As we wrap up another amazing summer here in our upstate New York zone 6 garden, it's time to embrace the seasonal shift that every gardener knows well. While our front containers underneath our Carting Mill standard roses have been absolutely fantastic this season, the cooler nights and changing light signals it's time for a fresh fall look.

Summer Success and Lessons Learned

This summer brought some real winners and a few learning moments. Our Plum Dandy Alternanthera became the star of the show, practically taking over half the container and extending well beyond its edges. The Meteor Shower Verbena, while beautiful throughout most of the season, started showing its age as we moved into late summer - a completely normal progression for this reliable bloomer.

We discovered that while the Selenia Apricot Begonia handled full sun beautifully, it simply couldn't compete with the vigorous growth of our other selections. Sometimes in container gardening, it's not just about what looks good - it's about finding plants that can hold their own in the mix.

One of our newest trials, Silver River Delta, surprised us by trailing instead of maintaining the mounding habit we'd heard about from other gardeners. This tender annual will need to come out before our first frost anyway, so it was a good lesson in trying new varieties.

The Reality of Garden Care

Let's be honest about something that happened while we were away on our recent Michigan trip - our containers got a bit stressed. Since these front planters weren't on our drip irrigation system, they dried out more than we'd like when someone else was watering for us. The roses rebounded beautifully with some new growth, but it reminded us of the importance of making garden care easy for everyone involved.

That's why we made a simple but effective upgrade to our HoseLink hose reel system.

Making Watering Easier with a Simple Hose Guide

Our 100-foot retractable HoseLink hose reel has been fantastic since we installed it this spring. However, getting water to these front containers meant pulling the hose all the way around the front of the house, which was cumbersome and sometimes caused minor scuff marks on our siding.

The solution? A simple hose guide installed right at the corner of our house using a nipple flange and one-inch pipe fitting from the hardware store - probably a $10 fix that makes a huge difference. Now the hose feeds smoothly around the corner without snagging or dragging, and we can easily reach all three containers.

This HoseLink system continues to impress us with its steady, controlled retraction. Unlike some reels that yank the hose back aggressively, this one feels smooth and controlled - important when you're dealing with delicate plants nearby.

Our Bold Fall Color Palette

This year, we're stepping outside our comfort zone with a color combination that's definitely not our usual style: Hannah Orange mums paired with Magic Purple asters. For gardeners who typically gravitate toward soft pinks and corals, this rusty orange and purple combination feels refreshingly bold.

We found these Magic Purple asters at our local garden center and immediately fell in love with their cool tones and sturdy form. At three plants for three containers, we barely cleaned out their stock. Asters tend to last longer into the season than many fall annuals, making them excellent value for fall displays.

The Hannah Orange mums were harder to resist than we expected. We typically avoid this color family, but something about this particular rusty orange spoke to us - especially knowing it would complement our Carting Mill roses beautifully.

Adding Textural Interest with Ornamental Peppers and Cabbages

To tie our orange and purple theme together, we incorporated two varieties of ornamental peppers that bridge these colors perfectly. The standard ornamental pepper adds a trailing element, while the aptly named 'Wicked' pepper (yes, we're wondering if it's a Boston reference too!) provides different textural interest.

Our Songbird Red ornamental cabbages bring that classic fall element while adding another layer to our color story. These proved perfect for filling in gaps and providing that fuller, more finished look that fall containers need.

We always plant our fall containers at angles to create more dynamic visual interest. Since we're only weeks away from frost, these aren't planted for growth - they're planted for immediate impact and to carry us through the beautiful transition into winter.

The Art of Fall Container Design

Fall container gardening presents unique challenges compared to summer planting. Unlike our summer displays that have months to grow and fill out, fall arrangements need to look complete from day one. This means:

• Planting at angles for immediate visual impact
• Choosing plants at their peak rather than waiting for them to develop
• Focusing on texture and color over long-term growth patterns
• Accepting that this is temporary beauty meant to be enjoyed intensely for a short time

The goal isn't massive growth - it's creating something beautiful to enjoy during our favorite season in the garden.

Matching Containers for Cohesive Design

All three of our Urbino planters in Nero Nuovo (yes, we finally remembered the actual name instead of just calling them "black") are planted identically. Some years we've created mirror images or slight variations, but there's something satisfying about the clean, unified look of three matching displays.

These black containers were specifically chosen to complement our home's black roof, shutters, and lighting fixtures. It's the only container color we use in black - the rest of our Campania pieces are in Alpine Stone - but the coordination with our home's architecture makes them feel intentional and polished.

Preparing for Winter Storage

Since this is our first year with roses on standard in containers, we're taking extra precautions for winter. These grafted roses will spend the cold months lined up in our garage rather than braving the outdoor elements. The graft union visible at the top of each stem is the vulnerable point that needs protection from winter wind and temperature fluctuations.

This approach lets us enjoy these beautiful rose standards during the growing season while ensuring their survival for next year's garden.

The Joy of Seasonal Transition

There's something bittersweet about pulling out healthy, beautiful annuals that still have life in them. That gorgeous Plum Dandy Alternanthera was painful to remove, and we briefly considered trying to overwinter the begonias as houseplants. But part of gardening's rhythm is knowing when to let go and embrace the next season.

These bold fall colors feel like a celebration of the season - orange and purple might scream Halloween to some, but to us, they represent the warmth and richness that make autumn so special in the garden.

As we settle into fall's shorter days and cooler nights, these containers will provide weeks of enjoyment before winter arrives. And that HoseLink hose reel upgrade? It's going to make maintaining them so much easier for everyone involved.

What fall color combinations are you trying this year? Are you stepping out of your comfort zone like we did, or sticking with tried-and-true favorites?

Thanks for growing with us!