As Atlanta’s long, hot summer gives way to crisp mornings and golden light, fall offers more than just a change of season—it provides a fresh opportunity to reinvigorate your home’s landscape. While many people think of autumn as the time when gardens slow down, savvy homeowners know it’s actually one of the very best times to plant. Cooler air, still-warm soil, and seasonal rainfall create the ideal environment for roots to establish, ensuring stronger, healthier growth for years to come.

At Outdoor Makeover, we are driven by passion to seamlessly craft lifestyles and stories for our clients and their families. Our fall landscape designs focus on three essentials—trees, shrubs, and flowers—that not only thrive in Georgia’s climate but also add color, structure, and personality to your outdoor living experience. With thoughtful plant selection and expert design, your yard can glow with beauty in fall, offer structure in winter, and burst back to life come spring.

Here are the must-haves every Atlanta homeowner should consider planting this fall.

The Case for Fall Planting in Atlanta

Before we dive into specific plants, it’s worth understanding why fall is such a strategic planting season. Unlike spring, when young plants face the stress of rising temperatures, fall provides a gentler environment. The soil retains warmth from summer, allowing roots to grow quickly, while the air is cool enough to reduce transplant shock. Seasonal rains further support establishment, meaning less frequent watering for you.

The advantages include:

Stronger roots: Plants spend their energy underground rather than struggling against heat.
Reduced maintenance: Less watering and fewer pests make fall planting easier.
Earlier payoff: By spring, plants are already established and ready to flourish.
Year-round enjoyment: Trees and shrubs planted now can provide color and structure through winter.

In short, fall planting is an investment in resilience, beauty, and long-term success.

Must-Have Trees for Autumn Landscapes

Trees are the anchors of a landscape. They frame views, provide shade, and create structure that unifies the entire property. In fall, the right trees deliver show-stopping foliage and long-lasting value.

Our top recommendations for Atlanta homeowners include:

1. Japanese Maple

Few trees can match the sculptural elegance and fiery color of the Japanese maple. Its delicate, finely cut leaves shift from green to brilliant shades of red, orange, and burgundy in fall. Japanese maples thrive in partially shaded spots and make ideal focal points near patios, entryways, or garden alcoves.

2. Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgos are living history—ancient trees with fan-shaped leaves that turn a breathtaking golden yellow in autumn. Their unique silhouette provides year-round interest, while their resilience makes them an enduring choice for Atlanta landscapes.

3. Crape Myrtle

Known as the “lilac of the South,” crape myrtles offer four-season beauty: summer blooms, vibrant fall foliage, striking winter bark, and lush spring growth. Available in a variety of sizes and colors, they adapt beautifully to both front yards and back gardens.

4. Chinese Pistache

Often overlooked, the Chinese pistache is a fall powerhouse. Its leaves blaze in deep orange and crimson, rivaling New England’s autumn color. As a medium-sized shade tree, it’s perfect for adding seasonal drama while maintaining year-round strength.

Design Tip: Trees should be placed with purpose—framing views, offering dappled privacy, or serving as sculptural centerpieces. Our design team evaluates each property to ensure new plantings complement your home’s architecture and enhance your outdoor lifestyle.

Essential Shrubs for Structure and Seasonal Flair

While trees create a framework, shrubs fill in the middle layer of a landscape. They add rhythm, massing, and texture, while providing seasonal highlights that transition seamlessly through the year.

These shrubs thrive in Atlanta and shine in fall:

1. Oakleaf Hydrangea

With bold, oak-shaped leaves that transform into burgundy, bronze, and red, this shrub is a fall favorite. Its sculptural blooms dry beautifully, providing interest even in winter.

2. Camellias

A true Southern classic, camellias are evergreen shrubs that flower from fall through early spring. Their glossy leaves provide structure, while their blooms add elegance to shaded garden areas.

3. Nandina

Sometimes called “heavenly bamboo,” nandina is evergreen and virtually maintenance-free. In fall, its foliage turns brilliant red, while clusters of berries add visual interest and seasonal charm.

4. Beautyberry

This shrub truly lives up to its name. Its striking clusters of violet-purple berries appear in autumn, catching the sunlight and offering a vibrant contrast against fall foliage.

Design Tip: Shrubs are most impactful when thoughtfully layered—taller varieties in the background, medium-sized in the middle, and groundcovers or perennials at the front. Outdoor Makeover integrates shrubs into cohesive compositions that ensure beauty from every angle.

Flowers That Thrive in Cooler Weather

Fall doesn’t mean your garden has to fade. With the right flowers, you can enjoy bursts of color that last well into winter.

Our go-to seasonal flowers include:

1. Pansies & Violas

These cold-hardy blooms are cheerful, versatile, and long-lasting. With their wide range of colors, they brighten borders, containers, and entryways from October through early spring.

2. Snapdragons

Tall, textural, and dramatic, snapdragons bring vertical interest and bold hues to fall beds. They pair beautifully with pansies or ornamental grasses.

3. Chrysanthemums

The quintessential fall flower, “mums” add vibrant layers of color to garden beds and porch containers alike. Their full, abundant blooms make them a favorite for seasonal curb appeal.

4. Ornamental Kale & Cabbage

These unique plants add sculptural form with their rosettes of green, purple, and white foliage. Hardy and low-maintenance, they provide interest well into winter.

Design Tip: Flowers are most effective when used to accent key areas—entryways, patios, and gathering spaces. A curated, color-blocked approach ensures elegance and avoids visual clutter.

Layering for Texture, Movement, and Balance

The real beauty of fall landscaping lies in how these elements work together. Trees provide canopy, shrubs create structure, and flowers deliver pops of color. Add ornamental grasses for texture and motion, and the result is a layered design that feels dynamic and alive.

At Outdoor Makeover, we often blend:

Grasses like muhly or fountain grass to soften hardscape edges.
Evergreen shrubs to provide consistency.
Seasonal flowers for bold accents.
Lighting to highlight focal points and extend enjoyment into evening hours.

This multi-dimensional approach ensures your yard feels intentional and inviting—never flat or unfinished.

Sustainability and Long-Term Performance

Fall landscapes should be beautiful today and resilient tomorrow. That’s why our plant selections prioritize sustainability: drought-tolerant species, low-maintenance varieties, and thoughtful irrigation strategies. By designing with Atlanta’s climate in mind, we ensure your investment thrives year after year with minimal upkeep.

Our one-year support guarantee and aftercare services mean you don’t have to worry—we’re here to guide your landscape through its early growth and beyond.

Creating a Lifestyle, Not Just a Landscape

A well-designed fall garden isn’t just about plants—it’s about lifestyle. Imagine walking through a front entry framed by golden maples, relaxing in a backyard shaded by camellias, or entertaining on a patio surrounded by pansies and glowing lanterns. These experiences become part of your family’s story, woven into daily rituals and seasonal traditions.

At Outdoor Makeover, we see landscapes as living sanctuaries—spaces that heal, inspire, and connect you to nature. Every design is personal, tailored to how you live, and crafted with excellence in mind.

Let Outdoor Makeover Design Your Fall Retreat

This fall, give your landscape the gift of beauty, resilience, and lasting value. From selecting the right trees and shrubs to layering in flowers, lighting, and texture, our team will handle every detail with care.

📞 Call us at 404-301-8340 or
📋 Contact us online to schedule your personalized consultation.

Let’s create a fall landscape that thrives—beautiful today, sustainable tomorrow, and ready to grow with your family for years to come.

Fall Landscaping Must-Haves: Trees, Shrubs & Flowers That Thrive