28 Fall Garden Ideas & Tips

What Plants Go in a Fall Garden?

Don't worry, the growing season doesn't have to be over yet! While it may be time to say goodbye to vegetable gardening, there are many ornamental plants that provide interest well into fall. 

Check out these plant suggestions for your fall garden:

27 Best Fall Flowers Use these tried-and-true fall flowers to brighten up your landscape with a final burst of color before the season winds down.	Fall-Blooming Perennials & Grasses Utilizing plants that bloom, develop brightly colored fruit or have great foliage color is a great way to keep your garden looking fresh.	Fall-Blooming Shrubs Learn about what shrubs you can add to your garden to get fresh late summer and fall color for your garden, year after year.
Magical Fall Foliage Don't forget the foliage! Use these Proven Winners foliage varieties in your fall garden.	10 Season-Extenders for Fall Landscapes Create a bounty of beauty this fall with season-extending annuals, perennials and shrubs.	10 Berry-Producing Shrubs Leaves get all the credit in autumn, but berries also bring a whole new range of colors, forms, and interest to the landscape.

Buy Fall Plants
Order plants with fall interest and have them shipped right to your door

More plants for fall:

• Fall Mums
  Check out our selection of garden mums, featuring 28 varieties with unique colors and bloom textures
• 12 Shrubs for Cut Branches
  These shrubs make great cut branches in fall and winter.
• 23 Orange Flowers for Your Garden
  If you're tired of the usual fall mums, check out these options. 
• 15 Flowers with Spooky Names
  Enjoy this just-for-fun list of plants with spooky names…‘tis the season for ghouls and ghosts galore and orange and black décor too!

Fall Garden Videos

Watch Laura of Garden Answer put together a fall window basket.

Find more fall videos in this playlist: Autumn Garden Projects with Garden Answer.

Fall Planting & Care 

Fall is a great time to plant both shrubs and perennials. If you live in a cold area, plant in early fall so there's no risk of an unexpected cold snap damaging your new plants. Fall is also a good time for maintenance and cleanup around the garden. Make sure your garden tools are in tip-top shape and consider mulching to enrich the soil. 

Check out these resources for more tips on fall planting and care:

• Why Plant in Fall?
  You may have heard that fall is a great time for planting shrubs, trees, and perennials. This article explains why that is true.
• Fall Watering Tips
  Learn how to determine if your plants need supplemental water in fall and if they do, how much and how often to water.
• Pruning Demystified
  Fall often is not the best time to prune your shrubs. Find more information about timing here. 
• 10 Fall Gardening Tasks
  Here are ten essential fall tasks to finish before the snow flies to ensure your garden will shine next spring.
• Put Your Beds to Bed
  One of the most important jobs in fall is getting your garden beds ready for winter. 
• 5 Hydrangeas to Plant this Fall
  Hydrangeas are extremely popular and the cool season of fall is the best time to plant them! 
• How to Prune Your Hydrangea
  Itching to prune your hydrangeas this fall? Follow these 3 steps to ensure your success.
• How to Care for Ornamental Grasses
  The most common questions we get about ornamental grasses care are when and how to plant, cut back and divide. 
• Planting Spring-Flowering Bulbs
  Plant spring-blooming bulbs in the fall as soon as possible after you receive them.

Design Ideas for Your Fall Garden 

Fall containers for your porch, patio or deck: 

Fall Potted Plants
There are some special considerations when it comes to containers for fall color.

Fall Container Recipes for Warm Climates
Let’s take a look at five non-traditional container recipes for southern gardens that reflect the warm mood and rich textures of the season.

Container Garden Recipe Search
See over 800 different plant combinations for pots, hanging baskets, window boxes and more. 

Landscape inspiration for autumn and beyond:

Creating Fabulous Fall Gardens
For many of us fall is a great season to decorate before freezing weather and celebrate the holidays as temperatures cool off. 

5 Ways to Boost Fall Color
No one wants to see summer’s splendor end, but your garden can continue to be bursting with vibrant colors well into fall.

Ideas for Growing a Goth Garden
Do you find dark plants intriguing? Could your garden use a little more mystery?

10 Low-Cost DIY Garden Projects
Fall and winter are good times to consider non-plant garden projects. The pumpkin vase and leaf print napkins are perfect for this time of year. 

How to Plant Your Garden for Continuous Color
If you are anything like me, the dream is to have a gorgeous garden regardless of the time of year. 

Want more seasonal gardening ideas? 

Through the Seasons

More Fall Articles