Autumn-Ready Garden: Plants to Keep Your Garden Colourful

Choose Late-Season Perennials

Late-season perennials are a fantastic way to keep your garden blooming as autumn arrives. These plants often peak in September and October, offering rich colours and textures that complement the changing season.

• Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’: This hardy perennial produces large, flat-topped clusters of pink flowers that deepen to a rich, rust-red as autumn progresses. It’s perfect for adding a splash of colour to borders and beds.
• Asters: Known for their daisy-like flowers, asters bloom in shades of purple, blue, and pink. They thrive in the cooler temperatures of late summer and autumn, making them ideal for extending your garden’s colour.
• Japanese Anemones: These elegant perennials bloom from late summer into autumn, offering delicate white or pink flowers that add a touch of grace to any garden.

Plant Autumn-Flowering Bulbs

While spring bulbs like daffodils and tulips are popular, don’t overlook autumn-flowering bulbs. They can add unexpected bursts of colour when many other plants are starting to fade.

• Autumn Crocus (Colchicum): Often referred to as ‘naked ladies’ because they flower without leaves, autumn crocuses bring vibrant shades of purple and pink to your garden. They’re easy to grow and add a unique touch to borders.
• Nerine bowdenii: These striking bulbs produce clusters of pink, trumpet-shaped flowers in late autumn. They’re perfect for brightening up your garden when most other plants have finished blooming.

Incorporate Colourful Shrubs

Shrubs not only provide structure and form to your garden but can also be a source of brilliant autumn colour. Choose varieties that offer vivid foliage, berries, or flowers.

• Euonymus alatus (Burning Bush): This shrub is renowned for its stunning, fiery red foliage in autumn. It’s a great choice for creating a bold statement in your garden.
• Callicarpa (Beautyberry): Callicarpa produces clusters of vibrant purple berries that persist into winter, adding a pop of colour even after the leaves have fallen.
• Cotinus coggygria (Smoke Bush): With its deep purple leaves that turn brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow in autumn, the Smoke Bush is a must-have for adding autumnal drama to your garden.

Add Ornamental Grasses for Texture and Movement

Ornamental grasses are a wonderful way to introduce texture and movement to your garden, and many varieties take on beautiful hues in autumn.

• Miscanthus sinensis: This grass turns shades of gold and burgundy in the autumn, creating a stunning backdrop for late-blooming flowers.
• Panicum virgatum (Switch Grass): With its airy seed heads and autumn colours ranging from red to purple, switch grass adds a soft, flowing element to your garden.

Consider Heathers for Year-Round Colour

Heathers are hardy and provide long-lasting colour, particularly in the cooler months.

• Calluna vulgaris (Heather): This evergreen shrub blooms in late summer and autumn, with flowers in shades of white, pink, and purple. It’s perfect for adding ground cover and colour to your garden as the seasons change.

Final Touches for an Autumn-Ready Garden

To fully prepare your garden for autumn, remember to keep up with general maintenance. Deadhead spent flowers, prune back any overgrown plants, and apply a layer of mulch to protect roots from cooler temperatures. Consider incorporating some autumn-themed garden ornaments or containers to complement the vibrant hues of your plants.

By carefully selecting these autumn-friendly plants, you can enjoy a garden that remains colourful and inviting throughout the autumn months, making the transition from summer to autumn a beautiful one. Happy gardening!