Refresh Yourself and Your Garden with Three-season Color

Finally the hot brutal summer is behind us and much-needed rain and cooling temperatures have arrived. Time to pull out those scraggly annuals and plant some fall color.

With their myriad colors, our second and third crops of pansies, violas (smaller than pansies, but typically more hardy), and panolas (a charmer combining some of the best points of both) look fantastic. If you are a "transplant" to the Knoxville area or new to gardening, you might not realize that pansies, panolas, and violas planted this fall not only survive our winters but actually bloom off-and-on throughout the winter, into late spring and early summer. Their little smiling pansy "faces" are a real lift to see out your window when nothing else is blooming on our cold February days.

To brighten the autumn and Thanksgiving seasons, our Fall Magic Proven Winners varieties are bred to perform beautifully and consistently in cool-weather conditions. Whether you use them for containers or in beds, many of these plants will flourish till the first frost. Every Fall Magic plant offers something special: a color change brought on by cool weather, an unusual texture, or a blooming habit that opens a whole realm of fall garden design possibilities.

If instant gratification is your goal or you need a gift or centerpiece, our container designers have completed a number of stunning flowering and foliage plant arrangements in many sizes. Alternately, if you have a container or want to choose from our large selection, one of our talented designers will be happy to plant it to your color and design specifications.

After our hot, dry late summer and early fall, this is a good time to consider adding trees, shrubs, and perennials to give your yard the curb appeal that is not only aesthetically pleasing but increases the value of your property. Strategic, fast-growing shade-tree placement can also decrease your air conditioning bills in the summer. Our tree and shrub manager, Amber Houser, and her friendly, knowledgeable staff look forward to helping you make the best selections.

Ever wonder why some yards always look the best? The secret is probably in soil preparation and "nutrition", and fall is the perfect time to improve the condition of your soil. We sell Fafard soil and container mix--the same soil mix we use for growing our plants at Stanley's--as well as the finest organic products that enrich your plants naturally: the wonderful Happy Frog line of soil conditioners, Espoma plant foods and potting soils, Black Kow composted cow manure, mushroom compost soil conditioner, and earthworm castings. All are tried-to-true performers that improve your garden's beauty and productivity.

So get away from your indoor cares and responsibilities, take a deep breath of fresh outdoor air, and refresh yourself as well as your garden with fall color!

-- Monte Stanley