4 Elements of a Stunning Fall Garden

As a gardener I’ve let fall be my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, so to speak. Almost every decision I make in spring is geared toward fall, from plant selection to placement. I’ve come to adore many species of asters, goldenrods and grasses, and have seen that perennials offer as much stunning leaf color as shrubs and trees. Let’s look at some design strategies that can provide a stunning fall garden from the ground level all the way to the treetops.

Diverse Structure

A lot of fall gardening seems to come down to trees — but there is opportunity for more. If the fall garden just comes from trees, we’re severely limiting our landscapes’ potential. Having a diverse structure supercharges autumn, and this means planting with trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses and ground covers.

I love my elm, willow and birch for yellow color, my maple for red, my oak for orange. Understory trees like chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) and serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) provide orange and red, respectively. Then there are various species of Viburnum, dogwood (Cornus spp.) and sweetspire (Itea spp.) shrubs for all kinds of color. Sedum and prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) provide lovely hues at ground level. When we think beyond trees, we can create a more multidimensional garden that really knocks our socks off — and not just in October.

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Contrasting Texture

Grasses provide easy texture and sound, and their colors often can’t be beat. Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) is a tall species that turns bright oranges, and bluestem goes for scarlets. Of course the seeds heads are often quite ornamental throughout the winter.

When you place grasses among perennials and even shrubs, you can create excitement, as the relatively sharp, woody stems mingle with the soft, undulating fingers of grass. It’s exciting to play around with this sort of textural juxtaposition.

Grasses aren’t the only game in town. Here is Hubricht’s bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii), which turns bright yellow before quickly diving into orange, rust and brown. Planted in drifts and en masse, it’s a stunning show that in this image really softens the hard lines of the deck and arbor.

Negative Space

The use of negative space, in both landscapes and visual arts (like painting or sculpture), is a common design strategy. This is an area void of very much, if any, plant material; a place where the eye and body can take a break from the relative noise of flowers and leaves.

Here you can see a pathway beneath low trees, and how the eye is drawn deeper into the landscape due to the element of absence — that’s a metaphor for experiencing a garden if ever I saw one.

Photo by James Golden

Ponds, pools and hardscapes can also create negative space. Here the reflecting pool and surrounding gravel at first seem to clash with the grass, perennials and tall trees farther back. But in reality this blank space helps us appreciate and enjoy — if not better focus on — the plants surrounding it. Without a space where we can rest our senses, we might soon be overwhelmed — it’s like catching your breath while running. Even just a bench can be an ornamental element that provides a visual and physical respite all at once.

Photo by James Golden

Sculpture

I’ve always been a fan of art in the garden, especially abstract art, which seems to help the eye settle while drawing it further into the landscape. If this sculpture had been a flower or a tree shape, I think I’d look right past it; instead, the juxtaposing, rounded shape plays against the straight stems of fall perennials, and this makes me look deeper and longer into the landscape. I know this sounds sort of Zen, but it’s true, don’t you think?

Even a few simple pots can provide an element of art, and sometimes at a more affordable price. Place them along a path or even along a border; experimenting by moving them around could open you to some design surprises and delightful serendipity you might not have experienced in the garden before.

Ongoing Interest

Once the fall color show is over, texture and structure don’t end. Not by a long shot. Perennials, grasses and shrubs still have so much to offer — especially with ornamental seed heads. American senna (Senna hebecarpa), coneflowers (Echinacea spp.), bush clover (Lespedeza spp.), Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum) and baptisia are some flowering perennials whose seed heads are outstanding design elements in a fall and winter garden.

What’s more, once the snow starts flying, you’ll be glad you left the garden up — it’s gorgeous. Of course, lots of wildlife will also thank you, from bees to butterflies to frogs, who all overwinter in hollow stems and under leaves.

More reasons not to clean up the fall garden

As you observe your garden’s transition from summer to fall, think about what structure, texture and negative space might be missing. Are the missing elements up high, in the middle or down low? Is one area dominated by grasses or shrubs and so seems a little too simple or drab? What would happen if you mix plant types? Where is fall color absent?

When you look out of the window in winter at the bones of the garden, where do you wish it had more places where the eye could rest? Where might a simple pot or sculpture help tie together a plant grouping or bring you deeper into the design? When spring rolls around and you can implement new ideas, you’ll be itching for fall to come around again.

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