Planting in the Shoulder Seasons: Why Spring and Fall Are the Best Times to Build a Beautiful Garden
When most people think of gardens, they picture the lush greens and bright blooms of summer. But behind every vibrant July garden is thoughtful planning and planting done months earlier in the quieter seasons of winter, early spring and late-fall. These shoulder seasons are the perfect time for creating lasting, low maintenance landscapes.
Spring and fall share mild temperatures, consistent moisture, and soils that are workable. In early spring, the ground is soft from winter snow and rain, ready to welcome new roots. By fall, the summer heat has eased, but the soil still holds warmth, encouraging plants to settle in before winter dormancy.
During these times, roots grow strong while top growth remains modest and prepares to go dormant. This allows plants to establish deeply and securely, setting them up for lush, resilient growth when summer arrives.
That full, thriving garden you admire in mid summer didn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of careful design and well timed planting earlier in the year. Spring and fall plantings give shrubs, perennials, and native grasses the time they need to adapt to their environment, ensuring they’ll be healthy and low maintenance for years to come.
At Union Landscape Design, we guide clients to take advantage of these natural rhythms. By planning in fall or early spring, we can install new landscapes at the perfect time so when summer arrives, your garden already feels mature, balanced, and beautiful.
If you’re planting in fall or early spring, here are a few of Union Landscape Design’s favorite choices that deliver color, texture, and seasonal interest for months to come:
Phlox subulata ‘Purple Beauty’ A durable groundcover with evergreen foliage and carpets of lavender purple flowers that bloom in early spring.
Amsonia ‘Grande’ A larger, more robust blue star that provides soft blue spring flowers and brilliant golden foliage in fall.
Penstemon ‘Husker Red’ Burgundy foliage with clean white flowers in early summer, pairing beautifully with native grasses and perennials.
Baptisia australis A long lived perennial with deep blue flowers in late spring and elegant seedpods that add structure through winter.
Amsonia ‘Starstruck’ Compact and upright with starry blue flowers and lush foliage that glows with amber tones in fall.
If you’re dreaming of a lush, sustainable landscape next summer, the best time to start is now. Whether you’re refreshing a small garden or designing a full property, planting during the shoulder seasons is the smartest investment you can make in your landscape’s long term beauty.
Explore our Pricing Packages to see real examples and find the right starting point for your project.
— Union Landscape Design
