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7 top plants for a burst of colour in autumn and winter
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7 top plants for a burst of colour in autumn and winter
Do you often neglect your garden during autumn and winter? Pledge to make a change this year, as choosing the right plants can keep your outdoor space looking fresh and colourful – even when the temperatures drop.
September is actually a great time to plant; the soil is still warm and there should be enough rain to get everything bedded in. To keep that wonderful exuberant summer colour in the garden, we'd go for a mixture of autumn-flowering plants such as sun-loving Chinese plumbago, a wonderful shrub with cobalt blue flowers. You can mix these with orange Helenium autumnale 'Salsa' to keep the spirit of summer going.
Further into autumn, colour is a bit trickier to come by, but the shrub Aster x frikartii 'Monch' will provide stars of lavender blue with bright yellow centres. And try to find room for winter-flowering camellia; these bring unexpectedly exotic flowers at Christmas time – Camellia x vernalis 'Yuletide' is particularly lovely. They do need acid soil though, so you may have to fill your outdoor plant pot with ericaceous compost.
In addition to our suggestions above, we spoke to the garden experts at BillyOh.com about the top autumn flowering plants to grow in your garden. Whether you're a novice or experienced gardener, these plants will help to make your green areas thrive. Some of these tough little plants and shrubs can survive the changing weather and brave the cold and wind to bring a splash of colour and brighten breezy autumnal days.
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1) Crocus
The harsher autumn weather forces the crocus up through the ground, making these the perfect hardy plant for colder weather. The iconic, cup-shaped flowers look great in pots and borders, but plant them beneath trees and shrubs where they will be protected from heavy rain.
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2) Cyclamen
The well-loved hero of the plant world, the cyclamen can be brought to flower from autumn through to spring. Its flowers come in red, pink and white shades and look fantastic in pots or planted under trees. Cyclamen hederifolium is the usual choice for autumn flowers as it remains relatively unscathed through the winter weather.
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3) Winter Aconite
Similar in appearance to the buttercup, the winter aconite has a lovely yellow flower and is best suited to growing underneath deciduous trees and shrubs. The winter aconite prefers rich, moist soil in shady parts of the garden.
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4) Pansy
A gardening staple all year round, some varieties of the pansy stop blooming when the weather gets really cold. In that case, opt for special winter-flowering pansies that keep going until late spring for a flash of colour in the garden.
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5) Heather
The hardy heather can often be found on moors as it's a versatile plant that's able to handle inclement weather. The heather's vibrant pink, white and purple petals mean it's a brilliant plant for low-growing textures and it looks great in pots too.
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6) Aster 'Little Carlow'
The small lavender blue flowers stand out in late summer and autumn and really come alive in the evening light. The aster likes a lot of sun and good, well-drained soil, so plant away from shady areas.
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7) Dahlia
Though dahlias begin to bloom during the hot summer months, these flowers are at their best from August to September, bridging the gap when other perennials begin to tire. Best suited to borders, they come in a range of colours and sizes and work with almost any colour scheme.
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After a bright and colourful summer, choose the right plants to keep your garden looking vibrant throughout the colder months.
