Autumn brings the most colorful foliage of the year, with leaves turning beautiful shades of orange and yellow before they fall. If you’re one of the lucky people who have a yard full of colorful trees in the fall, you might not need to do much.
But even if your trees stay green year-round, dressing up your yard for the season isn’t too difficult. Here are a few tips that can help you get your yard in fall-friendly shape with very little work.
1. WORK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE
Much of the work to landscape your yard for fall happens in the months and years before. In D.C., peak foliage hits in late October, so that’s when all the yellows and oranges should be coming through.
If you have plenty of foliage in your yard, you’ll already have part of the work done for you. But fall can be a great time to take a look at your trees and shrubberies and make plans that will improve your foliage next year. Oak and maple trees and certain crape myrtles create beautiful fall foliage.
2. BUY SOME PUMPKINS
For your front porch and patio areas, pumpkins can go a long way toward creating a fall mood. Pumpkins have a short shelf life, though, so it’s best to wait until early October to purchase them. If you want them to last into November, don’t carve them. Carving substantially shortens a pumpkin’s life.
Carving isn’t the only option for making your pumpkins festive, though. Look on Pinterest for some great inspiration for painting and stacking your pumpkins to create a fun, artistic look for your outdoor areas.
3. USE PLANTS AND HAY
It might be too late to plant a fall-optimized tree, but you can still add some color to your front porch. Visit your local nursery and look for plants like chrysanthemums and helenium that bloom in fall colors.
Another outdoor item that’s often associated with the fall is hay. You can easily find hay bales that you can combine with pumpkins or use alone as accents for your favorite outdoor areas. Dried corn stalks can also serve as great, easily affordable accents to go with your pumpkins and hay bales.
Great American Landscapes specializes in helping Washington, D.C.-area homeowners get their homes autumn-ready. Whether you’re looking for a way to boost the color in your yard, or you just want a way to enhance the color you already have, we can help. Give us a call at (301) 972-5681 for a free consultation.
