Fall in Zone 10b isn’t about raking leaves into piles—it’s planting season! October is the perfect time to refresh your garden beds and containers with plants that thrive in our cooler nights and mild days. With the right mix of cool-season flowers and vibrant fall foliage, your garden can look lush and colorful all season long.

Cool-Season Blooms for Instant Cheer

Now that the summer heat is easing, it’s time to bring back flowers that shine in cooler weather:

  • Pansies & Violas – endless colors, cheerful faces, and long-lasting blooms.
  • Snapdragons – bold vertical spikes that add height and drama.
  • Ornamental Kale & Cabbage – rosettes of purple, pink, and white that intensify with the chill.
  • Chrysanthemums – the classic fall favorite for big bursts of color.

These flowers not only thrive in October but will also carry your garden through the winter months.

Fall Foliage, Right at Home

While our climate doesn’t give us the fiery autumn forests of the East Coast, there are plenty of plants that deliver rich fall hues here in Zone 10b. Consider adding:

  • Japanese Maple (select varieties) – brilliant reds and oranges in containers or shaded spots.
  • Heuchera (Coral Bells) – striking foliage in shades of burgundy, lime, or copper.
  • Smoke Bush – deep purple leaves that shift to scarlet in fall.
  • Nandina (Heavenly Bamboo) – evergreen with fiery red highlights as temperatures dip.
  • Liquidambar (Sweetgum) – one of the few trees in our region with true autumn foliage, showing dramatic reds, oranges, and purples that rival New England.
  • Boston Ivy – turns color in fall and winter

Pairing colorful foliage with cool-season flowers creates depth and variety, keeping your garden lively even as the days shorten.

Design Tip: Mix & Match

Combine bright pansies with dark-leafed heuchera for contrast, or plant ornamental kale alongside nandina for a layered, seasonal look. For containers, tuck in trailing ivy or sweet alyssum to soften the edges.

Plant Now, Enjoy All Season

Fall planting sets your garden up for success—cooler temps reduce stress on plants, and the still-warm soil encourages strong root growth. By mixing cool-season flowers with fall foliage stars, you’ll enjoy a garden that looks intentional, fresh, and colorful well into winter.