You’ve worked hard to make your home comfortable and attractive. Now you’re thinking more about the outdoors as the weather begins to change. Since Autumn is here and the holidays are right around the corner, our thoughts naturally lean toward outdoor landscaping ideas. You might be wondering which fall curb appeal ideas can work well with your existing fall garden design?
Here are some excellent fall landscaping ideas from year-round gardeners.
1. Organize.
Design your landscaping on paper first and decide what will be the yard’s focal point. Whether you’re going to create a spot for outdoor family gatherings or relaxation, plan your layout before you begin any landscaping work.
2. Design a center of activity for your backyard.
The central activity point might be a rustic picnic spot with a fun tire swing if you have a large family. If you have smaller seating needs, think about a meditative bench, and perhaps a statue or fountain as the peaceful focus of where you’ll spend your time enjoying your fall yard.
3. Design your layout to take advantage of the sun.
As fall days bring colder air, you may want to think about placing your bench or a focal point on the east side of your yard. This allows you to stay warmer while enjoying your outdoor spot for longer periods.
4. Landscape your yard for separation.
Try using shrubs and trees to create separation. These don’t have to be large. Even small trees and shrubs can work, and this is particularly important in small outdoor spaces. Separating spaces allows your family gathering, or quiet spot, to remain somewhat private. It also gives other members of your family their own breathing space, while giving neighbors or passers-by a reduced view of your life.
5. Use existing walls or fencing or add them yourself.
Even a trellis can create both privacy and visual interest. If adding shrubs or trees is not in your budget, make use of any existing walls or structures, including outdoor buildings. Incorporate these into your fall landscaping ideas to make the yard feel professionally landscaped.
6. Add fall landscape flowers.
In Autumn, perennial flowers can be used to give you a gorgeous selection of fall colors. If you’re in a temperate growing zone, you’ll have a great many choices. Yet even in a colder planting zone, you can still choose from several hardy flowers that will hold up well to your colder weather changes, while still providing you lots of colorful views. Choices like hardy mums, asters, and dogwood shrubs can be great choices for Autumn, depending upon your location.
7. Limit upkeep with containers.
Decorating the front yard for fall can be overwhelming if you’re new to landscaping with flowers. You can always try containers or raised bed planting first. Both allow you more control over watering and growth. Containers are the easiest way to experiment with plants and see how they fit in any area of your yard. The flowers or container plants you prefer can be planted directly, next fall, into those areas of your yard where their color, height, and hardiness provide the best effect.
8. Use seasonal and holiday accents.
Fall landscaping ideas take our thoughts to pumpkins, squash, and spookiness. Since both Halloween and Thanksgiving are almost here, decorating your front yard for fall with pumpkins, squash gourds, and cornucopia-style decorations will help you get in the mood for the holidays and increase the beauty of your yard. Of course, if your family prefers more of a haunted house feel to the yard, there are plenty of ways to decorate atmospherically by using sheets, cobwebs, and even sound. Why not install a weather-proof speaker for playing Addam’s Family-type sounds during trick-or-treat fun, or perhaps for playing Arlo Guthrie’s classic song, “Alice’s Restaurant” for the amusement of guests on turkey day?
9. Coordinate colors.
Match your fall yard ideas to the color of your house or its accents. If your home is brightly painted, consider using plants of a similar color scheme as your home’s primary color or trim. If your house is brick, planting ornamental grasses as one of your landscaping ideas can provide lovely color contrast.
10. Install a themed garden.
If you have a budget to redesign your landscaping in a big way, consider installing a Zen garden or wetland. Neither needs to be that large, but it will be large in its visual payoff. Both choices are great for creating a meditative retreat, which is something we all appreciate during the hectic fall months.
Whatever fall yard landscaping ideas you choose for your front yard or backyard, remember to sketch them out in advance. Keep upcoming holidays in mind, as well as the need for increased color during fall months. Will you use the valuable time and expenses you’re saving for shopping, entertaining, or just relaxing with family?