Summer has a way of hiding things. Full trees, flowering perennials and lush foliage can make almost every corner of the yard feel complete. Then fall arrives, plants begin to fade and suddenly you can see your landscape with fresh eyes.
That makes fall one of the best times to walk around your property and ask a simple question: What’s missing?
Look for the Empty Spots
As summer growth dies back, gaps in garden beds become much easier to spot. Maybe one side of the house feels bare, a foundation planting needs more height or a garden bed could use something to connect everything together.
Take a walk around your property and look at it from several viewpoints, including the street, driveway, patio and windows inside your home.
You may be surprised by what you notice.
Does Your Landscape Have Enough Structure?
Flowers provide beautiful seasonal color, but trees and shrubs give a landscape its framework.
If your yard seems to lose most of its personality once summer ends, consider adding plants that provide structure throughout multiple seasons. Evergreens can provide year-round color, while deciduous trees and shrubs can contribute interesting shapes, bark, berries and colorful fall foliage.
A combination of both can keep the landscape interesting long after summer flowers disappear.
Remember What Didn’t Work This Summer
Fall is also the perfect time to think back over the growing season.
Was there a sunny area that constantly dried out? A shady corner where plants struggled? Did you wish you had more privacy around the patio? Was there a spot where you could have used more shade?
Instead of simply replacing a struggling plant, think about why it struggled. Choosing a plant that’s better suited to the conditions can make next year’s garden easier and more successful.
Think About Color Throughout the Seasons
Take note of when your landscape looked its best and when it seemed to be missing something.
If everything bloomed in spring but summer felt dull, you may want more summer-flowering plants. If the garden loses most of its color in fall, consider plants known for autumn foliage, berries or late-season flowers.
Planning for different seasons helps create a landscape that changes and stays interesting throughout the year.
Don’t Forget the View From Inside
Some of the best landscaping opportunities are visible from your own windows.
Look outside from the kitchen, living room or wherever you spend the most time. A flowering shrub, ornamental tree or evergreen placed in the right location can create a beautiful view that you’ll enjoy from indoors as well as outside.
Take Photos Before Winter Arrives
Here’s an easy trick: photograph your landscape now.
Take wide shots of garden beds, foundation plantings and areas you think need improvement. Those photos can become incredibly useful when you’re planning projects later.
By spring, it’s surprisingly easy to forget exactly where that awkward empty spot was hiding.
Fall Is for Planning and Planting
You don’t necessarily have to wait until spring to make improvements. Fall can be an excellent time to plant many trees, shrubs and perennials while temperatures are cooler.
Even if you’re not ready to tackle everything at once, identifying problem areas now gives you a head start on next year’s projects.
Stop by Whitney’s Farm and take a look around the Garden Center for inspiration. A new tree, a few shrubs or the right perennial might be exactly what that empty spot has been waiting for.
Sometimes the best garden plans begin simply by noticing what’s missing.
