When choosing fall perennials, begin by looking for color, texture, and garden performance. Heather Stephenson, head of product development at Beds and Borders, says that often, people look for instant gratification when selecting plants, instead of looking at labels that describe what the plant can and cannot withstand.

Or they buy perennials without considering the periods of time when they will not be in bloom. It is important to look ahead to future seasons, find variegated foliage and unique colorings, and consider how these plants will mature in their environment before selecting.

Fall Container Garden
Before planting a container garden, decide if you want it to be formal, dramatic, or simple in style, and then select the colors and textures of the plants you want to use. Container gardens often feature "thriller," "filler," and "spiller" plants: a "thriller" is a central plant that acts as the focal point and is generally something big and bold; "fillers" are usually mid-height foliage or flowering plants that do just that, fill; and the "spiller" is a trailing plant that will cascade out of the pot.

Container Garden How-To
1. First, select a container with a drainage hole. Partially cover the hole with pottery shard, and fill the container half way with potting soil.

2. Remove plants from nursery pots and loosen their roots; divide plant if desired.

3. Place plants in container, adding or taking away soil to prop them as needed. Position the plants the way you want them to grow.

4. Fill pot in with potting soil, firming it down around the roots. Water.