Embracing Autumn’s Rewards with Family, Community, and a Love for Local Plants

Hey there! I’m Austin — a proud Arizona native, father of three wild and wonderful kids, Horticulture in the Sonoran Desert blog writer, and the owner of Garden Social Nursery and Garden Center. My journey into horticulture started as a little boy exploring the desert’s hidden beauty and surprising ability to host such a diverse and abundant selection of plants from all around the world, which has gradually grown (totally exploded) into a full-blown passion for sharing gardening with my family, our incredible team here at Garden Social, and the whole Arizona community. There’s nothing I love more than helping others discover the joy (and occasional surprise!) that comes with digging in our desert soil and watching local plants thrive.

Reflecting on Summer: What a Challenge!

Let’s be real—summer in Arizona isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a season that truly tests a gardener’s resolve. Like many of you, my team, our volunteers, and I spend those scorching months checking plant beds before sunrise, hauling hoses in 100-degree heat, and cheering on every blossom that braves the sun. At Garden Social, we know these challenges firsthand because we grow and maintain most of our plants right here in Arizona. That means we’re sweating right alongside you (sometimes literally!), learning what thrives, what struggles, and what it takes to see our landscapes through the toughest months. Watching our own kids play among the shade trees and flower beds we’ve nurtured reminds me every day why we pour our hearts into this work.

Autumn Arrives: Relief, Gratitude, and a Burst of Excitement

When that first hint of cool air hits in late September, our whole crew at Garden Social—team members, volunteers, and my family included—lets out a collective sigh of relief. We’re grateful for softer sunlight, cooler mornings, and the chance to catch our breath. Fall in the desert isn’t just about a temperature drop; it’s a season of reward, reflection, and boundless potential. Our patience and hard work are about to pay off, and the energy around the nursery is downright contagious as we dive into the endless possibilities this new season brings.

Fall Gardening Tips for Arizona’s Zone 9b

If you’ve been itching to get your hands dirty, now’s your moment! Fall in Arizona—especially in zone 9b—is the golden window for planting. The soil is still warm, the air is comfortable, and your garden is ready to wake up after its summer nap. My go-to advice? Start sowing seeds for cool-season veggies like lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots, beets, peas, Swiss chard, bok choy, and turnips. It’s also the ideal time to transplant broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage seedlings. Give your garden beds a boost with compost and a gentle fertilizer, top off your mulch, and water deeply to help your plants settle in. It’s amazing how quickly everything perks up with a little TLC this time of year.

Favorite Garden Social Traditions: Activities and Community Spirit

One of my favorite parts of fall is the creative energy that buzzes through Garden Social. Alongside my kids and some inspiring volunteers, I love rearranging beds, dividing perennials, and experimenting with new plant combinations. We often host hands-on workshops where you can learn to propagate succulents, revive tired pots, or simply share a story with fellow plant lovers. There’s a special kind of joy that comes from working the soil together, trading tips, and seeing new friendships (and gardens!) grow.

Bring on the Color: Fall-Winter Flower Favorites

• Petunias: These cheerful annuals are famous for their abundant blooms, wide range of colors—from pinks and purples to brilliant reds, blues, and pure white—and trailing or mounding habits. Petunias thrive in Arizona’s fall and winter, brightening up beds and hanging baskets. Their resilience to cool nights and ability to flower continuously make them a garden favorite.
  
  
• Dianthus: Known for their spicy-sweet fragrance and frilly, often bi-colored petals, dianthus come in shades of pink, red, white, and lavender. They add a delicate touch to borders and containers, and their compact, tidy growth habit is perfect for neat garden designs. Dianthus are particularly prized for their long blooming season and ability to attract pollinators.
  
  
• Alyssum: This low-growing groundcover produces clouds of tiny, honey-scented flowers in white, pink, lavender, and purple. Alyssum is perfect for edging walkways or spilling over planter edges. Its drought tolerance and ability to bloom through the cooler months make it a reliable, fragrant addition to Arizona gardens.
  
  
• Snapdragons: With tall spikes covered in whimsical, dragon-shaped blooms, snapdragons provide dramatic vertical interest. Available in nearly every color except true blue, snapdragons can be soft pastels or bold, vibrant hues. They thrive in the cool season, and kids love pinching the flowers to make the “mouths” open and close!
  
  
• Mums (Chrysanthemums): These classic fall flowers are beloved for their bold, dense blooms and fiery color palette—rich yellows, oranges, reds, and deep purples. Mums fill containers and beds with that unmistakable autumn glow, and their sturdy stems help them stand tall even as temperatures fluctuate.
  
  
• Geraniums: Tough and reliable, geraniums offer clusters of bright flowers in red, pink, salmon, white, and even bicolored varieties. Their rounded, textured foliage is attractive year-round, and they perform exceptionally well in Arizona’s mild winters, providing color and structure long after other blooms have faded.
  
  
• Red Apple Aptenia: This low-maintenance succulent, also known as “Ice Plant,” features fleshy, emerald leaves and brilliant magenta-red daisy-like flowers. Red Apple Aptenia is drought tolerant, making it ideal for Arizona landscapes. Its trailing habit and vivid blooms add year-round beauty to rock gardens, borders, and containers, with minimal fuss required.
  
  

All of these beauties are grown locally at Garden Social during the fall-season, trialed in our own gardens, and chosen for their ability to thrive in Arizona’s unique climate. Their varied forms, colors, and growth habits ensure there’s a perfect choice for every garden and every gardener looking to add a splash of joy this season.

Why Fall Is the Perfect Time to Plant Trees

Fall isn’t just for flowers and cool-season crops—it’s also the best time to plant new trees in Arizona! As temperatures drop and the soil stays warm, trees can focus on developing strong, healthy root systems before the next summer’s heat arrives. Planting in the fall gives your trees a head start, allowing them to settle in and thrive while requiring less water than those planted in spring. This smart timing means you’ll save on water and help your new trees withstand the challenges of future seasons.

Shade & Ornamental Trees

• Red Push Pistache: A sturdy shade tree with vibrant red-orange fall foliage. Sheds just once per year!
  
• Mulga Acacia: Drought-tolerant and evergreen, perfect for low-water landscapes. With silvery pine-like foliage and a growth pattern similar to spruce, the Mulga Acacia brings an otherworldly majestic feel to any landscape space.
  
• Southern Live Oak: Majestic, long-lived, and provides year-round greenery. Fantastic canopy development that persists through both summer and winter. The ideal tree for any homeowner that values shade, privacy and dark-green foliage – produces acorns in the springtime.  
  
• Fantex Ash: Fast-growing and resilient, with lush, glossy leaves. Produces a large canopy that provides exceptional cover through summer months. Gives way to yellow-gold foliage as leaves drop in winter, renewing with fresh growth each spring.
  
  

Fruiting Trees

• Mulberry (fruiting): Produces delicious berries and offers ample shade. Large leaves and very resilient! Great for young families – my daughter loves the white variety, tastes like bubblegum!
  
• Mission Fig: Sweet, flavorful fruit and attractive, bold foliage and large leaves. Goes dormant in the winter, coming back in full force with new fruit and rapid lead growth in the early spring.
  
• Pomegranate: Beautiful blooms followed by antioxidant-rich fruits. Endemic to the deserts of the  Middle East, the pomegranate is no stranger to extreme weather! Fantastic for first-time fruit growers.
  
• Fruiting Olive: Hardy, Mediterranean style tree with edible olives. The ancient wonders live 300-600 years on average, produce ample fruit and require little to no care. A fantastic choice for olive connoisseurs!
  
• Citrus Trees (Meyer Lemon, Minneola Tangelo, Grapefruit and Mexican Lime): Classic choices for fresh fruit and fragrant blossoms.
  

Whether you want shade, stunning foliage, or a harvest of fresh fruit, planting these trees in the fall sets them up for success. Get ready to enjoy lower water bills, vigorous growth, and a beautiful landscape for years to come!

Embrace the Season—We’re Here for You!

As we leave another challenging summer behind, I invite you to join us in celebrating the beauty of Arizona’s fall. Try a new crop, redesign a favorite bed, or simply wander through the nursery for inspiration and a friendly chat.

At Garden Social, we’re more than just a garden center—we’re a community rooted in gratitude, hope, and a shared love of growing things. This season, we’re excited to offer even more ways for you and your family to connect, learn, and grow together. Every Saturday at 9am, bring the kids for our weekly children’s storytime, where garden-inspired tales come alive and little ones can start their weekend with imagination and fun. After storytime, pick up a free sunflower seed kit—perfect for young gardeners eager to see their own flowers bloom at home.

Our garden library is open for all, featuring a wonderful collection of botanical books and magazines for every age and interest. Whether you’re searching for expert tips or simply want to explore the wonders of the plant world, you’ll find plenty to inspire. Don’t miss our free plant publications and watering guides, available to help you nurture your garden with confidence. For our youngest visitors, we offer cheerful, garden-themed coloring pages to encourage creativity.

Throughout the season, we also host educational lessons with local experts and guest speakers who share practical advice, gardening wisdom, and fresh ideas for your landscape. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting out, there’s always something new to discover and enjoy at Garden Social.

From my family, our hard-working team, and all our dedicated volunteers, thank you for letting us be part of your gardening journey. Here’s to a season of growth, color, and connection—happy fall, Arizona gardeners!