Beyond Mums—Fall Containers with Style
Posted in Around the Garden on September 17 2013, by Sonia Uyterhoeven
Sonia Uyterhoeven is the NYBG‘s Gardener for Public Education.
Over the past few weeks, I have been coordinating with one of my colleagues at the Shop in the Garden regarding some attractive fall options for containers and the garden. We perused the availability lists from one of her vendors and came up with some refreshing changes for late season color. Traditionalists need not venture into our Shop with trepidation—my colleague also ordered plenty of the stalwart fall mums. I, however, was looking for something beyond mums. Here are a few suggestions that we came up with.
One of my first picks was Euphorbia x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow’. It is an intoxicating variegated spurge that looks good from spring until frost. The variegated foliage is a green-grey color (more green with smoky overtones) with creamy yellow edges. In the fall, the foliage takes on a pinkish orange autumnal hue. This 20-inch perennial is hardy from zone 5 – 9 and is deer and rabbit resistant, as well as being drought tolerant. It makes a wonderful addition to a mixed container display as well as growing beautifully in your mixed perennial border.
