Welcome back, garden enthusiasts, to another inspiring installment of the Garden Photo of the Day (GPOD) series. As the autumn season transitions the landscape into a rich tapestry of warm hues, talented New Jersey garden designers Ellen Goldfarb and Tracy Buttrick are returning to share a fresh wave of seasonal creativity. Following their previous features, today’s showcase highlights four distinct and artfully curated autumn container designs by Tracy Buttrick. From clever, space-efficient arrangements tailored for narrow porches to a breathtaking, symmetrical entryway framed by a golden ginkgo allée in Saddle River, these displays offer a masterclass in elevating cooler-weather outdoor spaces.
Creative Container Design for Compact Spaces
The tour of Tracy Buttrick’s seasonal artistry begins on a narrow front porch in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, proving that limited square footage does not require a compromise on visual impact. To maximize vertical interest in a confined area, Buttrick anchored the arrangement with striking structural elements. Height is achieved through a combination of broom corn (Sorghum bicolor, an annual), vibrant yellow winterberries (Ilex verticillata, hardy in USDA Zones 3 through 9), and the whimsical, textured presence of pumpkins-on-a-stick (Solanum aethiopicum, an annual).
Adding a touch of soft, cool contrast to the fiery vertical elements is the purple-flowering ‘Mona Lavender’ plectranthus (Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’, hardy in Zones 9 through 11). While cherished by designers for its rich color and elegant blooms, this particular plant is noted for being occasionally difficult to source during certain growing seasons. Although it performs wonderfully in a traditional shade garden, it exhibits a distinct preference for initiating blooms as day lengths begin to shorten in the autumn months.
To round out the rich textures and colors within the Ho-Ho-Kus porch container, Buttrick incorporated ornamental cabbage (Brassica oleracea cultivars, grown as an annual), purple sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima, an annual), and sprawling Algerian ivy (Hedera algeriensis, hardy in Zones 7 through 11). The resulting display offers a dense, multi-layered composition that greets visitors with sophisticated seasonal flair right at the doorstep.
Welcoming Autumn at the Driveway and Side Entry
Moving from the front porch to a prominent driveway setting, the second container design shifts the color palette while maintaining an equally ambitious botanical mix. This robust pot showcases a dynamic interplay of green and brown millet, paired with vibrant orange winterberries that immediately draw the eye. Familiar favorites like the ‘Mona Lavender’ plectranthus make a repeat appearance, sharing space with spiked celosia (Celosia argentea var. spicata, an annual) and striking ornamental peppers (Capsicum annuum, an annual).
To anchor these upright and exotic forms with traditional garden staples, Buttrick integrated classic autumn mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium, hardy in Zones 5 through 9), additional cabbage, and hardy heather (Calluna vulgaris, hardy in Zones 4 through 8). This combination provides a hearty, enduring welcome that stands up brilliantly to the fluctuating temperatures of the New Jersey autumn.
A third arrangement, designed for an active side-entryway, mirrors this high-density aesthetic with a slightly different twist on autumn’s traditional palette. This pot features a brilliant pairing of orange and yellow winterberries, complemented by the chartreuse tones of ‘Jade Princess’ millet (Pennisetum glaucum ‘Jade Princess’, an annual). Playful additions such as more pumpkins-on-a-stick and ornamental peppers are softened by delicate cascades of ‘Snow Princess’ sweet alyssum (Lobularia ‘Inlbusnopr’, an annual) and complementary cabbage.
A Breathtaking Ginkgo Backdrop in Saddle River
Perhaps the most dramatic presentation in this collection is found framing the entrance of a property in Saddle River, New Jersey. The side-entry container described above was actually crafted as one of a matching pair designed to anchor the termination of a grand allée of maidenhair trees (Ginkgo biloba, hardy in Zones 4 through 9).
As autumn reaches its peak in the region, the ginkgo allée undergoes a miraculous transformation, casting a brilliant, uniform canopy of golden-yellow foliage overhead. The matching containers at the base of these majestic trees serve to bridge the natural, architectural grandeur of the canopy with meticulous, ground-level container artistry. The glowing yellow fruit and foliage of the ginkgos echo the warm yellow winterberries and chartreuse millet in the pots below, creating a cohesive, deeply immersive seasonal arrival experience.
This stunning Saddle River presentation underscores the thoughtful integration of container gardening with broader landscape design principles. By echoing the natural seasonal shifts of the surrounding trees within the potted arrangements, designers can achieve a seamless transition from the wider property to the immediate threshold of the home.
Looking Ahead and Community Engagement
The GPOD series extends its gratitude to Ellen Goldfarb and Tracy Buttrick for opening their clients’ gardens and sharing these masterfully executed autumn containers. The breathtaking ginkgo allée remains one of the standout landscape highlights of the season. The current showcase of Goldfarb and Buttrick’s work will culminate later in the week with a detailed look inside Ellen’s cutting garden, giving readers yet another facet of local New Jersey horticulture to explore.
Garden enthusiasts across the country are continually invited to participate in the ongoing GPOD series by sharing their own horticultural spaces, cherished plant collections, or memorable garden visits. Submissions can be easily completed by utilizing the official Garden Photo of the Day Submission Form. Alternatively, gardeners can submit a selection of five to ten high-resolution photographs directly via email, accompanied by contextual details regarding plant identification, location, gardening duration, personal triumphs, lessons learned from challenges, future gardening aspirations, and favorite plant selections. Those who wish to receive these daily doses of gardening inspiration directly in their inbox can also sign up for the dedicated email newsletter.
