Fall Landscaping: Enhancing Outdoor Spaces with Autumn Colors

If you live in a region that experiences all four seasons, fall is always an exciting time of year. Days get cool and comfortable, while the leaves and landscape put on a brilliant display. Despite the changing weather, this article will help you learn about many ways you can continue to enhance your outdoor spaces with dazzling fall colors.

The Best Plants for Fall Colors

Between flowers, trees, and shrubs, there are so many plants you can choose to enhance your fall landscape and provide a pop of color. These are some of the top options from each category.

Flowers

If April showers bring May flowers, what happens in September and October? Surprisingly, there are still many flowering plants that thrive in these later months. Here are a handful that are ideally suited to cooler fall days.

Asters. These flowers that come in bright colors like purple, blue, and pink are suited to grow in most climates across the country. It’s best to plant asters in early fall so the roots can get well established before winter.
Chrysanthemums. Often referred to as ‘mums’, chrysanthemums are perfect for providing classic, warm fall colors. Many varieties of mums are hardy and can handle cold temperatures, but they should be planted at least a month before the first frost.
Sedum. We would be remiss if we didn’t include the flower with a variety nicknamed ‘autumn joy’. Very tolerant of dry soil, sedum is popular with birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds. They should help keep color around until they need to be cut back in winter.

Trees

When it comes to fall colors, trees typically steal the show. People will plan entire trips to just take in the foliage. If you want to add some of this stunning scenery to your property, these are trees primed for the season.

Maple. As you think of fall foliage, maple trees are likely the first image that comes to mind. There are dozens of varieties to choose from, so even those in the coldest states like Minnesota and North Dakota can enjoy their displays well into fall.
Aspen. All across the Western United States, residents and visitors traverse mountain passes just to get a glimpse of these golden fall leaves. Aspens are suited to grow in many types of soil, and the signature white bark is an attractive sight in any season.
Linden. Lindens are low-maintenance trees that can be grown in just about every state in the country. If you have space to fill, these trees grow as much as 24-inches per year and offer beautiful golden leaves in the fall.

Shrubs

Shrubs are an excellent way to fill in bare spaces in your landscaping. As an added bonus, they can provide vibrant colors all year long. Try any of these shrubs for an awesome autumn display.

Serviceberry. This shrub is very easy to get established and tolerates many climates. The berries it produces in the summer attracts birds and other wildlife, while the leaves turn brilliant shades of orange and red in the fall.
Camellias. Those in the South benefit from the rose-like blooms of camellias well into the winter. The evergreen shrub is the state flower of Alabama, and has no problem handling an occasional cold snap.
Red Twig Dogwood. Native to North America, the Red Twig Dogwood will produce for your outdoor spaces in every season. White flowers appear in spring, but the real star of the show emerges when the leaves fall from the branches and its bright red stems become fully visible.

4 Fall Landscaping Tips

If you’re feeling inspired to add some of these fall colors to your landscape, use these tips to set yourself up for success.

Know Your Plant Hardiness Zone

As you consider new plants to grow around your property, always check their plant hardiness zone. Created by the USDA, this guide will tell you which plants are most likely to thrive in your specific geographical location. Just enter your ZIP code in this tool for details on what’s suitable for the climate.

Leverage Your Leaves

There’s some debate as to whether it’s better to rake up all of your leaves or leave them on the ground to fertilize the soil. Should you decide raking is better for your land, don’t let this valuable resource go to waste. Fallen leaves can be added to your compost pile and provide a big nutrient boost to your plants in the spring.

Prepare Your Perennials

Perennials are plants that return year after year, but they might need some help to make it through the cold winter months. Some of the steps you can take to prepare them include deadheading any dried blooms, removing any dead or diseased foliage, and adding a top dressing of compost and a blanket of mulch.

Do a Final Mow

When you live in a climate where the grass stops growing during winter months, it’s essential to prepare your lawn with a final mowing. Though traditional lawn maintenance guidance says to avoid cutting your grass too short, it’s okay to give it a closer shave at the end of the season. This will help prevent matting and disease for a healthy start in the spring. If you have an especially large property, the Yanmar finish mower will give you a precise cut in a fraction of the time.

Connect With Yanmar

When you’re equipped with a Yanmar tractor and the right attachments, there’s no limit to what you can accomplish around your property. From starting a hobby farm to improving your soil quality, we have the resources and a dedicated customer support team to help you get the job done right. Please don’t hesitate to connect with us online or give us a call at 678-551-7369.

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