Just because the temperature is falling and the days are getting shorter, this doesn’t mean your garden has to start looking dismal: if you plan ahead, you can ensure that there is a riot of colour until late autumn. Many perennials, shrubs and trees can offer spectacular displays until winter is upon us and some shrubs and trees offer both autumn berries and colour and the promise of spring blossom.
When planning your garden borders keep space to ensure you incorporate later flowering perennials which you can do as they become available. Asters or Michaelmas daisies, part of the daisy Asteraceae family, offer vibrant autumn colour. You have a wide range to choose from: low growing 10cm tall to towering 2m high back of border beauties. They bloom in a range of colours from white, through pink, various shades of purple and purple blue through to purple reds. If you have space, select a number of varieties from open starry flower tiny daisies to the double flowers. Asters have been reclassified into several different genera, many of which will fall into the Sympyotrichum category. They look particularly good if planted with ornamental grasses which will form their seed heads as autumn progresses.
Part of the same Asteraceae family, Chrysanthemums are another late flowering perennial to consider growing but select the hardy varieties. They are available in a wide range of flower colours and shapes so can contrast well with other late flowering perennials.
Another perennial to consider is Ceratostigma plumbaginoides. This is a low growing woody perennial so good for front of border. Not only does it have vivid blue flowers from late summer to mid-autumn, but the bright green leaves turn a vibrant red before falling in autumn. Once established, it is reasonably drought tolerant. Ceratostigma willmottianum (Chinese plumbago), is classified as a deciduous shrub rather than a perennial. It also has bright blue flowers with its foliage turning red in autumn. However, as a shrub it will ultimately grow up to 1m wide and 1.5m tall.
Although you may need to visit a specialist nursery to find them, Hedychium, commonly known as Ginger Lily can provide an interesting late season burst of colour. Not only are their flowers attractive, so too are their seed heads. Hedychiums need a heavy late autumn mulch to protect the rhizomes, taking time to regrow in spring. Hedychium Tara, with its fragrant orange flowers with prominent darker orange stamens appear in late summer and are particularly attractive to bees. The plant will grow up to 2m in height.
Whilst providing a pretty display, unless you want your borders taken over, plant Japanese anemones and Crocosmias (montbretia) with caution as they tend to spread rapidly. The pink Japanese anemone is more vigorous than the white variety. Crocosmia come in a range of fiery colours and can provide a vibrant splash of colour when interplanted with salvias and dahlias.
Moving on to shrubs, as its common name of ‘fire bush’ reveals, Euonymus alatus Compactus really does provide outstanding autumn colour when its dark green leaves turn shades of strawberry-red in autumn. Plant it where the sun will catch the autumn foliage. It makes a perfect specimen plant for a well-drained shrub border or woodland edge with a spread and height of 1.5m. Another spectacular shrub – but one which needs up to 2.5m x 3m in which to grow – is Euonymus europaeus Red Cascade, commonly known as the ‘spindle tree’ as its wood is traditionally used for making spindles. Not only do you get scarlet foliage, but it also produces orange-pink, winged fruit in autumn which remain long after the leaves have dropped.
Although it is a shrub, Viburnum opulus guelder rose can grow to tree height up to 8m x 4m spread. However, you can keep it much smaller by pruning once it has flowered in May. This bushy, deciduous shrub has maple-like leaves which tint red in autumn. In late spring and early summer, it bears white sterile flowers, followed by translucent bright red fruits which may persist into winter.
Although quite boring during spring and summer, Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii Profusion (beauty berry) is one to consider if you have well-drained, neutral to acidic soil. In autumn, its dark green foliage turns gold and red before dropping but it has dense clusters of small, jewel-like, purple-blue berries against bare stems which make this worth growing. Florists love it for autumn flower arrangements. It can grow up to 3m x 2.5m spread.
Many of us grow hydrangeas in our gardens but Hydrangea quercifolia (oak-leaved hydrangea) is a more unusual variety. This is a large, spreading deciduous shrub with cream flowers in conical panicles in mid-summer, but in autumn, its deeply lobed leaves turn red and purple.
If you are looking for a shrub to extend colour into the winter months, Cornus alba Sibirica will do just that. Cornus are grown for their winter stem colour rather than spectacular foliage. Sibirica has particularly striking red stems in winter. It also produces clusters of small, white flowers in late spring and early summer which give way to berries which are attractive to birds. The foliage will turn purplish red in autumn. It will grow up to 2.4m tall but can be cut back in early spring to reduce its size.
Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo) have various varieties but Fire Power adds a real punch to your autumnal garden. Although called heavenly bamboo, it is actually a relative of Berberis. Nandina domestica Fire Power can be planted in a sunny spot in a small garden or grown in containers. This compact shrub bears clusters of star-shape white flowers in summer, with its foliage turning shades of red and orange in autumn before falling. The flowers develop into shiny red fruits which last into winter.
Acers obviously come into their own during the autumn months and there are some spectacular varieties of these beautiful trees for you to choose from. If space is limited, Acer palmatum Red Pygmy is one of the smallest Japanese Maple varieties reading a mound form 1.5m tall and wide. Its maroon coloured, wispy, finger-like leaves turn startling shades of green, orange, yellow and red in autumn. Acer palmatum Osakazuki is said to have the most intense, long lasting autumn colour when its green spring and summer foliage transforms into a blaze of fiery scarlet red in autumn. It is fairly fast growing reaching 4 x 3 m. Another good choice is Acer palmatum Sango Kaku which gives a soft yellow autumn foliage and has coral bark to add another element of interest. All Acer palmatum require a sheltered position and prefer partial shade rather than sun. If you are looking to plant Acers, it is worth visiting one of the many arboretums around Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. Westonbirt National Arboretum near Tetbury, which is owned and managed by Forestry England, has two National Collections of Maples and Japanese Maple Cultivars with the total collection bringing together around 297 different types of cultivar, including some of the finest specimens in the UK. It is worth the drive as the display is truly impressive. To find out more visit forestryengland.uk/westonbirt.
Whilst one normally associates bulbs with spring and summer, there are a few which can provide autumn colour. South African Nerine bowdenii produce beautiful pink to cerise lily-like flowers in late summer and early autumn. They need to be planted in a sunny area where they will not be disturbed. Autumn-flowering crocus are another bulb which can provide colour on the edge of a border, in a rock garden or in groups in grass. If you plant autumn crocus in August, they will flower in September and October (wear gloves when handling the corms as they are poisonous).
This barely scratches the surface on plants which bring colour to your garden later in the year. It is worth visiting your local garden centres to see what they stock during the last quarter of the year for further inspiration.
Photography: Iain Green, Johnny Hathaway
