Fall is just around the corner, with last night’s cool temperatures in Greenwich being a cruel reminder for those of us who are in denial that summer is coming to a close. While I’m excited about the prospect of crisp, local apples, ripening pumpkins and beautiful foliage displays, I’m not quite ready for mums and pumpkins by my front door just yet.
That puts me in a bit of a predicament, as some of the annuals in my planters are starting to look a bit worse for the wear, with leggy petunias and scaevolas that turned crispy while I was on vacation, while other annuals, like my sweet potato vine and coleus, are thriving. It would be a waste to start again from scratch, but I can’t leave them the way they are. My solution? Selective replanting.
My petunias will be removed and in their place, I will pop in some SuperCals in terracotta, pictured above, a great plant that will thrive in cooler temperatures and will get me through till the first frost (here in Zone 6, the first frost usually occurs in October, but can be as late as November!). In the place of my scaevolas, I’ll be planting angelonia (pictured below), another fantastic annual that will do well through the early fall, while providing color and interest to my pots (I just have to decide -- purple or white?).
I’m also going to gradually move towards the harvest look by adding some Pennisetum rubrum, or Purple Fountain Grass, to the mix. Not only do I love the color, but I also love the movement, texture and playfulness it adds.
Another annual I can’t get enough of at the moment are the zinnias pictured in the top image. The color is simply stunning, with shades of yellow, orange and hot pink – a fiery mix that I can’t resist that is perfect for hot summer nights and cool, fall evenings. They’ll look simply fabulous in these Campania International urns that I have by my back door.
Need a specific suggestion for a pot by your back door? Email me! I'm happy to help you find your perfect plants.
What’s your favorite way to transition from summer into fall?
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