Incorporating fall plants into your flower bed keeps the area attractive even when your spring and summer plants begin to die. Fall plants face fewer pests than earlier blooms and are easy to grow, according to Sunset. For greater contrast, go beyond flowers and incorporate edible plants into your fall flower beds.
Fall annuals are planted each year to fill in holes left by spring and summer flowers. The pansy is a short annual flower that typically grows up to 10 inches. Pansies come in a variety of colors, typically either one solid color or two colors on the flowers. The viola is another annual plant that handles cooler temperatures well. It is similar to the pansy but smaller in size, with more flowers on each plant. Sunset recommends violas for dense borders and to cover up spring bulbs. The calendula is similar to the daisy and comes in various shades of orange and yellow. The plants grow up to 2 feet tall and 1 1/2 feet wide.
Perennial plants come back each year to keep your fall flower beds colorful. Perennial snapdragons add height to the garden with plants that grow up to 3 feet tall. Each plant grows several flowers, with different colors available. Mums grow on bushlike plants with dense blooms in bright colors in September and October. When planted directly in the ground, the mums come back each fall for color year after year. Candytuft features dark green leaves and clusters of white flowers on plants that grow about 12 inches tall.
Cool-weather vegetables add color and texture variations to your flower beds. You also get the benefit of fresh food from your garden into the fall and early winter months. Lettuce and greens grow well in cooler temperatures. Varieties include arugula, curly endive, romaine, spinach and leaf lettuce. Cabbage is another vegetable compatible with fall gardens. The leaves surrounding the cabbage heads add greenery to the garden to contrast with colorful flowers.
Herbs are another edible plant option for your fall flower beds. Many herb plants grow tall, adding height and textural variation to the flower bed. Many of the edible plants also bloom. Choose herbs that you will use in the kitchen and that hold up well to cooler temperatures. According to the Sonoma County Master Gardeners, herbs that do well in fall and winter include English thyme, creeping thyme, rosemary, culinary sage, Italian oregano, flat-leaf parsley, winter savory and marjoram.
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