Fall: Not Just for Mums! Refresh with our favorite fall color

September 7, 2018 | By webadmin

Now that we are moving out of summer and night temperatures are starting to cool off, does your garden need a refresh of color? While mums can add a nice space of color seasonally, we often want flowers that will last all the way through fall, until the first hard freeze. If you're looking for some fall color mum alternatives to freshen up your landscape, here are a few of our favorites:

Pentas:

We adore pentas for their use as a bedding planting in the landscape. They have long lasting flowers that come in shades of pink, purple, red, and white. One of their best attributes is as a nectar source for the migrating Monarchs that will soon make their way through North Texas.

Marigold:

Do you crave the look of mums, but want flowers that last longer? The answer is marigolds. Both French and African marigolds thrive when planted in the fall and offer bright flower colors until first frost. French marigolds are on the more compact side. African types (Tagetes erecta) like 'Inca Yellow' are taller than their French counterparts, reaching up to 2’ in height. Be sure to plant them behind smaller companion plants, like ornamental peppers, ipomoea, or purslane.   

Petunia:

If you didn’t get enough of them in the spring, you can plant a second crop of petunias right now for fall color. Their large, velvety flowers are a stand out in the garden and will bloom their heads off with very little care.  

Lantana:

One of the most versatile plants you can use in Texas, lantana is a perfect addition to tired annual beds. And it's not just for summer! Ranging in color from white, to purple, to punchy pinks and red, or citrus yellow and orange; there is a lantana for every use. It is another great plant for pollinators in our region and when planted in full sun - thrives. Plants will bloom all the way until first frost.

Celosia:

To add an interesting texture to your blooming beds, choose celosia. Both cockscomb and plumosa types come in a delightful range of bright spiky colors. Try ‘Chief’ varieties if you like the wavy brains-look or the ‘Fresh Look’ series for spiky plumes like in the photo above. Celosia also make great dried flowers.

Don’t forget the foliage!

They are some gorgeous options for foliage in the fall garden that add just as much pizzazz as flowers! Crotons and Acalypha both come in vibrant shades of oranges, rusty-reds, pinks, and yellows. These foliage plants give much need height to annual landscape beds or are striking on their own.  Crotons also do well in the shade & brighten up those darker spaces of your garden.

As with all new plantings, make sure to keep an eye on water. We also suggest fresh mulch around any new plantings to reduce weeds (those fall weeds will germinate soon!) and also to aid in water conservation. If you need help choosing the right plants for you, or would just rather someone else take care of it all, contact us for help.