If your autumn beds and borders are starting to show a few bare spots due to dormant plants, don't worry. Here some quick and easy fixes for filling in the gaps.
Decorate with seasonal accents. Shop fall garage sales, flea markets, and craft stores to stock up on seasonal accents. Then use them to fill in bare spots in your garden beds and borders. The key is to choose decor in colors and styles that match your garden. For example, a scarecrow or garden banner can add the perfect touch of whimsy to a rustic, country-style garden. A formal garden might call for an elegant urn filled with cut branches, or a small metal sculpture.
Get creative with your containers. Autumn is a great time to utilize the mobility of your container plants and relocate them to parts of the garden where you need more color. Refresh tired plantings with seasonal plants like chrysanthemums and ornamental kale. Don't be afraid to mix things up by adding in some ornamental grasses or cut branches. Keep your container plants well watered throughout the fall, and don't forget to remove them in time to make way for emerging spring plants.
Nothing says autumn quite like pumpkins, so why not use them as containers to hold your potted plants? Here are a few quick tips for making a simple pumpkin planter.
Fill bare spots with late bloomers. Sometimes the best way to fill in the gaps between dormant plants is to use late season annuals that come in fall colors-like marigolds, cosmos, zinnias, and cockscomb. Set out transplants or sow seeds as soon as your early bloomers show signs of decline. Pinch them back in mid-summer to encourage compact, bushy growth.
