Now that summer's over and fall is gaining momentum, many of us are gravitating towards the rich, warm tones and cooler temperatures of autumn.  If you’re wondering which fall flowers and plants to add to your fall window box arrangements, here are a few suggestions that will add color to your window displays.

CELOSIA

These feathery flowers, also called Cockscombs, can be found in fiery red, purple, and gold, making them the ideal fall flowers for your window boxes. The celosia plant loves full sun or partial shade, as long as they receive 8 hours of sun per day. They love moist, but not wet, well-drained soil, so plant them with other plants that love the same conditions.

FLOWERING KALE

Always a popular addition to fall gardens, flowering kale displays blue, purple, and green leaves for a show-stopping blossom. These flowering beauties love full sun but can dry out easily, so will need to be kept well-watered even in cooler weather (which these plants love—50 to 60 degrees is their sweet spot). And when you are done using them in your window gardens, you can enjoy these edible plants in salads and other fresh recipes!

ORNAMENTAL PEPPER

These plants add vibrant color and charming shapes to any autumn garden. The pepper itself comes in red, purple, yellow, black, and white, and are safe to eat but are typically used for their attractive appearance rather than their edibility. Keep them in a sunny window and let their soil dry out between watering for a healthy plant.

CHRYSANTHEMUM

A fall classic, the mum flower can be found in shades of green, orange, red, pink, purple, yellow, and white. They can be grown in partial shade or full sun and are the perfect “bed” to fill your window boxes with to get a base of popping color. Easy to grow, mums prefer well-drained soil that is consistently moist (but not soggy). They require only 6 hours of sun a day and are known to be hardy in most conditions. When planting them in your window box, be mindful to space them out properly or they can become overcrowded as they grow.

PURPLE FOUNTAIN GRASS

Purple fountain grass is an ornamental grass that is characterized by its dark burgundy/black plumes. A perfect “thriller” plant for your window boxes, purple fountain grass is also drought-tolerant and does best in full sun conditions. Be sure to leave plenty of room for this plant to grow, as it will quickly grow twice to sometimes three times its size. This textural plant loves well-drained soil and does best when it’s allowed to dry out between waterings.

COLEUS

The vibrant color variations of the coleus plant will act as the “thriller” of your fall window box.  Perfect for growing in window boxes and planters, coleus plants won’t outgrow the container they are planted in. Although coleus plants prefer full sun (and achieve the most vivid of colors with it), they will tolerate partial shade. Coleus thrives in warm temperatures (70 degrees and above) and does not do well when temperatures dip below 50 degrees, so they will need to be brought in once it gets cold. Luckily, coleus is easy to transplant and propagate, and make excellent houseplants if given enough light.

There are other plants that enjoy the cooler temperatures - such as various types of lettuce.  Try out some to see what looks best.  Here are some pictures from the neighborhood taken by CCRA board member Benjamin Zuckerman.