Keeping it bright and cheerful

We tend to concentrate on our homes when it comes to colour giving plenty of thought to the colours we will use in different rooms. But the garden is an additional space and even though the temperatures aren’t always encouraging for us to use this space in autumn, a colourful outlook is very cheering.

 

We are blessed with seasons here in the UK and even if autumn isn’t your favourite, it can be very welcoming in terms of warm, colourful plants. Whether you choose to put your entire colour into your borders or to dot planted containers around is not an issue. It’s whatever suites you and your garden best.

 

Here are some plant suggestions to keep colour in the garden for as long as possible.

 

Ornamental cabbages

These beauties come in purples, whites and greens. Their big full cabbage heads can fill a pot or container and grouped with more of the same or other autumn plants, they can look magnificent. They last well into the winter months.

 

 

Outdoor Cyclamen

Delicate Cyclamen actually love the garden. They are happier in cooler temperatures especially when the central heating goes on indoors, then the garden beckons.

 

These come in bright and pale pinks, deep reds and pure white. Their delicate petals make a great contrast to the more sturdy autumn plants like the ornamental cabbages.

 

 

Winter Pansies

Another smaller plant that fares well outdoors and can bloom for several months is the winter pansy. These again add a delicate touch to your garden displays and come in a range of bright colours.

 

 

Heather

The pinks, purples and white flowers of Heather keep blooming through September into November. These not only look great but the bees love them as they are a late source of pollen for their honey stocks.

 

Heather’s foliage turns more intense as the winter comes on but they are hardy and can survive. They do need pruning – cutting back – every year though.

 

 

Chrysanthemum

Don’t forget the value of pot Chrysanthemum either. These come in typically autumn colours from white through yellows and golds to orange and bronze and even deep reds. They make a colourful show on anyone’s porch or terrace.

 

 

Hellebore

Hellebores are also known as Christmas roses because December and beyond are usually the months when they come into their own. They are quite unruly plants with strong protective leaves and delicate almost bell-shaped flowers. They are winter hardy and don’t seem to mind the cold, frost or snow at all. The traditional Christmas rose is the white variety but there are plenty of other shades from green through pinks and purples to give your garden a late pop of colour.

 

Remove old leaves so that you can the flowers!

 

 

 

Thinking ahead

Another wonderful autumn flower or should we say fruit is the orange fruits of the passion flower. This plant, once established, grows prolifically and can cover walls or trellises. The intricate flowers give you and the bees real beauty throughout summer and in the autumn, the plant is covered in hanging orange fruits.

 

 

Plant Nerine bulbs in spring for an autumn show. They need a sheltered spot in full sun to get the best from these delicate flowers. They originate from South Africa so you need to protect them in cold winters by bringing these pots into the conservatory or somewhere similar.

 

There’s still possibly a little time to attend to paths and terraces too. If you’re planning a make-over for them it is probably best to wait until spring when the frosts have finished. Check over on our website for a superb collection of garden paving.