9 Fall Landscaping Ideas That Will Beautify Your Yard and Prepare It for Winter

Caroline Biggs, Wendy Rose Gould
·5 min read

From container planting to starting a compost pile, try these fall landscaping ideas before winter comes.

It may seem counterintuitive, but working on your garden and landscaping in the fall actually makes a lot of sense. Not only does this transitional time serve as a great opportunity to lean into the new season, but it’s also helpful to prepare your yard ahead of the cold months.

"The soil is easier to dig because it's warmer and not constantly being flooded with spring rains," says Melissa Reavis, studio director at Hollander Design Landscape Architects. "The air temperature is a bit more comfortable for being outside, and the weather is usually a bit more predictable [since] you don't have to deal with the crazy late frosts."

Not sure where to start? Let our fall landscaping ideas inspire you.



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Related: 15 Fall Flowers That Will Keep Your Garden Blooming All Season Long

Claire Takacs
Claire Takacs

Do Some Yard Cleanup

The transitional weeks between summer and fall are a great time to do a little yard tidying and cleanup. Here are some ways you create a ship-shape autumnal yard that's ready for the cold months (and eventually spring's reemergence):

  • Tackle any wayward weeds

  • Remove annuals past their prime

  • Get rid of thatch (the layer of dead grass, roots, and debris that accumulates between the soil's surface and grass)

  • Tend to your yard's bald spots using lawn fertilizer and overseeding

Related: 6 Common Fall Lawn Issues—and How to Fix Them

Don't Deadhead Everything Just Yet

You might be tempted to go through and deadhead your plants or remove any remainders from summer, but Reavis says to hold off just a bit longer.

"Many people are too quick to deadhead their plants once the flowers are spent, but plants like alliums and Rudbeckia can continue to add texture and interest to your borders well into fall," she says.

Use your eye to determine what still has some life yet, and what should be trimmed back.

Showcase Hardy Autumnal Plants

Just because the weather's cooling doesn't mean you have to forego color and beauty in your yard. Plenty of varieties thrive come autumn, too. However, if you live in an area with especially cold winters, it's important to select hardy plant varieties—such as Oriental poppies and peonies—and look after them more diligently.

"Certain plants may not survive in extreme winter climates," says Mario Nievera of Nievera Williams Landscape Architecture. "Make sure you have planted the rootball properly with no air pockets in the soil [surrounding] the rootball. Trim deadwood branches and old leaves."

Just avoid watering your plants too late into the season, or too close to a pending frost since this can cause the roots and plant to freeze and die.

Related: 12 Popular Fall Perennials You'll See Everywhere This Season

Create a Compost Pile

Cleaning up your yard is a must come autumn—especially if you've got trees losing their leaves and plants that must be removed or trimmed prior to winter. Instead of tossing out all of this earthy goodness, garden and landscape designer Amber Freda suggests rethinking your methodology.

"People always think they should rake and bag up their fall leaves, but fall leaves are nature's mulch that actually help improve the soil quality over time by creating a natural layer of compost," she says.

You can rake them up and run them through a mulching leaf vacuum/blower, create a compost pile in a discreet part of the backyard, or purchase an upright composter. Continue adding both clippings and compostable food scraps through fall and winter and add to your garden beds in the early spring.

Related: A Beginner's Guide to Composting—Plus, How to DIY a Compost Bin

Try Container Plants

Not only do potted plants make beautiful additions to any outdoor area, but you can transfer them indoors ("overwintering") if it gets too cold to keep them outside.

"For fall containers, pair sturdy, hardy succulents like echeveria with pansies and violas," says Stephen Eich, urban studio director at Hollander Design Landscape Architects. "The succulents can then be potted and placed indoors for a wonderful display to enjoy through the winter."

Related: 10 Fall Container Plants That Will Fill Your Landscape With Color and Texture

Plant Seasonal Veggies

Your garden bed doesn't need to lay to rest just because summer's bowing out. Along with beautiful autumnal plants, Eich says to consider planting cool-season vegetables and greens, as well.

"Mixing cabbages, rainbow chards, and kales with ornamental grasses will create a vibrant display for special spaces in the garden," Eich says. "They also provide appetizing veggies while adding texture to the scene."

Related: 10 Hardy Winter Vegetables to Plant in Your Garden

Add Trees and Shrubs

Landscape architect Janice Parker says that fall is a wonderful time to plant evergreen trees, as well as deciduous ornamental trees and shrubs.

"Trees that work beautifully are Japanese maples, especially the cut leaf weepers, Sargent crabapples, and weeping cherries," she says. If you're looking for broad leaf evergreen foliage, she says hardy boxwood, Delaware Valley White azaleas, and Mt. Fire Andromeda will also fare well in cold weather conditions.

"Evergreens such as Hinoki cypress and birds nest spruce can be grown in containers," Parker says. "Just remember that these containers will need water and attentive care during the winter, especially if there is no snow cover."

Related: 10 Evergreen Shrubs for Year-Round Curb Appeal

Mind Your Borders

Your landscape borders—the sliver of space between your grass and garden—are ripe with visual opportunity. All you need in order to take advantage of the space are the right plants.

"Think beyond fall foliage for seasonal interest," Eich says. "Using unique plants, such as Callicarpa (beautyberry), adds an unexpected pop of vibrant purple to the landscape and contributes something special to perennial borders."

Related: 10 Border Flowers That Will Add Structure and Color to Your Landscape

Don't Forget About Fruit

A little fruit can go a long way in dressing up your fall landscape.

"Certain shrubs and trees have fruits and berries that can add to your garden's fall display," Parker says. "Shrubs like bayberry, Scarlet firethorn, sumacs, roses, elderberries, chokeberries, and winterberries have beautifully colored fruit that brings extra visual interest to a garden.

Related: 26 Great Ideas for Your Garden That Will Completely Transform Your Landscape

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.