As the weather cools, you may start to think less about your landscape.
But autumn’s shorter days, less intense sunlight, more rain and cooler temperatures all equate to a better planting environment.
And even though you’re not thinking about spring yet, right now is the ideal time to set up the perfect spring scene by planting flowering trees, unique perennials and fall planting bulbs to ensure your landscape wakes up with color exactly when you need it after a long, dark winter.
Let’s look at how you can take advantage of fall planting opportunities.
Why is fall the best time to plant?
Once the hottest summer days are gone and the ground isn’t yet frozen, you can plant almost anything you desire in your landscape.
But there are some nuances with timing. Mid-August through October is the ideal time to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials. In fact, as long as trees still have leaves, you can plant them.
Mid-October is the perfect time to plant spring-blooming bulbs. This ensures they get the prolonged exposure to cold they need to guarantee flowers in spring.
When in doubt, always check your soil for guidance. If it’s not frozen, it’s usually fine for planting.
Show-stopping spring gardens start in the fall
Planting bulbs in fall is the best way to get that knockout impact with your landscape in spring.
There are quite a few ways you can add sparkle to your spring with bulbs.
- Tuck small groups of bulbs among perennials, shrubs, or rock gardens to bring bright accents. Group tulips, daffodils and alliums with their large flower heads together for a bold visual statement.
- While bulbs are stunning solo, they are breathtaking when designed in colorful combinations. Plant two or three colors along bed lines or in informal masses for power in numbers.
- Combine bulbs with early blooming perennials for a great spring show. Some good choices as bulb partners include pansies, creeping phlox, and hellebores. Pairing them with larger perennials like peonies and hostas can help hide the bulbs’ foliage as it fades. And planting bulbs in fall among late blooming perennials will keep your yard from looking like it has bare spots in spring.
- Create a meadow area with crocus and grape hyacinth bulbs that look amazing when they bloom en masse.
- Extend your spring bulb display time by planting similar bulbs with different bloom times. Three different types of daffodils, for instance, will give you early spring, mid-spring and late spring flowers.
What else should I plant in fall?
Fall is such a great time to think about your landscape. You can plan, prep, prune and plant.
Fall planting gives plants the jumpstart they need when the next growing season arrives in spring, resulting in more robust plants.
Maybe you’ve already taken care of your spring bulbs, and now you’re itching to plant something else. Try some classic trees, shrubs and perennials like hydrangeas, azaleas, redbuds, magnolias, dogwoods, Japanese maples or crape myrtles.
Once planted, your new landscape additions will put on great root growth in fall, getting settled in so they are ready for top growth in spring.
Looking for creative ways to create a stunning spring landscape or more lush garden? Need help making plans for fall planting? We’d love to help you achieve a space you love. Learn more about gardens we’ve designed here or contact us for a consultation about how we can bring your dream spring landscape to life.
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