As summer plantings begin to change, fall offers a chance to give porch containers a fresh sense of color and structure. Hoerr Schaudt Associate Zara Wirkus shared her approach with Homes & Gardens for its feature on designer-approved fall porch ideas.
Zara recommends keeping one or two plants from a summer arrangement when possible, then building around them with seasonal additions. Fresh-cut branches can bring height to the center of a container, while ornamental cabbage, kale, and heuchera add contrast through their varied forms and foliage. Repeating a few plants or colors across multiple containers helps the whole porch feel connected.
Three arrangements from our Continued Landscape Management team show how differently that approach can take shape. Curly willow and bittersweet rise above a bright mix of flowers and kale in one container. A window box pairs dried Stirlingia with warm-toned heuchera and ornamental cabbage. In a third planting, fern and lavender blooms meet purple cabbage and trailing greenery.
Read Zara’s advice in Homes & Gardens.
