Autumn Colour

Just because summer is over, don’t think you have to be without colour in your garden.

There are plenty of autumn-flowering perennials and annuals to take the place of summer bedding plants and don’t forget the wonderful colours of deciduous trees and shrubs as they prepare to lose their leaves.

Autumn bedding, including winter pansies and dwarf annual chrysanthemums, will fill gaps left by busy lizzies and geraniums while asters and Japanese anemones make a wonderful show in fading herbaceous borders.

For intense autumn leaf colour, it is hard to beat Japanese maples (acers). The purple varieties change to a vivid plum while green foliage takes on a rainbow effect of yellow through orange to deepest red.

Many trees are also striking during October. The spindle tree (Euonymus alatus) is particularly noteworthy, but flowering cherries (Prunus species), Malus (crab apple tree) and many others give lovely tints as the season draws to a close.

In October, its still not too late to get bulbs in the ground! Whilst you’re planting up some instant colour this autumn, plant bulbs for a fresh and colourful display in spring. Look for firm, fresh bulbs that are a good size for their type and plant as soon as you can, then let them work their magic over winter, ready to surprise you in spring.