Fall porch pots

The end of the summer is a bittersweet time....and not just for the garden-hearted. I know I'm sad to see summer go, but I always enjoy autumn so much! The landscape takes on a whole new look....the colors and seed heads on ornamental grasses. Plus, it's the garden's last gasp before the deadness of winter. I tell you, pretty Christmas deco/lights gets me through to the new year and then it's depresso-time.

I gave the pots on my front step a little fall face-lift this week. I started with this..... I had pulled out the summer annuals that had petered out. 

The reddish leafy plant is left over from the summer planting. I bought the ornamental peppers and put them in there, but I was not loving how the reds didn't complement. So, I decided to move the peppers into their own pot. I've had the dark purple ornamental peppers, but this is my first time with the colored ones and I like them!

I was left with the red leafy plant all by itself.

I purchased a huge pot of ornamental cabbage at the grocery store...three plants for $12.99. Good deal! I also picked up some small mums and some pansies.

I cannot wait to see it all once it grows in and blooms. The mums are yellow and the pansies are red and yellow. The cabbage will turn white in the center as it cools. I'm hoping I can keep the cabbages and work them into a Christmas arrangement with greenery and pine boughs. I found some small white pumpkins at a roadside produce stand and I'm hoping they will pick up the white that will come into the middle of the cabbages.

Each year, the pansies get prettier and prettier with the colors and varieties that come out.

Each year, I do try to choose the complementary foliage plants in my pots to be something that will transition into fall. Although these red ones were not my favorite, they turned out all right. Next year, I'm thinking dark maroons, burgundy, hot pink and lime green for the summer. There were some hot black pansies out this fall that would look great with pink mums.  Maybe those dark ornamental peppers!

Put together with my fall wreath, we are ready to bring on fall!

May link to these parties....
Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show and Share Day at Just a Girl
Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life
Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime
Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles
Sunday Shake-up at Jacque's Soda Parlor
Fabulous Friday at Ohh Baby