Holiday Container Gardens Landscape, Seattle

1. Fall Container GardenFall shades are the starting point for a Thanksgiving design that can easily be given mini makeovers to look great all year.Year-round interest: • Dwarf vine maple tree (Acer circinatum 'Little Gem')• 'Spellbound' coral bells (Heuchera hybrid), with gorgeous purple foliage• Dwarf evergreen conifer• Orange grass-like 'Goldfinger' New Zealand iris (Libertia ixioides)• Trailing 'Wojo's gem' periwinkle (Vinca maculata)Fall interest (shown):• Add deep red pansies.Thanksgiving accents:• The orange pot itself sets the scene.• Nestle orange and yellow gourds among the purple foliage.Christmas cheer:• The bare red stems of the maple add height and Christmas color.• Replace gourds you added in fall with gold accents, such as weatherproof ornaments.

Other plants, such as some perennials and biennials, have the ability to come back in the spring. But because these plants won't have the added insulation of being in the ground, make sure plants left outside are winter hardy to two plant zones colder than the one you live in. For example, I live in USDA zone 6a, so my plants to remain outdoors should be hardy to zone 4. Find your USDA hardiness zone

8. Get inspired with fall container gardens that can be adapted to offer year-round interest, courtesy of landscape designer Karen Chapman. Learn how to dress up your beloved summer gardenia plant with white pumpkins for Thanksgiving, then silk magnolias and silver-dusted cones for Christmas. See the full ideabook: 5 Container Gardens for the Holidays and Beyond

6. Incorporate Dark FoliageDeepen existing container designs with the addition of one or more cool-tolerant, dark-leaved plants. In this design by Le jardinet, amethyst-colored ‘Spellbound’ coral bells (Heuchera ‘Spellbound’) and Ruby Glow spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides ‘Waleuphglo’) add dramatic contrast to the golden orange leaves and red stems of the dwarf vine maple tree (Acer circinatum ‘Little Gem’).

I keep seeing gorgeous container plantings in orange containers which I think is a great way to bring more orange to the garden! and they're so easy to work on if you're like me and can't bend much. :)