Autumn Container Combinations

With summer winding down, now is a great time to spruce up those less-than-stellar looking container gardens by embracing the bold colors of autumn. It might seem like there are fewer plant options than in the spring, but the reward comes from plants with vibrant foliage, striking texture, and beautiful colors.

Autumn is a wonderful season to try small evergreens, conifers, and hardy perennials that will hold up to the cold. One such conifer, the weeping blue atlas cedar, has lovely drooping, twisted branches filled with powdery blue needles. When underplanted with black mondo grass and a few colorful pansies, your pot is sure to be an absolute showstopper.

Another great evergreen plant for containers is variegated winter daphne, known for its green leaves with yellow leaf margins. Winter daphne works well in part-to-full shade locations and can be accompanies with Carex "Everillo," a grass-like foliage, and red violas.

Other neat combinations to try are colorful vegetables and herbs incorporated with annual flowers. Not only will your containers provide stunning aesthetics but also a small crop of edibles for use in the kitchen. Start with "Lacinato" kale, which has deep blue upright leaves. Add bullet-proof dusty miller along with trailing oregano and "Telstar Pink" dianthus.