Garden ideas for the fall

Garden ideas for the fall

It’s that time of year again. The time of year us South Floridians cherish the most, the Fall/Winter. With temps consistently in the 90’s and humidity at 100%, I personally roasted this summer.  The mosquitos alone will drive a person batty! But hope is just around the corner, and with that we return to the outdoors to enjoy nature.

The fall/winter weather in South Florida is some of the finest in the world. While the rest of the states are freezing and under drifts of snow, we’re enjoying day time temps in the mid 80’s. That’s pretty sweet! During this time, it’s no wonder South Florida is hot spot for snow birds and vacationers.

Not sure what to do with this super fine weather? Why not spend it sprucing up that front yard or putting in that organic garden you’ve always wanted. Ya know, it’s the perfect time of the year to plant a fruit tree or two. Whatever your aspirations might be, you might need a few garden ideas to help  with the transformation. Landscape Designer Brent Knoll of Knoll Landscape Design has a few garden ideas to share. With over 20 years experience beautifying South Florida, he’s seen it all.

Without further ado, here’s Brent’s Top Ten Garden Ideas for the fall.

1. Get organized- one of the main reasons the majority of South Florida landscapes look bad is because there messy. Get a couple big garbage bags and gather up all those dead palm fronds. Any broken pots laying around? Throw em out! Spring cleaning in the fall I always say. You’ll be surprised how much better things look when the yard is cleaned up.

2. Butterfly gardens– South Florida weather is perfect for attracting butterflies and no better time to enjoy them than in the fall. Get those gardening gloves on, grab your shovel and plant some milkweed for the monarchs, corky stem passion vine for the zebras and a citrus tree for the giant swallowtail. Soon you’ll be chilling in your hammock, surrounded by your fluttering friends.

3. Fruit trees- another great garden idea for the fall is to plant some fruit trees. Fruit trees like mango, avocado, lime and jak fruit thrive in our temperate climate, producing quickly and providing wonderful shade when the temps creep up. Fruit trees are beautiful and delicious!

4. Organic garden– for us gardeners, there’s no better time in the year to plant your herbs and veggies than in the fall. Crisp lettuce, tender broccoli and juicy tomatoes thrive in the cooler fall/winter weather. Garden ideas for organic gardening include bean pole tipi’s for your beans and cucumbers. Let those vines climb, which means less bending over.

5. Hang a hammock- got a couple coco palms that are close together? Get yourself a hammock and tie it up. Mid day temps in the 70’s, butterflies fluttering about, a little Bob Marley music, a pina colada…You get the idea.

6. Bougainvillea for color- is there anything prettier than a bougainvillea bush in full bloom!? Breath taking aren’t they. With over 100 colors to choose from, these tropical bushes have graced Florida landscapes for years. Choose a nice sunny spot, dig a hole, add compost and plant your favorite color. Mine is fuscia!

7. Fragrance- After a long day at work, there’s no better feeling than being welcomed home by fragrant flowers in your front yard. Fragrant flowers for the fall would include almond bush, roses, and gardenias. All easy to maintain and thrive in the cooler drier climate of our fall/winter months.

8. Hummingbirds- Another great idea for your fall garden is to attract hummingbirds. The hummingbirds migrate through South Florida from November to April and love to nectar on sweet flowers like firebush, firespike and ruby red penta.

9. Bird bath- One of my favorite past times is to sit and watch birds taking turns at a bird bath. Position the bird bath near a small tree as the birds need to feel sheltered. Remember, the fall/winter months in South Florida are dry, so be sure to keep your bird bath clean and full of water.

10. Entertain- enjoy the fruits of your labor and entertain your family and friends. The weather is so divine from December through March, take advantage of it. Sit around a campfire eating smores and telling stories or invite your friends to a garden brunch. You’ve worked hard to make your garden beautiful, enjoy it!!!

 

Need help with your Landscape Design?

Sometimes we have all the garden ideas in the world but just need a little help organizing them. Folks, Landscape Designer Brent Knoll from Knoll Landscape Design is here to help you get back on track. Brent has been beautifying South Florida for over 20 years and knows what works and what doesn’t in our tropical climate. Give him a call today at 3054965155 to schedule your one-on-one consultation and get your garden looking beautiful once again.