When most homeowners think about landscaping, they think about summer -- gardens bursting with reds, pinks and yellows, trees and bushes a variegating backdrop of green and lush grass connecting the spaces. When fall arrives, they put away their patio furniture and wait for color and warmth to return again next year.  But it doesn’t have to be this way. Fall has much to offer: your garden can still burst with color and patio entertaining can be just as cozy, if not more so. Your goal should be to create a flow of interest and color that continues throughout the seasons.

The Right Shrub

Plant shrubs that produce vibrant colored berries, like Aronia melanocarpa (its common name is Black chokeberry). This deciduous shrub features clusters of five-petaled flowers in the spring and purple, blueberry-sized fruits in the fall. These berries can even be used to make juices, jams and wine. Or try Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry by its common name). This shrub, which prefers shade, produces magenta berries that will cling tight to its branches well into winter.

Fall is also a great time to reap the subtle benefits of silver-colored foliage. Because of the season's changing light, silver-leafed plants shine in its soft glow. They are also typically hardy and compliment a variety of other species that may already be in your garden. We recommend planting silver salvia, santolina, catmint, fescue, thyme and sage.

The Right Light

Landscape lighting is an increasingly popular way to extend the summer season.  Landscape lighting can be theatrical, such as a bolt of light shining up through a skyscraper evergreen or warm and inviting, with lit pathways of soft light leading to your front door. Another bonus: a well-lit home is a safe home. Light not only provides safer walkways to traverse but it also acts as a theft deterrent.

In this case, it’s best to use a professional. At E.G. Rall, Jr. Landscape Design, we strategically place lights to accomplish these effects by taking into consideration their color and intensity. Designing a lighting system is like a painting.  You want to achieve an overall balance and not have the eye pulled to only one area of your property. 

Warmth    

Many homeowners today are extending their fall season with the warmth of fire and building sophisticated additions into patios and outdoor rooms. Installing an outdoor fireplace creates a dramatic focal point, as well as a central area for entertaining.

Another less costly option is the installation of a fire pit. Their unique circular shape creates a gathering spot that can’t be matched, emitting heat in all directions. Aesthetically speaking, fire pits tend to have more of a rustic feel than fireplaces and are best in less formal settings.

These are but a few of the ideas to create fall interest in your landscaping and add warmth to the chilly months soon to come. So don’t pack away that patio furniture just yet.  Expand your possibilities instead.