Is your garden looking a little... sad? Like the party's over just because summer ended? It doesn't have to be that way. Today, we’re not just sharing a list of pretty fall plants–we’re sharing our designer "must-have" list—the plants we rely on to make a landscape look spectacular now and throughout the winter. Deciduous Trees - 1:06 First up, Deciduous Trees. The all-around all-stars of Fall! Nothing provides that "wow" factor like some of our Native Trees in Fall. You can rely on species like Red Maple for its vibrant scarlet hues, Sassafras for its multi-colored mix of purple, red, and yellow, or Scarlet Oak  for its deep, rusty-red. By choosing native species, you're not just getting a beautiful, low-maintenance show; you're also providing critical food and habitat for local wildlife. These trees have leaves that transform into a fiery spectacle, lighting up the landscape like a beacon. This isn't just a gentle fade; it's an electric explosion of color that almost seems unreal.  A towering Red Oak can anchor an entire garden, with its blazing canopy providing a stunning contrast against fading hues and steady evergreens. single-handedly creating the show-stopper everyone looks for in a fall garden. Here's the Designer Tip: A Tree is a specimen, and it needs space to shine! The most common mistake made with larger trees is planting them too close to the home or crowding them with other “busy” plants.  Asters & Mums - 2:11 Next, you need flowers, and while so much else is fading, these babies are just getting started! Our two favorites are Asters and Perennial Mums. Asters are native powerhouses that bring in beautiful pinks, purples and blues which are rare in the fall. And mums? They’re classic cushions of color. My tip to you: Don’t forget to do the Chelsea Chop in Summer before the 4th of July. This encourages more branching, shorter & more compact plants, and of course, more flowers. Do this on all late summer and fall bloomers like asters, mums, rudbeckia, helenium, goldenrod, phlox, and nepeta to ensure the perfect autumn display.  Sedum - 2:53 This next one is a workhorse: Sedum 'Autumn Joy'. I love this plant. It looks good all year, but in fall, its flower heads go from pale pink to a deep, rusty-red. It provides structure and mass in the garden bed when other perennials are collapsing. Here's the Designer Tip: The most important rule for this plant is... do not cut it back! Leave those seed heads standing all winter. They provide incredible structure and texture, especially when they catch the frost and snow. They are the definition of "winter interest" and a critical food source for birds. Beautyberry - 3:32 Now for the jewels of the garden: Berries! And my top pick for sheer "wow" is Beautyberry. Seriously, look at this color! It’s not something you see in nature every day. After the leaves drop, you're left with these graceful, arching stems just loaded with vibrant purple berries. It's a showstopper. Here's the Designer Tip: Make a statement by planting in groups. Plant Beautyberry in a drift of three or five, as their arching form looks best when nicely layered. And try planting them near something with a pop of yellow Fall color, like Witch Hazel for an artistic purple and gold combo.  Winterberry Holly - 4:04 Sticking with berries, here’s a classic: Winterberry (Ilex verticillata). Once this deciduous holly loses its leaves, it reveals a silhouette of branches absolutely covered in brilliant berries lasting for months. However, you need at least one male plant for a group of female plants to get berries, so be sure to check the tags at the nursery! Ornamental Grasses - 4:25 Finally, my secret weapon for capturing that magical autumn light: Ornamental Grasses. I'm talking about species like Switchgrass, Little Bluestem and Fountain Grass. In the fall, they turn beautiful shades of gold, amber, and red. But their real magic is their texture and movement. They sway in the breeze, they rustle, and they catch the light. Here's the Designer Tip: Don't just stick them in any old spot. Plant your grasses in masses where the low afternoon sun will shine through them. When the sun hits those plumes from behind, the entire plant will look like it's glowing, creating a soft, hazy, magical effect that captures the essence of autumn. So there you have it! Our "must-have" list for a truly stunning fall landscape. It's not just about the plants; it's about how you use them. Think about focal points, use complimentary backdrops, plant with golden hour light in mind, and most importantly, Fall and Winter interest. Come out to the nursery and start Planting More now! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

Let’s take a closer look at Amsonia (Bluestar)! This is a native perennial that requires little-to-no maintenance. It gets the name “Bluestar” because, in the Spring, it features gorgeous blue flowers. To us, though, that’s just a bonus, as Amsonia’s foliage provides year-round interest and a gorgeous, glowing Fall display. Amsonia does really well from full sun to part shade. It can handle a fair amount of moisture, but does need a well-draining soil to do its best. We have dwarf varieties that range from 12-24 inches, all the way up to larger, shrubbier forms that can reach 4 feet tall! This is a great plant to use as an alternative to an ornamental grass, as you get the texture and movement of a grass with the added bonus of Spring flowers and Fall color. Amsonia is a wonderful plant for year-round interest in the garden—from its beautiful, dainty light blue flowers in Spring to its gorgeous Fall color. We have two main types at Bountiful Gardens—the threadleaf variety and the broadleaf variety. The broadleaf variety tends to get to around 12-24 inches and spreads along the ground as a ground cover. The threadleaf variety grows more like a shrub, and you can expect them to reach 3-4 feet in height and around 6 feet in diameter. No matter which you choose, your Bluestar will attract tons of essential pollinators to your garden! Amsonia is a unique and interesting plant that works well in almost any perennial garden. The plant contains a sap with latex in it, so indigenous tribes used to use it to help close up wounds. If you have a latest allergy though, you may just want to enjoy the plant for its beauty and ecological benefits! Bluestar also makes a perfect addition to cut flower arrangements. The stems have a really nice delicate structure to them that adds some depth and foliage to your arrangement. And when they do flower, it’s a really striking centerpiece that’s great for any bouquet. People like to plant them in their cut flower gardens just in case they ever need a sprig of greenery! Amsonia is a native perennial here in New Jersey, and it’s deer and pest resistant thanks to the latex sap that can be found in its stem. As we go into Fall, Amsonia leaves turn into a beautiful yellow color with bright orange stems. The variety that will have the showiest foliage is called ‘Butterscotch’. Another fun fact about Amsonia is that it was named by Dr. Charles Amson, who was a Virginian scientific explorer and physician in the 18th century. With its blue Spring blooms and blazing Autumn hues, Amsonia is a surefire standout in any garden! Come out to the nursery and start Planting More now! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

If you’re looking to have blooms in the garden all the way through Fall, then this is the video for you! There’s a whole host of plants that will not only bloom for you in the Springtime, but will reliably re-bloom again and again. In this video, we’ll be covering our favorite encore of Fall floral displays that your garden would be incomplete without. Catmint - 0:31 Catmint is a hardy, deer and drought resistant perennial that would make a great addition to any garden that gets full to partial sunlight. Catmint usually starts blooming in April and reliably reblooms on and off throughout the entire growing season, all the way through October, and sometimes even into November! Catmint will re-bloom without any assistance, however, a little bit of shearing will encourage bigger bursts of blooms. Salvia - 0:56 Another fall re-bloomer is Salvia, which comes in pinks, purples and whites and has similar growing conditions to Catmint. Salvia’s beautiful stalks of flowers repeat-bloom throughout the entire growing season, however, if you do cut them back, it’s going to help encourage more flowers to spring up just in time for Fall. Kniphofia - 1:17 Kniphofia is a wonderful accent plant that any garden would be lackluster without. It’s deer resistant, rabbit resistant AND drought tolerant, so it’s a must-have. Unlike the others, Kniphofia starts to bloom in Summer, though it will repeat bloom all the way through Fall with no pruning! Yarrow - 1:33 Yarrow is a wonderful native re-blooming perennial that is drought-tolerant and deer and rabbit resistant. Its initial bloom starts in late Spring and early Summer, then dries up. If you cut these spent stalks back, your Yarrow will send up a whole new flush of blooms in the Fall! Scabiosa - 1:52 Scabiosa, or Pincushion Flower, adds a beautiful airy element to any cottage garden, with its long, dainty stems that have delicate flowers at the very end. Though deadheading is not necessary for re-blooming on Scabiosa, it helps to clean up the plant while making the plant focus on producing more flowers rather than going to seed. Dianthus - 2:12 Dianthus is an incredible re-blooming perennial, especially because it’s evergreen, meaning you’ll have the interest of the flowers during the growing season and the evergreen foliage throughout the Winter. Although Dianthus does not need to be deadheaded to re-bloom, like Scabiosa, it will help to clean up the plant and encourage bigger blooms. Deadnettle - 2:30 If you’re looking for a re-blooming perennial for the shade, then Lamium is the plant for you. This is a beautiful, low-growing perennial that’s also drought tolerant once established. Like many others, deadheading isn’t necessary for re-blooming, but it’ll certainly help encourage better future blooms! Spiderwort - 2:48 Spiderwort is a unique re-blooming perennial that actually does best in part-shade and average to moist soils. This native perennial comes in different leaf and flower colors and will re-bloom for you with no maintenance whatsoever! Spirea, Carpet Rose & Encore Azalea - 3:03 Perennials aren’t the only plants that re-bloom! Many shrubs can also bloom multiple times, with a few of our favorites being Spirea, Carpet Rose and Encore Azaleas! While Spirea and Encore Azaleas don’t need special treatment for gorgeous re-blooms, you’ll want to keep your roses nice and clean throughout the growing season so they can keep blooming at their best. By including some of these gorgeous re-blooming plants, your garden is sure to be the talk of the town, and you can find all these and so much more right here at Bountiful Gardens! Come out to the nursery and start Planting More now! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

Echinacea, with its iconic cone-shaped center flower cluster and radiant false petals, is a versatile, beloved perennial that brings a touch of the wild and a vibrant splash of color to a variety of garden designs.  Its upright, sturdy form and daisy-like appearance make it a perfect fit for styles that embrace a more informal, naturalistic aesthetic.  From charmingly chaotic cottage gardens to modern, ecologically-minded landscapes, Echinacea proves to be a valuable player in creating a beautiful and dynamic outdoor space.  Let’s take a look at the garden styles where Echinacea truly shines, from a design perspective!  The most natural setting for Echinacea is in a Prairie or Meadow Garden, as it’s one of our native wildflowers here in North America.  In this style, large drifts of Echinacea are planted alongside native grasses like Switchgrass and Little Bluestem, as well as other prairie flowers such as Black-Eyed Susans and Blazing Star. The key design principles here are: Naturalistic Planting: Plants should be arranged in large, sweeping masses or "drifts" to mimic how they would grow in a natural prairie. This creates a sense of rhythm and movement. Next up is Textural Contrast.  – The bold, coarse texture of Echinacea's blooms and leaves contrasts beautifully with the fine, airy texture of ornamental grasses. Then you’re looking for Four-Season Beauty, and Echinacea doesn’t disappoint! Its dried seed heads provide architectural interest and are a great food source for birds throughout the fall and winter. Echinacea is also a fantastic choice if you’re looking to plant a Cottage Garden, which is characterized by its informal, overflowing abundance of flowers, herbs and edibles.  For this style, you’ll want dense, intermingled plantings that will allow Echinacea to pop up between other cottage classics like roses, lavender, catmint and phlox.  You’ll also want to focus on variety in height and form for the best effect, with Echinacea as a mid-layer plant that rises above the groundcover creating a layered, textured look.  Lastly, a Cottage Garden should bring a hint of the wild to your landscape! This style celebrates a less formal “tamed wilderness” vibe, and the native charm of Echinacea contributes to this perfectly.  Up next we have the “New Perennial” or “Dutch Wave” style, which focuses on creating dynamic, naturalistic plant communities that are beautiful year-round.  Echinacea is a staple in these gardens thanks to its sturdy architectural form, long-lasting blooms and seed heads, as well as its ecological function. New Perennial gardens are designed to be low-maintenance and support wildlife, and Echinacea’s status as a pollinator magnet aligns perfectly with this ethos.  Finally, Modern and Contemporary Gardens are phenomenal settings for Echinacea. While often associated with more naturalistic styles, this wildflower can be used effectively in more formal designs as well, making a statement with its bold, vibrant flowers and strong stems.  For a powerful contemporary statement, you can plant masses of a specific Echinacea cultivar, like a bright orange or a clean white, and create a carpet of color. Thanks to its organic form, Echinacea is also able to soften the clean lines of modern patios, walls and walkways.  One thing to know when deciding on where to place your Echinacea is that these plants hate wet feet, and proper drainage is the most critical soil factor for preventing root rot, especially during our damp winters. Once your plants have been in the ground for a full season and have developed a strong root system, they’re quite drought-tolerant. Water them deeply but infrequently during their first year. After that, they should only need watering during extended periods of drought. Always check the top few inches of soil for dryness before watering.  There are so many ways you can make Echinacea a part of your garden. For example, you can plant it as a perennial border in full sun alongside other sun-lovers like Black-Eyed Susan, Sedum and ornamental grasses.  And no pollinator garden is complete without Echinacea! You can create a butterfly and bee magnet by massing this wildflower with other nectar-rich flowers like Agastache, Monarda and Lavender. Come out to the nursery and start Planting More now! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

One of our absolute favorite Fall features in the garden has to be the blooming of the grasses, and you won’t find a better selection of these breezy beauties anywhere but Bountiful Gardens. Fountain Grass - 0:16 If you ask Joe, his favorite landscape grass is Pennisetum, or Fountain Grass. There are about fifteen named cultivars of Fountain Grass, with many of them available right here at our nursery. Fountain Grass can range anywhere from 1-4ft tall, tolerate full sun up to partial shade, and will get more flowers more the sun you give them. You can identify this grass by its slender, long foliage which, as the season progresses, takes on a graceful, arching appearance, which is how it gets the name Fountain Grass. As Summer flows into Fall, each plant gets bottlebrush-like plumes at the top that can range in color and bloom time depending on variety. Reed Grass - 1:02 Another great grassy choice is Calamagrostis or Reed Grass. This is a large family of grasses with over 250 different species. This is a non-invasive grass that stays in a nice tight clump, so you won’t have to worry about it spreading through your landscape. It can even handle relatively moist soils. One great use for Reed Grass is to establish a soft privacy screen that can help define space in the yard. They grow to between 3 and 5 feet tall and stay nice and narrow. Liriope - 1:42 If you’re looking for one of the most versatile grass-like perennials, check out Liriope, or Lily Turf. We carry Liriope muscari, which is a clumping variety. Both green and variegated Liriopes will form small mounds about 12-24” tall and wide. Liriope can stay an evergreen in mild winters, and tolerates full sun all the way to full shade, which is very unique for a flowering grass-like plant. It’s also highly deer-resistant, can handle moist soils, and you get gorgeous Grape Hyacinth-like purple flower spires in the Summer! Natives - 2:33 While we have tons of ornamental grasses, we also carry countless native species for those looking for a more sustainable garden. Including native grasses in your garden is important for a variety of reasons! Their strong roots hold soil together, preventing erosion. Grasses also support beneficial insects through their entire life cycle. Even better, their various seed heads serve as beautiful winter interest in the garden. Little Bluestem - 3:09 One of our favorite native grasses is Little Bluestem, or Schizachyrium scoparium, which is great for dry, sunny locations. We have varieties like ‘Chameleon’, which gets between 18-24” tall. We also have the traditional ‘Standing Ovation’, which grows to between 2 and 4 feet tall. And of course, we have our straight native species, which can get all the way up to 7 feet tall. Switchgrass - 3:34 Another great native choice is Panicum virgatum, or Switchgrass, which can send roots as deep as 6 feet into the soil! This grass does well in both dry and wet soil, making it incredibly versatile. We have a few different varieties, including Niagara Falls, Prairie Sky, Shenandoah and the straight species, growing anywhere from 3 to 10 feet tall depending on which you choose. Big Bluestem - 4:07 Next up is Big Bluestem, or Andropogon gerardii. This water-loving grass will do well in any moist pocket in your garden. These native grasses max out at around 8 feet tall and come in a few varieties. Pink Muhly Grass - 4:27 Pink Muhly Grass, or Muhlenbergia capillaris grows between 2-4ft tall and wide and prefers dry to moist sandy, well-draining soils. In early Fall, it’ll send out beautiful, fluffy pink seed heads that get even more pronounced as the season goes on. Like we said before, in addition to being beautiful, grasses are very important to the cycle of native wildlife. They provide shelter mammals and insects, feed a wide range of birds with their seeds, and support beneficial insects. Some birds, like the Grasshopper Sparrow, actually spend their whole lives in grasses! Nothing really brings that sense of peace to the garden like a host of flowing grasses dancing in the breeze, and now that you’re a grass guru, you’re ready to come down to Bountiful Gardens and find the perfect ones for your landscape! Come out to the nursery and start Planting More now! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

At Bountiful Gardens, we believe your home’s entrance should reflect the warmth and charm of the season. But, who has the time to set up that perfect Autumn display these days? This week, Ike and Amelia went out into the field to install some of our Fall Porch Decor Packages! These porch packages come in four sizes, with one certain to suit your taste AND budget! The Basic - 0:31 First up, we have The Basic Package. Perfect for adding a touch of autumn elegance without overwhelming your space. This package includes a charming selection of classic pumpkins, vibrant mum baskets, a straw bale and cornstalks – just enough to say 'Welcome, Autumn! The Standard - 0:52 Looking for a little more Fall flair? Our Standard Package builds on the basic, offering an enhanced display that truly pops! With a richer assortment of pumpkins, gourds,  a wider variety of colorful mums, and the  accents like hay bales and cornstalks, your entrance will be undeniably festive and inviting. The Premium - 1:18 This package makes a statement. The Premium Package offers a larger beautiful fall display that will be the envy of the neighborhood. This package includes an abundance of hand-selected pumpkins and gourds, our customer planted fall arrangements, the classic cornstalks and hay bales creating a Bountiful entrance. It's truly a feast for the eyes! And if you already have some seasonal decor on your porch, we’ll be sure to integrate it into the overall design. The Deluxe - 1:54 For the ultimate autumn transformation, we present The Deluxe Package. This is our most fabulous and breathtaking offering, designed to create an unforgettable fall festival right at your doorstep. Imagine a curated collection of colorful pumpkins in various hues, sizes, and textures, a gorgeous display of fall florals custom planted, cornstalks and hay bales classically arranged. That is the Deluxe package right here. All without lifting a finger. No messy car, no lugging a thing. We’ll create this immersive and truly spectacular fall experience for your family and neighbors to enjoy. No matter which package you choose, you'll enjoy a beautifully decorated home entrance, hassle-free setup by our expert team, and more time to enjoy the magic of fall. That’s right, Let us take care of the decorating, so you can simply relax and savor the season. Ready to welcome fall in style? Visit our website to choose your perfect Fall Package. Let Bountiful Gardens Bring the Autumn Beauty to Your Door. You can also request a custom quote for a more personalized design and installation by giving us a call at one of our garden centers or click the button on the bottom of the web page that says Submit a Landscape Design Inquiry Now. Order your porch package here: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/fall-decorating-packages Come out to the nursery and start Planting More now! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

Goldenrod! Let’s take a look at what makes this perennial so special. At the end of summer, sometimes landscapes can start to take on a little bit of a dull appearance with summer flowers starting to fade, but if you really want to brighten up that dry spot in your garden, Goldenrod might be the perfect plant for you! Although commonly confused with Ragweed, Goldenrod does NOT cause seasonal allergies, though you will see it growing everywhere in the native landscape, from meadows to roadsides! We just love when the Goldenrod starts to bloom, because, to us, it serves at the perfect transition from Summer into Fall. And when Winter rolls around, Goldenrod’s poofy seed heads provide some nice cold-season interest in any garden. Nothing screams “Fall!” More than Goldenrod—it’s a must-have plant for any native garden. They prefer full to partial sun and can get to around 2-6 feet tall depending on the species you choose. We have over 12 species of Goldenrod here at Bountiful Gardens, and some, like our Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod, prefer moist to wet soils. However, we have some like our Field Goldenrod that prefer drier to droughty soils. Goldenrods are incredibly important species here in New Jersey, and all over the United States, as they are one of the last flowers to bloom before bees go into hibernation. Some species start blooming as early as July, but others bloom as late as the end of November! Goldenrod is a stunning perennial that will scream out from any place in your perennial garden! Like we mentioned earlier, it’s commonly confused with Ragweed, but ironically, Goldenrod is actually an antihistamine, meaning it combats allergies rather than causing them! You can use the leaves and flowers in teas and tinctures that can help reduce inflammation and congestion, you can use it as a mouthwash, a gut-cleanse—it has so many benefits! Come out to the nursery and start Planting More now! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

If you’re looking for an exceptionally blue flower that blooms in the Fall, in combination with amazing silvery foliage, look no further than Caryopteris, or Bluebeard. This plant thrives in full sun up to part shade, though you’ll get more flowers the more sun it gets. The happiest spot that you can plant a Bluebeard is an area that isn’t susceptible to any standing water. This plant likes a well-draining soil, and is extremely drought-tolerant once established. Caryopteris is an amazing woody perennial that has this beautiful, silvery foliage coming out around April, then producing these beautiful blue blooms, flowering around September. Another great thing about this plant is that it’s highly deer resistant!! Although Bluebeard can handle part-shade, if you give it full-sun, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful blue blooms for two months in late Summer and Fall! In addition, it attracts TONS of pollinators of all walks, flaps and crawls. Not only is Bluebeard an incredible end-of-season bloom, it’s also incredibly fragrant, with its leaves having a really nice minty, herbal smell whenever you rub up against them. Because of this, it actually works really well as a natural mosquito repellent! Just rub the leaves one your skin and you’re good for the evening! Young leaves are also edible, though their taste is super strong, so they’re best used in small portions to spice up a salad! Bluebeard is a drought-tolerant and heat-resistant perennial, which makes it a wonderful option for putting it in a container. They add great Fall interest, as their leaves turn to a buttery yellow color. At the same time, they’ll produce seeds that serve as a great food source for birds going into Winter! Caryopteris is a pollinator magnet. This shrub fills numerous niches in your garden. With sizes ranging from 2’ to 6’ depending on the variety, there’s sure to be one to suit your space. If these bursts of blue are your perfect hue, maybe Caryopteris is the shrub for you! Come out to the nursery and start Planting More now! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!