basically thinking about the same thing to post. Great minds think alike!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Kim. Welcome to my home & garden blog, Shiplap and Shells. We live in a small 1920 beach cottage in the Pacific Northwest and have spent the last 10 years renovating, reinventing, and adding character to our forever home. Read More…

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