Fall doesn’t last long in Colorado Springs thanks to our early snowstorms; let’s embrace it while we can! As foliage turn and the oak, elm, and maple trees drop their leaves, update your garden or front patio with cold-hearty plants and flowers that can survive dropping temperatures. Deep reds, bright yellows and oranges, and dark greens are festive and are complemented by scattered pumpkins and gourds.
Specific to Colorado Springs, here are four festive plants and flowers to update your curb appeal for your personal enjoyment or before listing your home this season:
1. Black-eyed Susans
Cheerful and vibrant, these yellow wildflowers are native to Eastern and Central North America and members of the sunflower family. Named “black eye” for the dark center, these cold-hearty flowers grow well into October.
Plant these flower around borders or in their own pot as they tend to be territorial and kill of surrounding plants. Black-eyed Susans are also beautiful in window-planters—easy access for cutting and adding to a vase on your kitchen table!
2. Chrysanthemums (aka Mums)
Little pom-pom plants that come in a variety of Fall colors, these flowers will need to be potted on your porch as they will not survive a cold winter in the ground. Don’t be scared to select a variety of colors—startling whites, bright oranges, and deep purples make for an inviting and warm autumn patio.
3. Pansies
The National Garden Bureau dubbed 2017 the “Year of the Pansy” so we must include them in our autumn gardens this season! Pansies are hardy flowers; they can tolerate a light freeze and even some snow. Blooming in a variety of colors, plant pansies in a sunny area of the yard or in hanging baskets to frame your porch.
4. Kale Wreath
No front door is complete without a Fall wreath, especially if you are trying to sell your home in the hot Colorado Springs market! For an elegant, festive, and unique porch, create an ornamental kale wreath to compliment Fall foliage in your yard. Hang in partial to full sun and water weekly.
Finish your curb appeal by scatting pumpkins, squash, and gourds throughout your garden or arranging them near your front door. Be creative and have fun—autumn is short for us Coloradans so let’s enjoy it while it lasts!