12 Front Porch Fall Planter Ideas

Pumpkins, mums, and gourds. Oh my! Whether you have a big porch, a small stoop or are just looking for something to put by your front door, these front porch fall planter ideas are the perfect way to add some seasonal flair.

As the weather gets cooler and the leaves begin to change color, my summer planters are way past their prime.

So I know it’s time to start thinking about how to update them for fall.

Fortunately, creating beautiful fall planter combinations that add to your home’s curb appeal doesn’t take a lot of effort.

From colorful potted plants to decorative pumpkins and gourds, there are plenty of ways to add a touch of fall charm.

So read on to find some inspiration for creating your own fall planters that are perfect for the front porch, steps or wherever you want to create a seasonal display.

1 | Mums

Chrysanthemums are the most common autumn flower for a reason. They are absolutely covered with blooms in the fall.

So they can make a statement all on their own. Especially if they are planted in large containers.

Putting one on either side of the front door, or on each step leading up to the porch makes a simple but effective fall display.

2 | Mums with pumpkins

Since Mums are available in all the traditional autumn colors, they mix very well with pumpkins.

Combining a few potted plants with some pumpkins in different sizes is an easy way to add some fall color to the front of your house.

If you have steps, putting 2 or 3 plants with a pumpkin on each landing makes a welcoming statement.

Or you could do the opposite by combining a bunch of pumpkins in different colors and sizes with a few well-placed potted mums.

Of course, if you’re not a big fan of orange (like me), you can always go with the blue, white or pink pumpkins that are available now.

3 | Grasses

Of course, Mums aren’t the only plants that are good for fall planters.

To give your front porch containers some height, try adding grasses to the back of them.

The spiky leaves create a nice contrast in texture with Mums and other fall plants, such as the salvia and ivy in the picture above.

They can even make a statement when used all on their own.

Especially when combined with a bunch of pumpkins in interesting shapes and colors.

Find out the best plants for fall containers.

4 | Planting in pumpkins

To really get into the fall spirit, you can use pumpkins as planters.

Succulents work well for this since they don’t require a lot of soil or water.

So you can just hollow out the top of the pumpkin and plant them with a little dirt.

Then water them sparingly, since too much water will cause the pumpkin to rot faster.

For this reason, these pumpkin planters work best in a covered area (like a front porch) where they will not get rained on.

If you don’t want to worry about the pumpkin going bad, you can also use faux pumpkins for this purpose.

Then you have a wider selection of plants to choose from.

And can even paint the pumpkin to match your color scheme.

Just make sure to drill a hole in the bottom of it so that water can drain.

5 | Evergreen containers

If you prefer containers that will stay green throughout the winter, then using some evergreens in your planters is the way to go.

Mixed with Celosia, Mums (not blooming yet in this picture) and ivy, the bones of these planters will come back every year. Only the Celosia is an annual and needs to be replanted.

Adding some pumpkins and gourds to the stairs around the planters makes sure they look like fall.

6 | Purple and orange flowers with pumpkins and gourds

Purple and orange is another color combination that works well.

Combining gourds and pumpkins with purple and orange Mums, Heather and ornamental kale makes a really pretty fall display.

Using different sizes of pots creates a layering effect with the plants.

As does putting the gourds and pumpkins in a footed bowl or on a pretty plant trivet.

7 | Mix and match containers

If pumpkins aren’t really your thing, you can create a beautiful fall front porch flower show by combining different colors and sizes of plants in all different types of containers.

Here they are using Mums, ivy, pansies, ornamental cabbage, ornamental peppers and heather in blue, purple, copper and orange pots.

And it still looks cohesive because the colors are repeated throughout.

8 | Purple plants with blue pumpkins and lanterns

If you don’t mind pumpkins, but aren’t a big fan of orange, then this purple, white and blue color combination might be what you are looking for.

They have combined purple fall plants such as ornamental kale, heather, asters and cyclamen with white licorice plant in large grey-blue planters.

Then surrounded them with blue, white and muted-orange pumpkins of different sizes. The blue in the pumpkins echoes the color of the planters.

Finally, adding a couple of lanterns creates an extra feeling of warmth.

9 | Make ornamental cabbage (or kale) the star

If you like the idea of having plants down the side of your stairs, but want something different than Mums, try using ornamental cabbage (or kale).

They can get quite big and a group of them together definitely puts on a show.

With its interesting leaf shape and selection of colors, you can use a group of them by themselves.

Or combine with with other plants (such as Mums) and pumpkins or gourds.

10 | Ornamental kale and pansies

For a really easy fall planter that will still look good after the first frost, try combining ornamental kale with pansies.

Both are widely available in a variety of colors in the fall, so you should be able to find something to match your colors.

11 | Pink fall planters

For something a little different, try combining heather and cyclamen. Then filling in with ornamental kale.

This will give your fall planters a non-traditional pink color scheme with an interesting textural contrast.

Adding a few pink pumpkins to the steps around your planters will carry on the theme.

12 | Match your outdoor seating

If you have chairs on your front porch, another option is to dress them in fall colors, such as these black and white buffalo check cushions.

Adding a matching blanket over the back of the chair adds to the comfy fall vibe.

Then put out flowers and pumpkins in colors that match. Like the white mums and blue and white pumpkins in the picture above.

Adding another plant with blooms of a different color keeps it interesting by creating some contrast.

Front porch potted plants for fall

As a quick summary, here is a list of all the potted plants that were used in these pictures:

• Chrysanthemums
• Grasses
• Ornamental kale or cabbage
• Scotch heather
• Ivy
• Salvia
• Cyclamen
• Pansies
• Asters
• Ornamental peppers
• Succulents
• Celosia
• Licorice plant

For more information about these plants (and more), read our list of the best annuals and perennials for fall planters.

Other fall gardening ideas you might like

• The best perennials and shrubs for fall flowers
• Best bulbs to plant in the fall (that are not tulips)
• Fall garden cleanup checklist

Have comments or questions about our front porch fall planter ideas? Tell us in the section below.