Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays
  • Videos
  • current issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • On Chicago's South Side, a New River Trail Guides the Way Through Nearly Two Centuries of Black History

      On Chicago's South Side, a New River Trail Guides the Way Through Nearly Two Centuries of Black History

      Paddlers on the 7-mile-long American Heritage Water Trail learn the stories of African Americans who fought for freedom and equality. Read More
    • This 136-Year-Old Nebraska Ranch Welcomes Guests to Create, Work and Learn From the Land

      This 136-Year-Old Nebraska Ranch Welcomes Guests to Create, Work and Learn From the Land

      In a far-flung corner of northwest Nebraska, guests come for an experience that unfolds over miles—a story about a fragile ecosystem and the tough woman trying to preserve it. Read More
    • A Pair of Flower Farmers Sows a New Beginning—Twice—in Madison County, Iowa

      A Pair of Flower Farmers Sows a New Beginning—Twice—in Madison County, Iowa

      Jenn and Adam O'Neal put down roots at Pepperharrow Farm, a 20-acre homestead near Des Moines—and worked with nature to bring it back to life after a devastating 2022 tornado. Read More
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    Take a Day Trip to Charming Winona Lake, Indiana—Just 2.5 Hours from Chicago and Indy

    Take a Day Trip to Charming Winona Lake, Indiana—Just 2.5 Hours from Chicago and Indy

    In the sweet Indiana town of Winona Lake, restored cottages house shops while boats ply a peaceful canal.
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Family Travel
    • Around the Region
    • Beyond the Region
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    Grill Your Biggest, Best Burger Yet with Chicago Chef Erick Williams

    Grill Your Biggest, Best Burger Yet with Chicago Chef Erick Williams

    The James Beard Award winner dishes on eating out, honoring roots and upping your burger game. (Hint: There’s a fried egg and bacon involved.)
    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    A Designer Turned Her Childhood Friend's Home into a Masterful Mash-Up of '70s and '80s Decor Hits

    A Designer Turned Her Childhood Friend's Home into a Masterful Mash-Up of '70s and '80s Decor Hits

    Shared style crushes help a designer pull from childhood memories to shape a new Chicago area home for a long-time friend.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden
    New Rose Varieties for Frills, Fragrance and Victorian Charm

    New Rose Varieties for Frills, Fragrance and Victorian Charm

    Old-timey blooms are back in vogue—and none more so than roses. An Indiana pro shares her growing tips and recommendations.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    Fresh and Colorful Summer Salads

    Fresh and Colorful Summer Salads

    These bright, healthy salads—with veggies, fruits, hearty grains and more—are gorgeous enough to star at your dinner table or a picnic spread.
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Tamales are a project, but many hands—even tiny ones—make lighter work.
    • Brighten Your Front Door with This Colorful Easter Egg Wreath
    • These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing
    • Ring in the New Year with This Glam Star Garland
    • How to Make a Modern Fruit Cake Box
    • An Eye-Catching Oval Treat Box You Can Make
    • Make a Colorful Paper Raffia Wreath to Welcome Fall
    • How to Make a Dried Floral Arrangement
    • How to Make an Easy Pina Colada
    • How to Make an Amazing Pavlova
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
    • DIY Pistachio Wheat Stalks for Fall Decorating
  • current issue

    current issue

    See All current issue
    About Us

    About Us

    • March/April 2022 Issue
    • January/February 2022 Issue
    • November/December 2021 Issue
    • September/October 2021 Issue
    • July/August 2021 Issue
    • May/June 2021 Issue
    • Summer 2022 Issue
    • Fall 2022 Issue
    • Winter 2022 Issue
    • Spring 2023 Issue
    • Summer 2023 Issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Garden
  3. Container Gardens
  4. 10 Foolproof Container Garden Combinations to Try This Fall

10 Foolproof Container Garden Combinations to Try This Fall

Teresa Woodard
By Teresa Woodard August 23, 2022
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Creeping Jenny, ‘Jade Princess’ millet and ‘Chilly Chili’ peppers. Purple and orange accent colors are added with ‘Lacinato’ kale, ‘Purple Barron’ millet, mums, ‘Tutti Frutti’ nemesia and ornamental cabbage.
Credit: Courtesy of Windowbox Gardener

Autumn is the perfect time to tap into a new seasonal palette of richly colored and deeply textural plants for cooler months to come. We talked with Gretchen Jacobs and Mary Starnes, co-owners of Windowbox Gardener and Porch Pots Direct in Indianapolis, about their favorite designs that you can recreate this fall at home. 

Start Slideshow

1 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Thrill with Ornamental Millet

For the classic, “thriller-filler-spiller” container recipe, ‘Jester’ millet delivers thrilling height and drama with its strappy purple foliage and cattail-like plumes. Combine it with ‘Morning Light’ maiden grass for added show plus support for the stalks.
Credit: Courtesy of Windowbox Gardener

For the classic "thriller-filler-spiller" container recipe, 'Jester' millet delivers thrilling height and drama with its strappy purple foliage and cattail-like plumes. Combine it with 'Morning Light' maiden grass for added show plus support for the stalks. Complete the look with purple mums, Redbor kale and pigeon white cabbage.

Tip: You'll notice small doses of mums are present in many of these fall container designs. "We go with smaller sizes, so there's not as big of pockets left when the plants are spent," says Gretchen. For a longer show (typically 6-8 weeks), buy mums when they're just "cracking color" instead of when they're in full bloom.

1 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Go Monochromatic

A 30-inch low bowl is filled with flowering crane kale (a long-stemmed variety) and ‘Icicles’ licorice plant in the center. Clusters of white mums, white calibrachoas, ‘Ice Dance’ sedges, variegated English ivy and ‘Gold Zebra’ coral bells are repeated four times around the circumference.
Credit: Courtesy of Windowbox Gardener

If orange and purple aren't your thing, try this all-green design. Here, a 30-inch low bowl is filled with flowering crane kale (a long-stemmed variety) and 'Icicles' licorice plant in the center. Clusters of white mums, white calibrachoas, 'Ice Dance' sedges, variegated English ivy and 'Gold Zebra' coral bells repeat four times around the circumference.

2 of 10

3 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Offset a Standout Plant

‘Lacinato’ kale with Angelina sedum, white calibrachoa, pansies and ‘Mona Lavender’ Swedish ivy.
Credit: Courtesy of Windowbox Gardener

Take it from two pros who design 6,000 container gardens a year: An asymmetrical design adds unexpected impact.  Offset a larger plant like this 'Lacinato' kale to one side of your container and supplement with Angelina sedum, white calibrachoa, pansies and 'Mona Lavender' Swedish ivy. Gretchen says Swedish ivy is frost-sensitive, so cover the container if there's a threat of freezing temperatures.

3 of 10

Advertisement

4 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Accent with Twigs and Everlastings

Birch branches and chocolate eucalyptus create the backdrop for this striking ‘Dragon’s Breath’ celosia
Credit: Courtesy of Windowbox Gardener

Birch branches and chocolate eucalyptus create the backdrop for this striking 'Dragon's Breath' celosia (center). Surrounding plants include 'Tutti Frutti' nemesia, ornamental cabbage, creeping wire vine, 'Ice Dance' sedge, 'Sangria' ornamental pepper, 'Stormy Seas' coral bells and pansies.

4 of 10

5 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Double Dip with Perennials

‘Carmel’ coral bells with Redbor kale, pansies, Algerian ivy, mums and ornamental grasses.
Credit: Courtesy of Windowbox Gardener

Coral bells bring value to fall containers as perennials. "True gardeners love that they can lift plants at the end of the season and plant them in the ground," says Gretchen. Here, 'Caramel' coral bells combine with Redbor kale, pansies, Algerian ivy, mums and ornamental grasses.

5 of 10

6 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Make it Edible

Plant edible chard with mums, yellow pansies, birch sticks, red verbena and two-tone calibrachoa.
Credit: Courtesy of Windowbox Gardener

Plant edible chard with mums, yellow pansies, birch sticks, red verbena and two-tone calibrachoa. Chard leaves can be selectively picked throughout the fall or saved for a full harvest at the end of the season. Enjoy them chopped in salads or sautéed in stir fries. Other ornamental edibles include 'Lacinato' kale, Redbor kale, leaf lettuces and herbs.

6 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Embrace Bold Colors

Creeping Jenny, ‘Jade Princess’ millet and ‘Chilly Chili’ peppers. Purple and orange accent colors are added with ‘Lacinato’ kale, ‘Purple Barron’ millet, mums, ‘Tutti Frutti’ nemesia and ornamental cabbage.
Credit: Courtesy of Windowbox Gardener

Throughout this design, an eye-catching acid lime color is repeated in creeping Jenny, 'Jade Princess' millet and 'Chilly Chili' peppers. 'Lacinato' kale, 'Purple Barron' millet, mums, 'Tutti Frutti' nemesia and ornamental cabbage introduce accents of purple and yellow.

Tip: Using a darker container? Mary suggests planting bright-colored plants like creeping Jenny along the pot's edge.

7 of 10

8 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Repurpose Houseplants

Mother-in-law tongue with creeping wire vine, Algerian ivy, white mums, ‘Gold Zebra’ coral bells and white Japanese anemones
Credit: Courtesy of Windowbox Gardener

Save money by using houseplants in fall containers, then transitioning them indoors. Houseplants like mother-in-law tongue will endure temperatures to 40 degrees before they need to be brought inside.

Place on a covered porch for greater weather protection and to further extend the season. When freezing temperatures threaten, swap out the houseplant for a more cold-hardy ornamental grass. Round out this display with creeping wire vine, Algerian ivy, white mums, 'Gold Zebra' coral bells and white Japanese anemones.

8 of 10

9 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mix Foliage Textures

‘Obsidium’ coral bells, ‘Rubrum’ fountain grass and flowering kale with gold and yellow mums, pansies, ‘Gold Child’ ivy and ‘Jerusalem’ cherry plants.
Credit: Courtesy of Windowbox Gardener

Ruffled purple leaves and wispy burgundy grasses add lingering interest to extend beyond the mums' show. Try 'Obsidian' coral bells, 'Rubrum' fountain grass and flowering kale with gold and yellow mums, pansies, 'Gold Child' ivy and 'Jerusalem' cherry plants. Note: these super-cute rounded, cherry-like fruits are not edible.

9 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Create Drama

Make a statement with an oversized thriller of dried pampas grass paired with contrasting Redbor kale, ornamental cabbage and a mix of pansies.
Credit: Courtesy of Windowbox Gardener

Make a statement with an oversized thriller of dried pampas grass paired with contrasting Redbor kale, ornamental cabbage and a mix of pansies.

10 of 10

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Teresa Woodard

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 10 Thrill with Ornamental Millet
    2 of 10 Go Monochromatic
    3 of 10 Offset a Standout Plant
    4 of 10 Accent with Twigs and Everlastings
    5 of 10 Double Dip with Perennials
    6 of 10 Make it Edible
    7 of 10 Embrace Bold Colors
    8 of 10 Repurpose Houseplants
    9 of 10 Mix Foliage Textures
    10 of 10 Create Drama

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Midwest Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Renew this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program
    • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
    • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
    • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
    • Video
    • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMidwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Do Not Sell My Personal Informationthis link opens a modal window
    © Copyright Midwest Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    10 Foolproof Container Garden Combinations to Try This Fall
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.