What makes a rainy day feel much better? Looking at your garden and seeing all the colour that’s still there. Autumn is a wonderful time of year for plants to show more of what they’re made of, from vibrant leaf colours to seasonal late flowers, it all helps to make the most of the low sun and shortening days. Do you want more colour in your garden but aren’t sure what to plant and where?
Here’s a list of plants that will provide colour throughout the coming months:
Heuchera
Create Autumnal Wow with Heuchera, it’s hardy, easy to grow and very tolerant to cold weather. Make the most of Heucheras bright foliage by planting in the front of borders or adding a splash of autumn colour to pots and containers. Heuchera is not only stunning in the Autumn, but the evergreen varieties also create a colourful display all year round. Heuchera grows best in well-drained soil, in both sun or shade.
Aster
If you’re looking for a dramatic autumn display in your garden, there are few plants that can rival the aster. The name “Aster” means “star” which matches perfectly with the star-like shape of the flower heads. These purple flowers look vibrant against the early autumn colours and continue to perform in this way for many seasons to come! It dies back to below ground level each year, with fresh new growth appearing again in the spring. Asters prefer a well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.
Cyclamen, Violas, Pansy’s
It’s time to replace those summer hanging baskets, window boxes and pots with hardier plants for the winter, Cyclamen, Violas, and Pansy’s should do the trick. Autumn bedding plants are wonderful for cheering our gardens up by providing a range of instant vibrant colours. We’ve got lots of lovely autumn bedding plants available in the green house that are perfect for brightening up your garden on grey days.
Heather
If you want to extend the garden colour well into autumn, Heather is a low maintenance and hardy choice once established, they thrive in well-drained soil but can tolerate poor, rocky soil too. Heather also makes a colourful addition to window boxes, pots and containers throughout the autumn and winter, and provides a food source for any pollinators that may emerge on a sunny day too, what a multitasker!
Beauty Berry ‘Profusion’
Now is a great time to plant berry-bearing trees and shrubs to attract birds and wildlife into your garden such as the brilliant and unusual Beauty Berry Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii ‘Profusion’ with bronze young foliage, pink flowers in Summer, followed by eye-catching clusters of bright violet berries in Autumn.
Acer
Acer Trees are a great choice for small to medium sized gardens!
They are easy to grow in the ground or in containers. Not only do they grace our gardens with vibrant colour and texture they are also slow growing and low maintenance.
Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas are perfect for adding striking foliage to the garden and come in a wide range of forms, sizes, and colours, from deep burgundy through to pale pinks, blues and whites. Hydrangeas perform best when planted in good soil in a position that provides some shade during the hottest parts of the day. Many varieties are also great for growing in pots and containers as well.
Finally, don’t forget to start preparing for Spring colour, by planting Spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils, crocus, muscari, alliums, and tulips, we have a large selection still available in store, along with the tools, compost and feed you’ll need.
You could also start to think about stocking up on seeds ready for next year’s sowing and prepare to protect your tender plants from frosts by bringing them indoors or covering them with fleece or plant jackets.
We have plenty of Autumn colour in stock, with bedding plants galore, and everything you need to assist you in the garden this weekend.