Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

I love fall and fall color. When you think of fall colors, though, you think of oranges, browns, and golds, right? Our yard was full of those colors, and I wanted to add some brighter colors to perk it up. Think pink and purple, people!  (What? Pink and purple in fall? Have I lost my mind?)

I was thrilled when I received these gorgeous plants from the Southern Living Plant Collection and the Encore Azalea collection!  Beautiful pinks, rich purples…perfect to add some pops of color to our yard at the 1929 House!

I started in the backyard. We have a fence with a planting bed that runs along it, and it needed some bright color.

I wanted to add flowering plants around the benches.

I love this Autumn Lilac Encore Azalea. The bright purple flowers really stand out among the green and brown.

A little ways down, I decided to add some pink with this Autumn Chiffon Encore Azalea:

One of my favorite plants is Loropetalum, and this Purple Diamond Compact Loropetalum from the Southern Living Plant Collection was the perfect burst of color next to the stone bench in our yard.

Between the benches, I planted the Jubilation Gardenia. Gardenias were my grandmother’s favorite flower and I love its strong, sweet fragrance.

Bonus: They also attract butterflies!

Next to the other bench, I added another Encore Azalea, the Autumn Sundance.

Beautiful dark green leaves and rich pink flowers really perk up this space by the bench.

So, here’s what that area by the fence looks like now:

I’m going to post pictures as the plants continue to grow, so you can see the transformation and the colors they add.

The next “problem” area was this blank spot near the gate of our fence:

Yawn.

I added a mix of color and texture to this space to make it more interesting.

First, another Loropetalum; this time, the Purple Pixie Weeping Loropetalum.

I love the deep purple leaves and the shape and size of this plant are perfect to disguise the bottom of the fence.

Next to that, I planted the Mountain Snow Pieris.

I planted it here because this plant requires part shade-part sun, rather than full sun, and this area is shaded by a tree and the fence. I love the texture and flowers of this beautiful plant.

Lastly, I added the Autumn Debutante Encore Azalea.

The rosy pink flowers are just lovely.

The blank fence area looks much better now:

And I added some purple and orange pansies along the walkway. This area will be bursting with color throughout the fall!

Don’t think that cooler temperatures mean you can’t plant shrubs and flowers in your yard. All you need are plants like these from the Southern Living Plant Collection and Encore Azalea that are perfect for planting now. Here are my tips for fall planting:

1. Choose plants with a range of colors and textures. In the backyard, I planted purple next to pink or white, alternating the colors. I juxtaposed different textures as well, like the smooth Loropetalum leaves next to the small flowers of the Mountain Snow Pieris.

2. Plan your plantings before you order or head to the nursery to buy plants. Make sure you have space for what you want to buy.

3. When planting, make sure you pay attention to the sunlight or shade each plant requires.

4. Give the plants a good watering after you plant them and in the days that follow so that they can get established.

5. Follow any instructions on the plant tags regarding pruning, watering, and fertilizing.

On this fifth day of Thirty Days of Gratitude, I’m grateful for these gorgeous plants and the color and brightness they bring.

Happy Fall! What are you grateful for today?