Click for plan and plant list.

warm sunshine

One of the great things about container gardening is that you can create a planting almost any time of year. In fall, for example, many garden centers get in lots of fresh plants that look fantastic in cooler weather.

This container planting uses traditional fall colors of orange and gold, but, except for the kale, pretty unconventional fall plants. These gorgeous yellow and orange ‘Julie’ begonias echo the color of this big terra-cotta bowl, while adding a fresh bright look. In the background, large ornamental kales provide a more traditional touch of fall, along with interesting color and texture contrasts.

And who says you can’t use indoor plants in fall containers? Croton and begonias are typically considered house plants, but here they bring autumnal shades and fascinating textures. Keep them in their individual pots when you place them in the larger container. Then you can just pop them back out and take them indoors before frost hits.

For a big pot like this, try mounding the soil in the center before planting to give the middle plants a bit more height. And a few unobtrusive green bamboo stakes will keep the begonias standing nice and straight. The combination will look good for just a few weeks, so give the plants even moisture but don’t bother to feed them.

Get your hands on even more beautiful fall container ideas with Autumn GardenScapes, at right!

midsummer coverup

Many perennials bloom in early or midsummer. If you’re lucky, the foliage that’s left after they finish blooming is attractive. But sadly, sometimes it just doesn’t look all that great.

Let’s consider trumpet lilies (Lilium hybrids). Their big, bright flowers are gorgeous. But when they’re done blooming and you’ve deadheaded them, those stumpy stalks look terrible, and you can’t cut them back because the plants need the leaves to manufacture food for the rest of the season. So plant something in front of them. But choose carefully: The key to a successful pairing is to choose a coverup plant to go in front that has a similar habit and foliage to the spent plant.

Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha), with upright stalks and slender leaves, would never be mistaken for a lily, but, as you see at right, the leaf shape and texture are similar enough that the lilies seem to disappear behind it. In this case, because Mexican bush sage is a fast-growing annual, I like to tip it a little bit away from the lilies to give them some breathing room. But if you’re pairing two perennials, watch the spacing. You want them to be close enough for the coverup to work, so it’s OK if they billow into each other. But you don’t want one crowding the other out of the garden!

plant pick

Naked ladies
Lycoris squamigera

This is a plant with a lot of common names. You might also hear it called “magic lily” or “resurrection lily.” But whatever you call it, it’s a late-summer star. In spring, strappy leaves emerge. They stick around for about a month, then wither. And then…nothing happens for a couple of months. Finally, up comes a cluster of bare stalks (that explains those common names), practically overnight. Each stalk has three to eight fragrant flowers that last for a couple of weeks before they fade.

Pick the right spot for your naked ladies because these plants take a couple of years to get established and they don’t like to be moved. An area with full to part sun and rich, well-drained soil is perfect. They don’t need much water after the foliage dies down. A little all-purpose fertilizer around the foliage is fine, but it’s not crucial. When you plant the bulbs, usually in early to midsummer when they’re dormant, tuck them in 5 to 6 in. deep and 6 in. apart. (In USDA zones 8 and 9, where winters are warmer, you can plant them just 2 or 3 in. deep.)

TYPE Bulb BLOOM Pink flowers on bare stalks in late summer LIGHT Full to part sun SOIL Rich, well-drained PESTS None serious SIZE 18 to 24 in. tall, 6 to 18 in. wide HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 5 to 9, Heat: AHS zones 9 to 1

PHOTO: Courtesy of Fleuroselect

plant pick

‘Double Click Rose Bonbon’ cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatus

Flower gardeners are always looking for pretty flowers — and this new cosmos really delivers. Just take a look at the big 3- to 4-in. fully double pink flowers. Wow!

To make it even better, ‘Double Click Rose Bonbon’ is easy to grow, too. Direct-sow the seed in any sunny spot in your garden after all threat of frost has passed. As long as the soil is well-drained, cosmos will grow well, even in poor soils. By early summer, you’ll have flowers just like the ones at left. With deadheading, they’ll keep coming until frost. Since they come true from seed, stop deadheading in fall and you’ll have more of these beauties next spring.

TYPE Annual BLOOM Double pink summer to fall SOIL Well-drained, poor LIGHT Full sun SIZE 24 to 36 in. tall and 20 in. wide PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: Annual, Heat: AHS zones 12 to 1

PHOTO: Courtesy of Plant Delights
Nursery, Inc.

plant pick

‘John Fanick’ garden phlox
Phlox paniculata

Garden phlox in hot areas are rarely happy plants. But ‘John Fanick’, a 3-ft.-tall cultivar, was discovered growing just fine in San Antonio, Texas, where it can get very hot. However, if you like the light pink flowers with darker pink eyes, it’ll do great in cooler areas, too.

Because of the fragrance, and its popularity with butterflies and hummingbirds, garden phlox has always been a much-loved perennial. You just had to tuck it behind a shorter plant to hide the mildewed foliage. Now this cultivar isn’t totally immune to the disease — poor air circulation and high humidity can still trigger an attack. But it is much more resistant than many other phlox cultivars.

TYPE Perennial BLOOM Mid- to late summer SOIL Well-drained LIGHT Full sun SIZE 24 to 36 in. tall and 18 to 24 in. wide PESTS Powdery mildew is an occasional problem HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 3 to 9, Heat: AHS zones 9 to 1

PHOTO: Courtesy of Skagit Gardens

plant pick

‘Jethro Tull’ tickseed
Coreopsis hybrid

The classic coreopsis flower is a single yellow daisy shape. But that’s not the only shape you’ll find these days. ‘Jethro Tull’ tickseed puts a little zing into this basic shape with fluted petals on flowers that keep coming from summer to frost. The first flush of blooms is the biggest — the plants are just covered. Cut a few flowers to add to a wildflower bouquet.

Later, remove spent stems below the foliage for a fresh supply of blooms in a few weeks. In the meantime, enjoy the deeply lobed green leaves and full, mounding habit as a ground cover. To keep your coreopsis coming back every year, make sure it has well-drained soil. It doesn’t like “wet feet.”

TYPE Perennial BLOOM Summer SOIL Well-drained LIGHT Full sun SIZE 12 to 15 in. tall and 18 in. wide PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 5 to 9, Heat: AHS zones 9 to 1

PHOTO: Craig Anderson

how to buy a foxglove

When you’re shopping for a foxglove at the garden center, how do you know which plants are a good buy and which plants to pass by? Well, there are a few things to look for:

First off, foxglove is a biennial, meaning the first year there’s just a rosette of foliage. The plant flowers the second year, sets seed and then dies. So pass by plants already in bloom because they probably won’t bloom again. And those spindly and stunted blooms you see at upper right aren’t why you’re buying foxglove anyway.

The nice, healthy clump of foliage in the pot at lower right is what you should look for. Peer down into the leaves to see if you can see any buds forming. Buds let you know that if you get the plant home and in the ground, it should have decent blooms this year. If that foliage has no buds, you know that it’ll either bloom later in the year or next year.

PHOTO: Brent Isenberger

plant pick

Big Kiss White Flame gazania
Gazania splendens

Bring on the heat! Gazanias don’t mind. The new Big Kiss™ series of gazanias is the perfect solution to those hot, dry areas where other annuals shrivel up and die. Sturdy stems support 4 1/2-in.-wide flowers that are larger than other varieties. Like most gazanias, the flowers of this new variety close at night and on cloudy days. Big Kiss comes in two colors: White Flame, here, and Yellow Flame.

Group a few Big Kiss gazanias along the edge of a hot, sunny sidewalk or grow some in a container on your deck.

TYPE Tender perennial BLOOM Spring to fall SOIL Well-drained LIGHT Full sun SIZE 8 to 10 in. tall and wide PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 10 to 11, Heat: AHS zones 12 to 1

Looking for perennials that’ll produce loads of flowers next summer with very little care? Well, some daylilies flower for 75 to 90 days or longer! Here are some of our favorites.

plant pick

Moss phlox
Phlox subulata

Moss phlox is one of those tried-and-true perennials that we often neglect in lieu of newer flowers. But wouldn’t you like to have a perennial that insects leave alone? Or one that comes through the coldest winters and the hottest summers without extra care?

You may know this spring bloomer as moss pink, mountain phlox, ground pink, creeping phlox or flowering moss. No matter what you call it, this perennial is easily recognized by the low, dense mounds of bright colors. There are several great named cultivars, but this perennial’s been around so long that often it’s just sold by color. To get the best habits and colors, try to find named cultivars like the ones shown here.

This plant grows best in a bed with good drainage. Click here to see how ‘White Delight’ and ‘Atropurpurea’ are used in a rock garden setting. Along a path where you can enjoy the flowers in spring is another good spot, especially since moss phlox tolerates the heat next to a sidewalk or driveway.

Wherever you grow it, it’ll look best if you plant several in a group. Use all one variety or create a tapestry of color by letting several colors grow together. (You can keep the names straight by using the nifty plant tags at right!)

TYPE Perennial BLOOM Flowers in shades of red, pink, violet, blue and white in early spring LIGHT Full sun to part shade SIZE 4 to 6 in. tall, 12 to 24 in. wide SOIL Well-drained, slightly alkaline PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 3 to 9, Heat: AHS zones 9 to 1

Click to see a larger image.

plant pick

‘Six Hills Giant’ catmint
Nepeta hybrid

As you begin to plan for flower color in your summer garden, you’d do well to include some catmint. The blooms of these hardy perennials come in shades of purple, blue, pink or white and are popular with butterflies and hummingbirds. All catmints are heat- and drought-tolerant, as well as extremely pest-resistant. On top of that they’re fragrant, too. Brush the foliage and you’ll get a pleasant herbal scent.

One of the most popular cultivars you’ll find is ‘Six Hills Giant’, with rich purple blooms and gray-green foliage. It’s more tolerant of damp conditions than other catmints and is also one of the longest-blooming members of this family. Leave enough room for this large perennial — it grows nearly 3 ft. tall and up to 4 ft. wide. Remove the faded flowers to encourage even more blooms and cut back the whole plant by one-third after the first flush of blooms has finished for a later rebloom.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 3 ft. tall, 3 to 4 ft. wide BLOOM Purple flowers from early to late summer LIGHT Full sun SOIL Well-drained, slightly alkaline PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 3 to 9, Heat: AHS zones 9 to 1

plant pick

Graham Thomas rose
Rosa ‘Ausmas’

Talk about romantic roses! The richly scented, voluptuous yellow blooms of Graham Thomas are the very definition of romance. Fully double, 3 1/2-in.-diameter flowers form in clusters on arching canes, leaving behind large yellow hips in fall. The effect is mesmerizing!

Graham Thomas has the upright, bushy habit typical of shrub roses. It usually grows to 3 to 6 ft. tall, but in warmer areas where it doesn’t die back in winter, the plant can reach 10 to 12 ft. tall.

Space plants for good air circulation, water deeply near the soil and add mulch to hold in moisture and discourage weeds. Remove faded flowers and fallen leaves to keep the plant tidy and to prevent disease.

TYPE Shrub rose SIZE 3 to 12 ft. tall by 2 to 4 ft. wide BLOOM Yellow flowers from early summer to fall LIGHT Full sun SOIL Moist, well-drained PESTS Blackspot and Japanese beetle are occasional problems HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 5 to 9; Heat: AHS zones 9 to 1

Want to learn about more great shrub roses? Check out Issue 91 of Garden Gate magazine, on newsstands now!

Click to see a close-up of the foliage.

plant pick

‘Golden Ring’ barberry
Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea

‘Golden Ring’ has burgundy leaves that don’t fade or bleach in hot summer sun and are not susceptible to rust, like other barberries. In fall, the leaves, especially in the center of the plant, turn bright orange-red, so the entire plant seems to glow. It may look like any red barberry from a distance, but it has a special touch — a thin, green-gold band on the edge of the leaves.

Speaking of color, that band around the leaf edge sometimes doesn’t show up at first on new leaves. As the weather warms up, you’ll start to see it. But make sure your ‘Golden Ring’ barberry gets at least 8 hours of sun per day for the best foliage color.

Barberries aren’t known for their flowers, but they do have small yellow spring blooms. Glossy red fall berries dangle under the branches even after the leaves drop. These berries often last into winter, as they’re not a favorite food for birds. One note of caution though, barberries can be invasive on the East Coast, so avoid them if they’re a problem in your area.

TYPE Shrub SIZE 4 to 5 ft. tall and wide BLOOM Small yellow in spring LIGHT Full sun SOIL Moist, well-drained PESTS None serious, a rust-resistant cultivar HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 4 to 8; Heat: AHS zones 8 to 1

Click on the photo for this container plan.

jack-o-planter

Nothing says “fall” like a pumpkin, so what could be more perfect to use for a fall container? If you’d like to make one of your own, here are a few things you need to do to make your pumpkin planter last.

To keep your pumpkin looking good for as long as possible, don’t plant directly into it. Instead, plant up a plastic nursery pot and slide it into the pumpkin. Take an 8-in. plastic pot along when you chose your pumpkin to be sure it will fit.

Once you’ve got your pumpkin, cut an opening in the top large enough for the pot to slip through. Scoop out the insides and cut a 1-in. drainage hole in the bottom. Then seal the pumpkin by spraying the inside with Wilt-Pruf^®, especially the area around the hole. This will help keep it from rotting. Now you’re ready to plant.

These kales, pansies and cape daisies all do well in cool fall temperatures. First, place a little potting mix in the bottom of the pot. Most pumpkins won’t hold a very big pot, so to fit in as many plants as possible, flatten each root ball before you tuck it in, then fill in any spaces with more mix. Once everything is planted, water the pot and let it drain completely before you place it in the pumpkin.

PHOTO: © Ken Meyer

plant pick

‘Peter Pan’ African lily
Agapanthus hybrid

Not many gardens can handle large containers filled with full-sized African lilies that grow up to 3 ft. tall and wide. That’s where ‘Peter Pan’ comes in. One mature plant in a 12- to 15-in.-diameter pot is a good size for nearly any area.

Fill the container with a potting mix that holds moisture but still drains well. You’ll need to bring ‘Peter Pan’ indoors for the winter if your temperatures drop below 10 to 20 degrees. As the weather warms up in the spring and stays above freezing, move ‘Peter Pan’ back outside for the summer. Feed it with a liquid general-purpose fertilizer once a month. And remember, ‘Peter Pan’ will bloom best when it’s pot-bound.

TYPE Tender perennial SIZE 24 in. tall by 18 in. wide BLOOM Late summer LIGHT Full sun to part shade SOIL Moist, well-drained PESTS Slugs HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 8 to 10; Heat: AHS zones 12 to 1

plant pick

‘Rubra’ astrantia
Astrantia major

Looking for some unusual flowers to spruce up your garden? Try ‘Rubra’ astrantia. The flowers last a long time in the garden and in a vase. And not only that, you can dry them to keep a reminder of summer through the winter.

Astrantia usually does best in part shade with moist, not soggy, well-drained soil. In Northern gardens, you can grow it in full sun if you keep the soil moist. A good way to do this is with a 2- to 3-in. layer of mulch that’s one part well-rotted manure mixed into four parts compost. This type of mulch will feed the soil and keep in much-needed moisture.

Deadheading keeps blooms coming for most of the summer. When flowers fade to brown, follow the stem down to where it branches and snip it off.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 18 to 24 in. tall by 12 to 18 in. wide BLOOM Rose-red in late spring to late summer LIGHT Full sun to part shade SOIL Moist, rich, well-drained PESTS None serious, occasional slugs HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 4 to 7; Heat: AHS zones 7 to 1

plant pick

Iris
Iris hybrids

Just about everyone has grown iris at some time. But if you’ve noticed yours aren’t blooming like they used to, it may be time to divide — every three to five years is a good rule of thumb. You can move your iris any time if necessary, but dividing them in mid- to late summer is best. It gives the rhizomes enough time to establish a good root system before winter.

Start by trimming the foliage back to 10 to 12 in. to make plants easier to handle. Use a garden fork to lift the clump out of the ground. Then break or cut off the new growth, which is usually along the outside, from the center of the clump, and discard the old rhizomes. Replant the divisions right at the soil’s surface so they don’t rot.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 8 to 49 in. tall and 18 in. wide BLOOM Almost every color in spring LIGHT Full sun SOIL Well-drained PESTS Occasional iris borer HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 4 to 9; Heat: AHS zones 9 to 1

tips for growing lavender

Harvesting fragrant stems of English lavender is a pleasurable garden task. Even the bees are slower and linger quietly on this glorious plant. Although it’s easy to grow English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) in dry climates, it’s a challenge in much of North America — the crowns tend to rot in the winter. Here’s a planting method that’s sure to give you success.

BRIGHT LIGHT, DRY FEET — To start, choose a spot in full sun and dig your planting hole about 8 in. deeper and 12 in. wider than the pot you’re planting. To make the soil a bit alkaline and encourage good drainage, place a layer of limestone gravel in the bottom of the planting hole. Then layer soil and turkey grit. Plant the rootball so the plant’s crown sticks up about an inch above the rest of the soil.

MULCH AND GIVE PLANTS SOME ROOM — After your plant is set, mulch with 2 in. of large granite turkey grit or white landscape stone. If you live near a farm supply store, look for turkey grit there. Otherwise, buy white landscaping stone at a garden center. The light-colored stone reflects the sun under the plant and allows stems to dry out quickly after rain or watering, which prevents rot. And stone, rather than organic mulch, promotes that all-important good drainage, also to prevent root rot. Another thing that can cause fungal problems is poor air circulation. Space plants 24 in. apart to prevent this.

ROOT WATCH — Young lavender plants are usually slow to take off, so it’s best to buy plants that have some root growth. When looking at plants in the nursery, carefully turn the pot over and gently tap it, allowing the plant to slip out of the container. If you can see a few roots poking out of the soil, you know the lavender is established and ready to jump up and grow.

WARM SOIL START — Wait to plant until late spring or early summer when soil temperatures are warm. It’s hard to be patient, but young plants are more likely to rot during a cold, wet spring. If you’ve been frustrated with this charming plant, give this method a try. You’ll soon be harvesting fragrant wands a few times each summer!

butterfly container garden

Want to bring in the butterflies? Create a garden using plants they love. The butterflies will flock to the “buffet” selection of flowers. And you’ll like the fact that many of the plants are easy-care, long-blooming perennials. Most any yard has a spot where you can tuck in a butterfly bed. If yours doesn’t, or you already have a big butterfly garden, but you’d like to draw a few winged visitors closer to the deck or patio, containers are the solution. That way you’ll be able to watch them up close and personal.

While butterflies will visit almost any flower looking for food, they are more attracted to some plants. Those are the ones to use in a container. You’ll want to choose flowers that have lots of nectar, a butterfly’s favorite food. That’s why we’ve included aster, lantana, purple coneflower and black-eyed Susan. Add a canna in the center for some height and bold texture. This guarantees your container will look good to both you and hungry butterflies!

Check out the plant list and planting plan for this container in our Web extra!

plant pick

Penstemon
Penstemon hybrids

Need a plant for that hot, dry spot? Also want hummingbirds? Choose a penstemon! Although these plants have a reputation for being finicky, all they really need to thrive is well-drained soil. (Although some, like Red Rocks™ (USDA zones 5 to 9), at left, tolerate a little more moisture and humidity than others.)

To give them the sharp drainage they love, plant penstemons in rock gardens or raised beds, or work some gravel or coarse sand into their planting area. You’ll know the texture is right when you squeeze a handful of damp soil and it doesn’t stick together. They do like a little extra moisture in spring and as new plants just getting established. Water them deeply and infrequently to encourage the roots to grow deep. Fertilize sparingly or not at all, as too much fertilizer will make the stems weak and floppy. Follow these simple rules, and your penstemons will attract hummingbirds for months!

TYPE Perennial SIZE 4 to 72 in. tall and 10 to 36 in. wide BLOOM Red, pink, purple, yellow or orange flowers early to late summer LIGHT Full sun SOIL Moist, well-drained PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 3 to 10; Heat: AHS zones 10 to 1

Meet more than 150 other great plants for your garden in our new softcover book, Ultimate Flowers for Sun and Shade. Find out how at right!