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As the leaves around us start to transform into their autumn hues and the temperature cools, you may think that it is time to just tidy your garden and leave it until the shoots of spring appear next year. September and October are actually the perfect months to enjoy a last burst of colour in our gardens.

 

Think of autumn colour and it is usually trees and shrubs such as Acers, Liquidambar or Sorbus taking the autumnal limelight showing off their seasonal tones. However, there are plenty of flowers looking their glorious best too at this time of year and some even buck the seasonal orange and yellow trend.

 

Some of our favourites to look out for include Alstroemeria or Peruvian Lilies. These small lily-like blooms are borne in clusters on top of a leafy stem. They come in an array of colours including red, orange, purple and pink and white.

 

 

Rudbeckia is a fall classic. With their daisy like flowers around a black or brown central cone, they are easy to grow. They vary in height with the smallest reaching around 25cm to the tallest over 2 metres. They love full sun and whilst they will tolerate light shade, they will flower less. Sedum is a succulent perennial that blooms in a variety of colours from bright pinks to deep purples. Their flowers are a magnet for pollinators like bees and butterflies.

 

Perennial phlox come in a spectrum of pinks from a hot neon through to pastel baby. Liking sun or light shade, their displays can be disappointing on poor dry soils so it might be worth improving your soil before planting them. Nerines offer long lasting blooms in shades of pink, white and sometimes red. Hardy nerines like Nerine bowdenii should be planted in a warm sheltered spot with well draining soil that retains moisture. Frost tender nerines such as Nerine sarniensis should be grown in pots and moved inside over winter protecting them from frosts.

 

Other jobs in the garden for early autumn:

• Buy and plant spring flowering bulbs now.
• Look after your lawn. Mow less frequently raising the height of the blades. Apply an autumn lawn feed if your grass needs a boost after scarifying and aerating it. Now is the perfect time to sow a new lawn from seed.
• Plant overwintering onion sets and spring cabbages. Remember to net the cabbages protecting them from pigeons.
• Harvest fruits and vegetables – apples, pears, tomatoes, courgettes, peppers and sweetcorn are all ready to harvest now along with pumpkins and squashes.
• Reduce how often you water your houseplants.
• Cut back perennials that have died down.

 

We have hopefully given you a little inspiration for late summer/ early autumn for your outdoor space. Hopefully the weather will remain mild and dry enough for us to get out and fully enjoy the beauty of the season.

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