Fall Outdoor Decorating Ideas that are NOT Mums!

I don’t know about y’all, but one of my biggest regrets every fall is the money I throw at mums for my porch. Every year, without fail, I end up asking myself why I spent all that cash on plants destined to become crispy, brown skeletons by winter. Sure, I could plant them in the ground, but let’s be honest—I always forget until it’s way too late. So, this year, I’m switching things up! Let me show y’all some fab fall porch decorating ideas that don’t involve a single mum.

Decorating for Fall on Your Front Porch

Out on the front porch this year I have kept it simple and symmetrical, because that’s how I roll on this formal front porch of mine. 

You really can’t go wrong with big piles of pumpkins for fall decorating, but I decided to give one standout Cinderella pumpkin the royal treatment. I popped it on a {stump} pedestal to make it feel all important and fancy!

And can we talk about the pop of blueish-green “Beyond Blue” festuca peeking out behind that orange pumpkin? The color contrast is just too good—it’s like a little fall party for your eyes!

As a pretty perennial that tolerates all sorts of extreme weather, this festuca should be just fine through winter and summer here in Alabama.  Give me a low maintenance plant any day of the week, and festuca is right up at the top of that list.  It should grow to fill that pot and spill right over the sides.

Another one of my favorite low maintenance plants is this Weeping Loropetalum. I used my rusty metal orbs inside my urns and planted them with the 2 gallon “Purple Pixie” variety.

10 Perennial Plants for Your Fall Garden

To keep your garden growing strong, these plants are made to last not just through the year but for many years to come! They’re the perfect choice for gardeners who want a lush, vibrant yard without the hassle of constant replanting. These hardy beauties will stick around, providing you with season after season of color and life, so you can enjoy a thriving garden with minimal effort. Whether you’re a gardening pro or just starting out, these long-lasting plants are an investment that will keep your outdoor space looking gorgeous for years!

• “Elijah Blue” Fescue Grass
• “Purple Pixie” Weeping Loropetalum
• “Angyo Star” Fatshedera
• “Soft Caress” Mahonia
• “Everillo” Carex
• “Sunshine” Ligustrum
• “Design-A-Line’ Cordyline
• “Rose Marvel” Salvia
• “October Magic Snow” Camellia
• “Lemon Lime” Nandina

Creating a Cozy Fall Back Porch Retreat

Ok, let’s head around back and check out the back porch!  As per usual, I’ve gone way more rustic around here than the formal front porch.  Who else is LOVING plaid right now? It’s totally my new favorite thing to decorate with, so when I spotted this warm wool throw in a brown and red plaid at the Kane County Flea Market a few weekends back I snatched it up.  I also got that awesome wooden chair at The Blue Building in Alabaster.  How perfect is it for fall?

Still in love with the big burlap wreath I got from my friend Donnalee at Blankenship Farms!  I have a lot going on over in this corner, but I just cannot help myself! Who doesn’t love big piles of pumpkins and junk? Ahh it makes me so happy!

I planted this HUGE “Angyo Star” Fatshedera inside my olive bucket, and added in a Mahonia “Soft Caress” along with an “Everillo” Carex on the bottom.  I could say the word “Fatshedera” over and over again.  It cracks me up. Maybe I should submit a request to have it renamed “Unskinnyshedera”.

Over in the back corner I have another pretty pop of blue/green/purple color with a festuca and some annuals hanging in a burlap planter. 

I found that planter at a local garden shop and fell in LOVE with it. It has pockets with sturdy backing so you just pop a plant in it and call it a day.  How cool is this?

I also LOVE cabbages and kale for fall decorating, so that big purple guy called my name from across the garden center rows… then I bundled up a bunch of tamale corn husks to mimic the cabbage leaves.

Fall Decor on the Pool Patio

Of course, I couldn’t leave out my pool patio containers from the fall decorating excitement, so let’s head over there and check out how they got a makeover that transitioned them from summer to fall.

Since the winter weather would have killed them, I dug up my summertime hibiscus and moved them indoors.  To replace them, I have added a whole BUNCH of new plants to big blue pots.  The sweet potato vines have been growing there all summer, so I left them to add to the drama of that “thriller/spiller/filler” combo. Plus they look really cool wrapping around my pumpkins!

On either side, I have planted 1 gallon Purple Pixie weeping loropetalums, 2 gallon Ligustrum ‘Sunshine’, 1 gallon Design-A-Line’ Cordyline, and 1 gallon ‘Love and Wishes’ Salvia. I like to put my plants in the container to see how they will look before I actually plant them. This gives me an idea of what it will look like before I commit to digging the holes.

These colors are just amazing together.  I LOVE that chartreuse color of the Sunshine Ligustrum.

I tucked in a few more mini-kale inside the wooden bowl planters.  They look like cabbage patch kids could pop out any minute, amiright?

You cannot see the Love and Wishes Salvia very well against my retaining wall, but it’s a great filler plant. Here is a better look at the tag so you can see what it would look like by itself. Such a pretty purple.

I’m so happy with this fun fall facelift of all of my outdoor spaces.  It makes me so happy that these planters have perennials in them now so I don’t have to touch them again for a long time!!

Out in my driveway, I replanted one of my whisky barrels with an “October Magic Snow” camellia (which happens to be the state flower of Alabama in case you didn’t know!) along with another festuca and a “Lemon Lime” Nandina.  With a few pumpkins, gourds and a simple little grapevine wreath, this planter is a dressed up for fall.

I cannot say enough thanks to Carmen Johnston and Aimee at the Southern Living Plant Collection for all of your help in picking the right plants for not only great fall color but also PERENNIAL color!  I will not have to replant these planters again for a very long time, unless I just get bored and want a change.  I am so happy to have all of these pretty plants growing happily in my yard.  Thank you so much, ladies!

You can also follow along with my Pinterest boards for more great ideas on fall decorating.

More Outdoor Decorating Ideas for Fall

• Fall Outdoor Decorating Ideas that are NOT Mums!
• Fall Porch Decor with Pumpkins and Plants
• 15 Fun Decorating Ideas for Fall
• Simple Ways to Add Curb Appeal this Fall

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post, but I was provided free plants from the fine folks at the Southern Living Plant Collection to decorate my garden for fall.  All opinions are my own.