Fall Gardening in the Lowcountry: Plants, Birds & Tips for a Blooming Autumn

How to bring life to your garden as the seasons change

Story by Alea Wilkins and Suzanne Barton

As the year begins to wind down, so too will days spent in the garden. While harvest festivals may be the reason for the season, manager of The Green Thumb Suzanne Barton attests that fall is budding with opportunities for new growth. Whether adding fall’s best blooms, building texture or attracting birds to the backyard, there are plenty of ways to bring life to gardens all year long.

*Coneflowers, Black-eyed Susans and blanket flowers brighten gardens while drawing in vibrant birds for an extra pop of color.*

*Build depth by layering textures and colors. Two shades of celosias, an annual perfect for fall, create just the right amount of contrast.*

[LOCAL Life] Fall is often when gardeners pack it in and look toward the year ahead. How is it different in the Lowcountry?

[Suzanne Barton] We have some unusual weather patterns in the Lowcountry – with high temperatures, humidity and poor soil – and Hilton Head Island is like a microclimate unto itself. Fall brings a sigh of relief. Annuals like snapdragons and celosias prefer the cooler temperatures, and some perennials thrive. Notably, Black eyed Susans and Muhly grasses bloom in fall, adding color as the weather changes. While growth can slow down, it’s certainly not a dead season. We get a whole other season for planting that may surprise locals from the north. Make the most of it by cleaning up what’s already in your garden, popping new plants in and enjoying your hard work.

[LL] What plants can I add in the fall?

[SB] As the days get shorter, fewer flowers will be produced. Planting for form, texture and foliage color will create long seasons of beauty – and it’s easy as pie to do it. Hardy grasses and shrubs can be added year-round, and they create visual interest when blooms fade. Before planting, consider the available space and light exposure. Otherwise, it’s like personalizing your house or wardrobe: incorporate what you like for the new season.

[LL] Why should I plant for the birds?

[SB] Birds and other garden critters are not only a joy to watch, but they boost the overall health of your garden. Everything needs to be nurtured, from the microbes in the soil to the birds in the sky. I have a rabbit in my garden, and many people would wish it gone, but it eats the weeds. It’s synergy. Great fall plants like coneflower, rudbeckia and beautyberry produce food for birds to eat, ensuring your garden will be teeming with life year-round.

Plant ahead

Smart seasonal tips from “Lowcountry Gardening,” a trusted guide written and produced by the Lowcountry Master Gardener Association:

Fall is the perfect time to add plants to the landscape. Shrubs and trees can be planted when the weather begins to cool. Fall planting allows for good winter root growth before new foliage appears in the spring.

Early fall is the best time to transplant perennials so they can establish roots before the first frost. Introduce fall color into your landscape with cold-hardy annuals including pansies, violas, snapdragons, million bells and blue daze. Herbs such as parsley, sage, thyme and rosemary will produce through the winter months. Consider ornamental cabbages and kales. Harvest cold-sensitive annual herbs like basil when nighttime temperatures drop below 50 degrees.

In general, do not fertilize in the fall as new growth can be damaged by a frost. Palms may be fertilized from April to September. Citrus may be fertilized every six weeks from February to October.