A red acer in the Arboretum in autumn at Bodnant Garden, Conwy.
THE SUN IS LOWER in the sky in autumn. Rather than bright, glaring light from above, a softer, subdued colour appears to shine through the plants, giving them a translucent, almost effervescent quality. Different shadows and shapes are created among the plants making us see them in a whole different light and showing off what would otherwise be unnoticed qualities in their texture and form. While some plants start to retreat back into the soil, many others refuse to go forth into the cold months without a spectacular flurry of colour and a final fling of exuberance. Leaves on many of the trees, such as acer, sorbus and stewartia take on the hot, fiery colours, while birch and beech supply the soft, mellow, buttery tones as a warming backdrop. There is also an understorey of a rich supply of colourful berries and fruit bursting out of the garden with unfettered passion, including elderberries, grapevines and malus trees coming in a range of hues.
Closer to the ground there are still lots of late flowering herbaceous plants, such as heleniums, asters, chrysanthemums, sedums and dahlias lighting up the darker evenings putting a smile on the faces of the gardeners. Even the naked ladies, the colchicums, come out to put on a show, with just their pinkish purple flowers being revealed.
Despite the freshness in the air, there is a romantic cosiness about autumn, as the oppressive heat of summer softens to a more pleasant temperature. It feels as if a new phase in the gardener’s calendar has begun. It’s a time for folklore, harvest festivals, homemade jam, cider and wine, and for celebrating the season past and the future fun that will be had in the garden. It’s a season when bonfires are lit outside in the evenings and the smell of wood-smoke pervades the garden. It’s a period of earthy odours too, when the moisture rises in the air and gardeners start to look towards the engine house of the garden, the compost heap.
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SORBUS AUCUPARIA, ROWAN TREE |
A NATIVE TREE OF EUROPE THAT GROWS WILDLY IN THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE, YET IS RESTRAINED AND CULTURED ENOUGH TO BE A STAR PERFORMER IN THE GARDEN, THE ROWAN TREE PROVIDES A SPECTACULAR SHOW WITH ITS AUTUMN COLOUR AND BRIGHT BERRIES.
There are many ornamental sorbus available to buy for the garden but Sorbus aucuparia is by far the most popular. It forms an upright deciduous tree with a neat, rounded habit growing to an eventual height of about 10m (33ft) making it a suitable for small- to medium-sized gardens. It forms masses of sweet scented (almost sickly) clusters of white flowers in spring. But its real moment of glory is autumn, for two reasons: firstly, the bright orange and red berries that hang off the branches in large bunches are produced in abundance; and secondly, the foliage that appears in similar fiery colours to complement the fruit. The fruit can be used in cooking with rowan jelly being a popular accompaniment to game dishes. It is packed full of vitamin C and in the past has been used as a treatment for scurvy. However, you’ll be lucky if you can get to the berries before the birds, which absolutely love this tree making it a good choice if you want to attract wildlife into your garden.
Its position in the garden can be very flexible. In nature it is often found growing in woodlands as an understorey tree under taller ones in the secondary canopy, making it well-suited to shady conditions in the garden too. However, they can also appear as solitary trees on the tops of hills, on chalky downland or, as its other common name suggests – mountain ash – on the sides of mountains. It is therefore perfectly suitable for growing as a single, solitary specimen in the open too, and makes a wonderful individual specimen on a lawn, particularly when underplanted with autumnal bulbs such as colchicums or autumn crocus. It is a tough tree this one, very hardy, and there isn’t much that will fell it. It has been found in the UK growing up to heights of 1,000m (3,300ft) on mountainsides albeit as a much more restricted size, more like a shrub.
Don’t be deceived though by the common name ‘ash’. They’re not related so won’t suffer from any of the ‘ash dieback’ issues. The common name association is because they have similar leaflet patterns in opposite pairs along the stems.
ALTERNATIVES
In really small gardens an ideal choice is the variety ‘Fastigiata’, which forms a narrow and slow growing tree. ‘Crème Lace’ has a delicate habit, which forms creamy white berries, while ‘Dirkenii’ is a slightly unusual golden-leaved form with an upright habit and produces lots of red berries.
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ACER PALMATUM ‘BLOODGOOD’ |
WITH ITS ATTRACTIVE, DEEPLY LOBED LEAVES THAT TURN AN AMAZING VIVID RED IN AUTUMN, THIS JAPANESE MAPLE MAKES A WONDERFUL SPECIMEN TREE IN A SMALL TO MEDIUM-SIZED GARDEN OR FOR GROWING IN A LARGE CONTAINER.
There are many Japanese acers available, ranging from a mere 1m high to trees that reach as high as a two-storey house. With their attractive cut-shaped leaves and their wonderful, brightly coloured autumnal foliage, Japanese maples are one of the quintessential trees for a small garden.
‘Bloodgood’ is one of the more modestly sized trees, reaching to between 2.5m and 4m high after about 10 years. They are naturally woodland plants, preferring to grow in dappled shade, but will tolerate a modest amount of sun.
Although the trees themselves are very hardy, the new growth can be susceptible to harsh cold weather so it is best to avoid frost pockets. As with most acers, they also require shelter from strong winds, which can quickly decimate their foliage. Their ideal soil is slightly acidic although there are other acers that will tolerate moderate amounts of chalk. Avoid water-logged soil or extremely dry conditions. Acers have a shallow fibrous root system, so adding organic matter such as leaf mould should ensure there is enough moist but free-draining soil just below the surface of the ground. Mulching around the base of the tree each year with more compost will help to retain moisture and suppress weeds that compete for nutrients.
They are slow-growing trees, making them easy to maintain. Little pruning is required of them, as they produce their best shape when allowed to naturally grow without removing many branches. However, it may occasionally be necessary to do some remedial pruning if branches are rubbing on each other. The best time to do this is from late autumn to late winter.
ALTERNATIVES
Other acers worth trying include Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’, which has amazing red branches and trunk making it a wonderful feature all year round. It also produces attractive green leaves that turn a stunning golden yellow in autumn. Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ forms a spectacular display of hot scarlet-coloured foliage prior to their leaves dropping off.
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STEWARTIA PSEUDOCAMELLIA |
A SMALL- TO MEDIUM-SIZED TREE THAT REALLY DOES HAVE IT ALL! ATTRACTIVE, PEELING WINTER BARK, GREAT AUTUMN COLOUR AND A SPRING COVERING OF SHOWY WHITE FLOWERS, THE JAPANESE STEWARTIA REALLY EARNS ITS KEEP IN THE GARDEN.
The most alluring aspect for me about this tree from Japan and Korea is the peeling bark, better than any ornamental birch or cherry tree. The trunk starts to peel from a young age in rich warm colours, such as cinnamon, copper, and red. It also has one of the best autumnal foliage displays of all the ornamental trees, making it amazing value for money.
Stewartia pseudocamellia or false camellia is so called because in summer it is covered with blooms with cup-shaped white flowers with a rich, orangey yellow centre. It is in fact closely related to the camellia, coming from the same family Theaceae, and is often referred to as ‘deciduous camellia’.
This tree is slow growing, but after five to ten years it will start to earn its keep as a star performer all year round. Most people prefer to grow it as a multi-stemmed tree to maximise the ‘peeling bark’ appeal, but it can equally be grown as a single trunk. To grow it as a multi-stemmed tree it may need pruning back to about knee height when young to encourage new stems, although quite often it will naturally send out young shoots.
They require slightly acidic, moist but free-draining soil and prefer dappled shade. Mulch regularly around the base of the tree in its formative years to suppress any weeds and retain the moisture. Do take time in selecting the final planting place for the tree as they don’t respond well or quickly to being transplanted due to their slow growing nature.
ALTERNATIVES
S. monadelpha, otherwise known as the ‘tall stewartia’ (apparently it grows up to 20m/65ft in the wild), has gorgeous, smooth, cinnamon brown bark, and is much smaller when grown under cultivation in a garden.
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SAMBUCUS NIGRA ‘GERDA’ |
MOST PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE COMMON ELDER TREE BUT THIS DARK-LEAVED VARIETY IS SOMETHING A BIT SPECIAL, MAKING A SUPERB FEATURE IN THE GARDEN AS EITHER A SPECIMEN PLANT OR AT THE BACK OF THE BORDER.
Its alternative name ‘Black Beauty’ describes this deciduous shrub perfectly. The dark foliage and berries makes it a really head-turning stunner in the garden. The clusters of flat-headed flowers appear in early summer and have a fresh, almost citrusy scent to them. The berries appear from late summer onwards and are glossy and shiny black, and can be used to make elderberry cordial, elderberry jelly or, my favourite, elderberry wine. However, do be warned, the birds love this plant and will quickly strip the berries at the first signs of them ripening, so it may be worth draping a net over them if you want to use them yourself.
It forms a very small tree or large shrub about 3–4m (10–13ft) high and the same in its spread, so is ideal for planting towards the back of a deep border. If you want to grow the tree purely for its foliage effect then it can be cut back hard, almost to ground level, to encourage lots of luxuriant new stems, but this will be at the sacrifice of the flowers and fruit. Alternatively grow it as a small specimen tree or shrub, or even in a pot, where it will make an eye-catching feature or focal point. It will just occasionally require the removal of crossing or dying branches in winter. A containerised plant can be planted at any time of the year, but the best time to get it established is early autumn when the soil is still warm. Keep the plant well-watered in its first season after planting. It will also benefit from a layer of mulch at the base of its trunk in early spring.
It grows equally well in full sun or dappled shade. It’s dead easy to propagate too as it readily produces suckers out of the ground, which can be dug up with a section of root attached and stuck into a pot of compost to grow on for a few weeks before planting out.
ALTERNATIVES
The two other common ornamental sambucus that can be found easily in garden centres are ‘Black Lace’, which is similar to ‘Black Beauty’ except it has the most exquisite, finely cut leaves. It’s well worth purchasing if you come across it. The other popular one is S. nigra ‘Aurea’, which has spectacular golden foliage.
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COTINUS ‘GRACE’ |
AS THE SUN’S STRENGTH STARTS TO WANE WITH THE ARRIVAL OF AUTUMN, THE INCREASINGLY MELLOW LIGHT PICKS UP THE TONAL HUES OF THE SMOKE BUSH LEAVES AND MAKES THIS SHRUB GLEAM WITH COPPER RICHNESS.
Cotinus coggyria is a shrub loved by landscape designers for its head-turning good looks and is often seen planted as a specimen. This is a shame as it is one of those plants that interacts with other colors in the garden and brings out the best in everything planted close by. It is much more interesting in the back of the mixed border than standing alone.
Cotinus are very unfussy about conditions as long as they are in as much sun as possible. They are hardy, deciduous and vigorous, reaching over 5m (16½ft) tall, with simple, rounded leaves and can easily be pruned as a tree to fit smaller spaces. In the case of these plants it is all about the colour.
C. ‘Grace’ is especially lovely, with leaves of reddish brown tinged with purple, the colour of a well-burnished copper pot, throughout the summer months. Given light and warmth it will also flower at this time. Clouds of insubstantial plumes of tiny flowers billow out in every direction, hence the name smoke bush, but for the highlight of the show you have to wait until autumn. As the days shorten, the colours of C. ‘Grace’ intensify; the reds get richer, the purple becomes pinker, the undersides become more orange and the whole shrub begins to glow and blaze in the sun. When the herbaceous plants nearby begin their decline, the colours of C. ‘Grace’ soften and complement the fading scene. Straw-like grasses and seedheads, the brown stems of herbaceous plants, the gently faded colours of late flowers – all become part of a rich, autumnal oil painting.
ALTERNATIVES
C. ‘Grace’ is not the only choice as a backdrop to hot red and yellow planting schemes. The vivid burgundy-purple tones of C. coggyria ‘Royal Purple’ will also work well. The darker purple of this plant will also liven up whites, lemons and pale apricots.
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CORNUS KOUSA VAR. CHINENSIS |
A SHRUB OR SMALL TREE FOR ALL SEASONS, THIS SPREADING CORNUS FROM CHINA PROVIDES CREAMY WHITE FLOWER BRACTS DURING SPRING, LARGE, STRAWBERRY-LIKE FRUITS LATER IN THE SEASON AND SHOWSTOPPING FOLIAGE COLOURS IN AUTUMN.
You get good value for money with this small, spreading tree that has so much to offer. The fruit is very impressive in autumn with what look like massive, deep red strawberry fruits covering the tree. The fruit is edible and is often made into jam and alcoholic beverages in Japan and China.
In most places it is deciduous, with the foliage turning magnificent colours of orange, red and purple, but in milder climates it retains its foliage during winter. In early summer this broad, billowing tree is covered with large, showy creamy white bracts, often mistakenly identified as the flowers, but actually the insignificant centres to the bracts. Another rewarding aspect of this tree is the foliage, which forms interesting mottled patterns and is shown off to its best effect in winter when the spreading branches are denuded of their foliage.
The tree doesn’t get too big in the garden, usually reaching about 4–5m (13–16½ft) high and in spread. It is quite happy in partial shade or full sun and because of its reasonably compact nature is suitable for most small to medium gardens. They will tolerate most soils and will often withstand waterlogging although their favoured soil is moist but well drained. It is best planted at the back of a deep border or as a specimen tree where its constant changes in the season can be regularly admired.
The tree is pretty much maintenance free. It may occasionally need remedial pruning purely to retain its shape, although pruning is generally not encouraged. Mulching around the tree with rotted organic matter is recommended.
ALTERNATIVES
C. kousa ‘Miss Satomi’ is an elegant shrub from Japan with great autumn foliage and deep pink bracts in early summer. The variety ‘Snow Boy’ is an interesting variety of kousa because of its variegated foliage in shades of grey and green with a white margin.
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HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA |
HYDRANGEAS ARE ONE OF THE CLASSIC EARLY AUTUMN SHRUBS, PRODUCING LARGE FLOWERING HEADS THAT RANGE FROM DEEP REDS TO BRIGHT BLUES. ‘MARIESII PERFECTA’ IS A POPULAR LACECAP VARIETY, PRODUCING LARGE, BLUE OR PINK FLOWERHEADS.
Also known as ‘Blue Wave’, I grow this plant on a steep bank at the National Trust’s Greenway gardens in Devon and the effect is mesmerising, with the large blue lacecaps looking as though they are a cascading waterfall. There are loads of macrophylla types of hydrangea, divided up into two distinct categories: mopheads, which produce large domed flowerheads that make impressive dried cut flower displays, and lacecaps, which produce a flatter flower with tiny, almost glossy clusters of flowers in the centre, surrounded by almost papery-like petals.
‘Blue Wave’ is one of the latter categories and the tiny flowers in the centre look like miniature nuggets of the bluest sapphires. Hydrangeas can be grown in soil with a wide range of pH levels and this affects the colour of the flower, with them ranging between red and blue, with acidic conditions making them more blue. The flowers of ‘Blue Wave’ turn a mauve-pink colour in alkaline conditions.
In the garden they’re a useful shrub for providing masses of flowers in late summer and early autumn when most other woody plants have finished.
They are tolerant of shade and are a popular choice for woodland gardens where they work well as a shrub canopy under larger trees. They are equally suited to being grown in full sun and are ideal for planting in a shrub border or as a backdrop to an herbaceous flower bed. They also look great in traditional cottage garden designs and make a good, sturdy, upright structure when grown among sprawling herbaceous plants, rambling roses and loose drifts of annuals. My favourite place to see them though is en masse or lining a path or edge of a garden.
Hydrangeas are reasonably hardy, but in cooler areas it is worth holding back on the pruning until mid-spring as the flowerheads offer the plant some frost and winter protection. They flower on wood produced the previous year, and should be pruned by cutting back the old flowering stems by about a third to a pair of healthy buds.
ALTERNATIVES
There are lots of mophead and lacecap types of hydrangeas to choose from, but some of the species are interesting too. Hydrangea petiolaris is the climbing hydrangea, which is self-clinging and can be trained up a wall or even into a tree, covering the area with creamy white lacecap-type flowers that can be as large as 25cm (10in) across. H. paniculata is another popular species of hydrangea that produces huge, long panicles of flowers on new growth. For maximum flower size the new stems formed the previous year should be pruned back to a couple of buds in early spring. They are ideal plants for lining a woodland path or to create a small avenue. One of the most popular varieties of paniculata is ‘Grandiflora’ with large clusters of creamy white flowers.
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SEDUM SPECTABILE ‘RUBY GLOW’ |
FROM LATE SUMMER TO LATE AUTUMN THIS HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL APPEARS TO RADIATE WITH ITS SUMPTUOUS RUBY-RED FLOWERHEADS HELD ALOFT ABOVE ITS FLESHY LEAVES. THE EFFECT IS MESMERISING AND ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AUTUMNAL BORDER.
Sedum spectabile ‘Ruby Glow’ is a mound-forming perennial succulent, grown for its fleshy leaves and deeply coloured flowerheads that appears towards the end of summer. The flowers are starry-shaped and crimson, held aloft on dark red stems about 30cm (12in) off the ground to mesmerising effect. It requires full sun and free-draining soil and is well- suited to dry or gravel gardens. The green, fleshy leaves have an attractive purplish tinge to them, providing interest for most of the year. Prior to the flowers opening, ‘Ruby Glow’ has masses of tiny, pointed, dark pink buds.
In really mild winters or sheltered conditions the star-shaped flowers can persist into the New Year. The deep, velvety colour of this variety has an almost Michaelmas feel to it that reminds me of the colour of a traditional Father Christmas’ suit, or a glass of mulled wine. Either way the rich, warm tones look like you could almost warm your hands and cook marshmallows on the plant. The glowing colour combines nicely with evergreens like holly or conifers such as low growing junipers. Closer to the ground and earlier in autumn, it’s lovely to see its rich, fleshy foliage contrasted with warm coloured grasses such as Anemanthele lessoniana, New Zealand wind grass (formley Stipa arundinaacea), Calamagrostis brachytricha or Miscanthus sinensis ‘Kleine Silberspinne’.
The best thing about this plant is when the low autumnal sun catches the succulent foliage and ruby-red flowers, giving it an almost translucent look. Bees, hoverflies and butterflies love sedum as it is a great source of food for them as flowering plants become scarcer when temperatures take a dip.
Sedums generally require little care. Sometimes the flowers can be so large that they become top heavy and snap their stems. This particularly happens in wet autumns when the flowers hold onto moisture and become too heavy to support. To avoid this it may be necessary to stake them. After flowering, the heads can be cut back to tidy them up and maintain their shape. Plants can be divided after flowering in winter if it is mild, or in early spring.
ALTERNATIVES
There are lots of sedums suitable for the border available, the most popular being S. spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’ with flowers that start off pale pink and develop to a rusty red colour as they mature. Another interesting one to try is ‘Mr Goodbud’, which is a more compact, dwarf form. It reaches up to 60cm (2ft) tall and has large, grey-green leaves tinged purple, and clusters of pale pink flowers. I particularly love S. telephium ‘Purple Emperor’, which produces wide panicles of ruby-red flowers and has wonderful burgundy-black flesh foliage. Ideal for the front of a border and best planted en masse for the most dramatic effect. The other popular type of sedums that are used are the much smaller and compact types used on green roofs and in rockeries. Popular choices include S. album, S. acre and S. oreganum.
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HELENIUM ‘MOERHEIM BEAUTY’ |
THE COLOURS OF THIS PERENNIAL HELENIUM EPITOMISE THE RICH HAZY TONES YOU EXPECT IN AN EARLY WARM AUTUMNAL FLOWER BORDER WITH ITS SULTRY REDDISH ORANGE, DAISY-SHAPED FLOWERS HELD ALOFT ON THEIR WIRY STEMS.
Heleniums are one of the classic daisy-shaped herbaceous perennials that are currently so much in fashion alongside asters, rudbeckias and echinaceas, and seen so much in prairie-style gardens. They are prolific flowerers providing a good solid backbone in the border during late summer and autumn.
They originate from North America and their petals come in rich hues of red, orange and copper with the round centre of the flower looking like a rich chocolate button. It is commonly known as sneezeweed because Cherokee Native Americans used to dry the flowers as a cure for the common cold. They are generally drought resistant and easy to maintain. They also make great cut flowers, and butterflies and bees seem to love them.
There are lots of heleniums to choose from but Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’ is one of the most popular. This stunning herbaceous perennial reaches up to 1.2m (4ft) high, so should be placed in the middle or towards the back of the border. Plant them in clusters of three, five or seven depending on the size of the bed at about 45cm (18in) apart. Add plenty of organic matter to the soil prior to planting. They may well need supporting with hazel sticks to prevent their flowerheads from flopping over. The plants can be left to turn to seed as they can still look dramatic in winter, but should be cut back in early spring.
They’ll benefit from being divided every couple of years after they have finished flowering, either in winter if it is mild enough, or early spring.
They are real sun lovers and prefer well-drained conditions to perform at their best. They combine with other, really hot, sizzling plants, such as kniphofia (red hot pokers) and rubeckias. They also look great with ornamental grasses if you want to try and get that loose ‘prairie’ style of planting in your garden.
ALTERNATIVES
There are literally hundreds to choose from, but some of the most popular are: H. ‘Ruby Tuesday’, a compact variety reaching about 50cm (20in) in height with plenty of small, dark red flowers; ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’ has orange flowerheads and is a great choice if you want to inject a bit of colour earlier on into the border as it flowers a good few weeks before the others; for a yellow variety ‘Butter Pat’ is a good reliable choice, producing a profusion of flowers from late summer onwards.
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EUONYMUS ALATUS ‘COMPACTUS’ |
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY EYE-CATCHING AND POPULAR SHRUB WITH SHOWY AUTUMNAL FOLIAGE THAT TURNS BRIGHT RED AS SUMMER STARTS TO FADE.
Often called ‘winged spindle’ because of the distinctive corky wings on its branches, this slow growing shrub is a real curiosity in the garden. The leaves are dark green during the summer when it also flowers, producing pale yellow, fairly insignificant flowers.
It’s real showpiece is in autumn where it lives up to its other common name of ‘burning bush’, putting on a spectacular foliage display with shades of crimson, oranges, reds and scarlet. ‘Compactus’ is ideal for a small garden, reaching only about 1m (3ft) in height and spread, and is ideal for growing in a container or on a patio or balcony. It can be used to create a low, dense hedge.
If you want something bigger then the plain Euonymous alatus is a better choice, being a medium-sized, densely branching shrub reaching about 1–2.5m (3–8ft) in height and a 3m (10ft) spread with more pronounced corky ‘wings’.
They both prefer full sun or partial shade and are tolerant of most soil regardless of whether it is sand or clay, but it needs to be fertile.
Maintenance is easy, simply pruning out damaged or crossed branches in late winter to spring. Wayward branches can also be cut back at this time to improve its shape. The shrub also benefits from a mulch in early spring with well-rotted manure or garden compost.
ALTERNATIVES
If you want even more impressive autumnal fruit try E. phellomanus or E. planipes. Another popular type of euonymus are the fortunei species, which have a low spreading habit and occasionally used to trail over low walls or as a ground cover plant. ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ is one of the popular types.
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RUDBECKIA FULGIDA ‘GOLDSTURM’ |
RUDBECKIAS ARE CLASSIC PLANTS OF THE PRAIRIE STYLE, ASSOCIATING BRILLIANTLY WITH ORNAMENTAL GRASSES AND CREATING GREAT, FLAT DRIFTS OF UNASHAMED BOLDNESS THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO ADMIRE.
The most complicated thing about the rudbeckia is its name. The bright, bold, golden daisy blooms of the coneflower are not subtle or nuanced but they make a dramatic statement at the end of summer and are easy plants to look after, requiring very little in the way of intervention. They even do well in heavy soils, although they will still appreciate any efforts to improve the conditions. Mostly though, sun, moderate access to moisture and the occasional dividing up of clumps if they get too congested is all they will require to flourish from August right through to October.
Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’ is an excellent example of this plant. The flowers are around 12cm (4½in) across, a deep golden colour, more like the eggs of corn-fed chickens than the insipid yellow of battery eggs, and usually grow to around 80cm (2½ft), roughly knee height. The brown cones in the centre stand quite proud above the petals and are particularly noticeable as each flowerhead points upwards directly towards the open sky.
ALTERNATIVES
For really dramatic impact at the back of the border, R. laciniata ‘Herbstsonne’ will grow up to 2.5m (8ft) tall. You might also enjoy the curious flower of R. occidentalis ‘Green Wizard’, the petals of which are thin and green and are only a sideshow to the bulbous centre cone. A sculptural oddity.
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ECHINACEA PURPUREA |
BRINGING JOY TO EVERYONE, ECHINACEA PURPUREA MAY BE SHORT LIVED BUT ITS ROSY MAUVE FLOWERS AND HEDGEHOG APPEARANCE ARE WONDERFUL ADDITIONS TO ANY WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY GARDEN, WHERE IT WILL ATTRACT BEES, BUTTERFLIES AND LATER BIRDS.
Echinaceas, like their cousins, the rudbeckias, are native to the great prairies of the United States. They are perhaps best known as an herbal remedy for colds but their medical qualities are only part of the story. These are orange-centred coneflowers, a colour that seems to work perfectly with the petals to create tonal harmony, which make a great statement drifting through a border.
At around 1.2m (4ft) tall they are better off towards the back of a planting scheme, although their flower stems are pretty sturdy so neither shelter nor staking should be required.
Like all daisy types they are natural sun lovers and will steadfastly refuse to flower if planted anywhere at all shady. They also dislike being in soggy ground and this may be why they do not always survive over winter. It is not a lack of hardiness but their preference for a cold, dry winter rather than a mild, wet one that is the cause of any sudden loss. This makes them, however, a good choice for dry, sandy soil.
They flower earlier than rudbeckias and asters, but even if they have lost their petals in the autumn as the others are proudly continuing to flower, the cones, full of seed, still provide plenty of interest and a ready food source for numerous birds.
ALTERNATIVES
A few variations of this plant are available if you wish to try something different. E. purpurea ‘Ruby Glow’ has bigger flowers. Or, for a change, try E. purpurea ‘Alba’, an elegant combination of white and pale green.
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ASTER X FRIKARTII ‘MONCH’ |
THE STARRY FLOWERS OF THE ASTER ARE A GODSEND IN AUTUMN, DRAWING THE EYE AWAY FROM FAST-FADING EARLY PERENNIALS WITH THEIR JOLLY SWEET-SHOP COLOURS AND HAPPY, RELAXED NATURE.
Mention asters and many gardeners will shake their heads and mutter the dreaded words – powdery mildew. Asters, or Michaelmas daisies, are prone to this affliction, it is especially a problem for the asters bred in America whose natural habitat is marshland and which are weakened by the drier conditions of most gardens. Aster x frikartii has more suitable parentage, though, and so is the least susceptible of all the commonly available asters to mildew attacks and copes better in hot, dry weather.
The leaves of A. x frikartii ‘Monch’ are rather rough and ready, but this hardly matters as the plant is delightfully free flowering and the flowers, with their mauve double row of petals with gold centre, are all you will notice. Its slightly lax habit makes it a good choice to plant with ornamental grasses as well as in an herbaceous border, where it will hide the early casualties under its wings. It holds up well enough, however, not to need staking, averaging about 80cm (2½ft) in height.
Aster do best in areas with cool and moist summers, and love cold nights, but they will not complain about being a little warmer and drier as long as the soil is in reasonable condition. A good mulch will help to keep the plants cooler and to conserve water. Your aster should flower from July right the way through to October so it is well worth its place. Butterflies adore it equally, offering them plenty of welcome late nectar as the season shortens.
ALTERNATIVES
A. ‘Little Carlow’ is also mildew resistant with a more intense violet blue flower while A. novae angliae ‘Harrington’s Pink’ is a delightful shade of pretty pink but would probably need regular spraying to prevent an attack.
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ANENOME X HYBRIDA ‘HONORINE JOBERT’ |
A WONDERFUL HERBACEOUS PLANT FOR BRIGHTENING UP A DARK OR SHADY CORNER, THIS JAPANESE ANEMONE PRODUCES MASSES OF ELEGANT WHITE FLOWERS ON UPRIGHT TALL STEMS FROM LATE SUMMER UNTIL LATE AUTUMN.
This is a much utilised late summer border perennial, and is indispensable for providing backbone to muted colour combinations with its pure white, cup-shaped flowers with yellow stamens. They work well in pastel colour schemes and provide a useful calming alternative to some of the other brighter, autumnal plants, such as red hot pokers and more garish dahlias. Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’ is fully hardy and stands tall and proud at over 1.5m (5ft) high, dismissing anything the unreliable, tempestuous, autumnal weather can throw at it. It isn’t fussy about its location either, happy in sun or partial shade, but ideally prefers a moist, free-draining and fertile soil.
‘Honorine Jobert’ is an old variety dating back over 150 years and as its name suggests was discovered in France. Often used in gardens in the shade of trees or to brighten drab corners, the elegant, cup-shaped white flowers also look fantastic contrasted with dark, hard landscaping structures, such as buildings, sheds and walls or evergreen foliage such as a yew or holly hedge. I love to see them planted near the edge of a pond (avoid boggy or wet ground), where their flowers get picked up in the reflections, while their hardy foliage provides shelter for visiting wildlife.
The large, vine-shaped leaves add additional ornamental qualities, and in some of the milder areas of Britain, can be visible most of the year.
It would be a lie to say A. x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’ is low-maintenance. It can be invasive and prone to spreading through the flower beds. Although this variety isn’t as vigorous as A. x hybrida, it has still inherited its fondness to stray from its intended home. Its invasive tendencies and impulse to explore will have to be kept an eye on if it isn’t to encroach onto another plant’s patch.
It should be cut back and tidied up in spring. In addition it benefits from a good 5cm (2in) deep mulch of well-rotted manure or compost around the base of the plants to ensure their leaves remain lush and they flower prolifically. If the plant does start to get too big for its space then it can be lifted and divided in early spring.
ALTERNATIVES
A. x hybrid is the most popular garden variety with pale pink flowers but it can be invasive. There are a number of other varieties such as ‘Königin Charlotte’, which has large, rose-pink, semi-double flowers or ‘Whirlwind’ with semi-double white flowers and ‘Andrea Atkinson’ with white flowers tinged with pink and green on the outside.
A. huphehensis ‘Hadspen Abundance’ is a classic later flowering border perennial with reddish pink flowers tinged white at the tips.
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KNIPHOFIA ‘ROYAL STANDARD’ |
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR AND CLASSIC RED HOT POKERS THAT APPEARS IN MIDSUMMER AND PERSISTS RIGHT THROUGH INTO AUTUMN. ITS BOLD, HOT COLOURS MAKE IT A STRIKING PERFORMER IN THE HERBACEOUS BORDER OR SUB-TROPICAL BEDS.
Originating from South Africa, kniphofia produces large, spiky flowerheads, which are, not surprisingly, a similar shape and colour to the tips of a red hot poker. Kniphofia ‘Royal Standard’ simply sizzles in the border when it makes its much anticipated first appearance in midsummer.
It is one of the older varieties and produces flowers up to 1m (3ft) in height, making them suitable for the middle or back of an herbaceous border. In smaller gardens they can be grown in warm, sunny island beds as clumps of exotic-looking features in their own right.
It also looks great when grown in terracotta or bright ceramic flower pots on the patio. It has bright red buds that develop into colourful golden yellow flowers, but the intriguing aspect I love most about this plant is that the effect is very gradual, with the buds opening from the bottom upwards. This means that for much of the season there is an eye-catching, two-tone effect on the spike, with yellow at the base of the flower and red towards the top. The plant also has strap-like, evergreen foliage that frames the vertical flower stems perfectly.
Kniphofia likes a deep, moist but well-drained soil, so it is worth preparing the soil well before planting by digging it over and adding lots of organic matter, such as well-rotted manure or garden compost. Cut back the spent flower stems in late autumn to tidy the plant up. In spring they can be cut back harder to near ground level to encourage fresher foliage and create more space for the emerging growth.
They are very easy to grow and once planted will literally blaze away. They are often used in sub-tropical planting schemes, despite being very hardy themselves, with their hot colours and striking bold, upright structures making them an ideal and obvious choice. They combine nicely with some of the other warm-coloured, late flowering perennials such as heleniums (sneezeweed) and rudbeckias (black-eyed Susan) as well as some of the richly coloured dahlias, such as ‘Bishop of Llandaff’ or the strappy foliage and bright red flowers of Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’. They also look great among a backdrop of ornamental grasses.
ALTERNATIVES
There are hundreds to choose from but one of the most popular is K. ‘Little Maid’, which is more subtle, producing pale buff yellow or ivory flowers in late summer and early autumn. It is much smaller than ‘Royal Standard’, growing to only about 50cm (20in), making it suitable for the front of a flower border or for growing in containers.
K. rooperi grows to about 1.2m (4ft) and has impressive rounded and tightly tubular flowers that are bright red but fade to yellow.
69 |
PENSTEMON ‘GARNET’ |
PRODUCING A GENEROUS MASS OF FLOWER SPIKES, PENSTEMON BRINGS A LIGHT AND ATTRACTIVE TOUCH TO LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN PLANTINGS WHEN THE BIGGER, BOLDER FLOWERS ARE VYING TO CATCH YOUR EYE.
The major issue to be aware of when considering penstemons is their hardiness. The possibility always exists that a really hard winter will do away with your beloved plants but there are some easy steps to take to mitigate the effects of a long period of frost, such as postponing cutting back until spring or taking cuttings ready for replanting.
Penstemon ‘Garnet’ appears to be one of, if not the, hardiest of the penstemons, as well as being a very beautiful plant. As its name suggests it has deep red flowers, and is one of the taller penstemons available so it may need some twiggy sticks to keep it upright. Alternatively, plant it where surrounding plants will support it. It is especially good at setting off the greens of other foliage plants.
Apart from the hardiness factor penstemons are very easy to grow. They require only average conditions to flourish, will tolerate heavy and light soils and simply need cutting back hard once a year to prevent legginess. Regular deadheading will keep them flowering for longer.
ALTERNATIVES
P. ‘Blackbird’ is probably the sultriest of the border penstemons, with a rich, velvet, dark maroon colour. For a more cottage garden look try P. ‘Apple Blossom’, pink and white or P. ‘Heavenly Blue’, a muted shade somewhere between blue and mauve.
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SCHIZOSTYLIS COCCINEA ‘MAJOR’ |
THIS IS A BRIGHT, CHEERY AND TROUBLE-FREE HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL THAT WILL BRIGHTEN UP THE COLDEST AUTUMN DAY. HAILING FROM SOUTH AFRICA, IT WILL KEEP FLOWERING FOR MOST OF AUTUMN AND SOMETIMES RIGHT UP UNTIL CHRISTMAS IN MILDER WINTERS.
When it comes to generosity, this plant has it in bucketloads. When most of the herbaceous perennials are shrinking back into the soil at the mere thought of cooler and wetter weather, schizostylis rears its flowering head and starts to do its thing! It thrives in most soils, but prefers it moist, ideal for typical autumnal weather, but may require a slightly sheltered position from harsh winds.
Schizostylis coccinea ‘Major’ produces large, silky, almost glossy, red blooms from late summer onwards held upwards on rigid stems and surrounded at the base with attractive, glossy foliage. It can seem surreal to see something appear that looks so exotic and tender flowering when all the usual stalwart, hardy plants are starting to fade towards the end of summer, and the flowers are also useful for cut flowers when there is little else left in the garden.
Suitable for planting near ponds and streams, but not actually in the water or boggy ground. In dry, sandy soil it will be necessary to add plenty of organic material. They also look good in herbaceous borders to create late autumnal interest, but may need protection with a mulch in the depths of winter if living in exposed or very cold areas.
Due to their rapid growth, plants may need lifting and dividing in spring to prevent them becoming too congested. Remove fading flowers to ensure they keep producing right into the depths of late autumn and early winter.
ALTERNATIVES
One of the most popular varieties is S. coccinea ‘Sunrise’, which is similar in size and habit to ‘Major’, but with salmon- pink flowers. An old garden classic is ‘Mrs Hegarty’, which originates from Ireland and dates back to 1921. This one is slightly smaller with pale pink flowers.
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DAHLIA ‘ORFEO’ |
ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNISABLE FLOWERS OF THE LATE SEASON BORDER, THE REPUTATION OF THE SHOWY DAHLIA HAS FLUCTUATED, YET IT IS ONE OF THE MOST USEFUL FLOWERING PLANTS, IGNORING THE SIGNS OF WINTER’S APPROACH UNTIL THE FIRST FROST.
When dahlias were first brought to Britain from Mexico it was as a substitute for the potato, with explorers hoping to make their fortune from the edible tubers. Fortunately, gardeners preferred to grow them for their flowers rather than eat them, and in the centuries that followed dahlia breeding reached a frenzy. The ease with which dahlias mutate and cross-breed led to ever bigger, more dramatic and showy blooms until eventually most could only be grown as specimens, too extreme in tone and form to fit alongside other plants in a border. Their star waned in the 1960s, and dahlias retreated to the plots and gardens of obsessional plantsmen and flower arrangers or found a place, miniaturised, in bedding schemes.
Luckily for modern gardeners, dahlias are having a comeback and it would seem the brighter and more garish the better. They fit in particularly well with sub-tropical or hot planting schemes where their vivid and lively appearance make them the perfect planting combination with plants with lush foliage or even grasses for providing late summer interest. One of the most popular dahlias is ‘Orfeo’ which is a purplish, red wine-coloured, cactus type that is also is a good choice for the cut flower border.
All dahlias need rich, fertile soil with plenty of organic matter and water, and should be planted in full sun. If you are lucky enough to live in a very mild area, you can usually get away with leaving the tender bulbs in the ground over winter as long as they are well mulched, but for most of Britain it will be necessary to protect them against frost by lifting and storing them over winter. When the temperature drops too far the foliage will blacken almost overnight, making it easy to see that the time has come for them to be cut down and lifted.
ALTERNATIVES
Dark red cultivars such as ‘Nuit d’ete’ are velvety and rich, or try a hot pink like ‘Hillcrest Royal’ for real pizzazz. For those with more refined and subtle tastes, and who find most dahlias over-the-top and ‘vulgar’, they should try the more restrained Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’, which is probably the nations’ favourite variety. It was bred in Wales, has truly outstanding good looks and is the kind of plant that compliments rather than overshadows everything around it.
72 |
CYCLAMEN HEDERIFOLIUM |
THIS LOW GROWING TUBEROUS PERENNIAL HAS IVY-SHAPED LEAVES WITH UNUSUAL MOTTLED PATTERNS OF SILVERY-GREEN ON ITS LEAF SURFACE APPEARING DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, WITH PINK, PURPLE OR SOMETIMES WHITE FLOWERS IN AUTUMN.
Love them or loathe them, the vivid, almost psychedelic pink flowers of ivy-leaved cyclamen, Cyclamen hederifolium is a real shock of a contrast to the traditional autumnal yellows, reds and oranges that appear on the berries, flowers and foliage at this time of year.
The pink flowers are a quirky, shuttlecock-like shape and have attractive, deep maroon flushed markings towards the base. An added bonus is that they are occasionally fragrant too. The flowers appear in autumn, usually before the winter foliage appears.
Although the flowers are very small, only about 2cm (¾in) across and the plants are very low, only reaching a height of about 12cm (4½in), they are not easily missed in the garden due to their vivid colouring. Once the flowers die back the plant leaves a beautiful, rich carpet of foliage. The leaves are shaped like ivy but have a mottled appearance of silver, grey and green. The mottling is very distinctive, and looks as if the shape of a Christmas tree has been stencilled onto each individual leaf. Planted in large clumps gives maximum effect.
They are very hardy and are best planted in dappled shade such as at the edge of a woodland or under shrubs and small trees, or alongside a hedge. However, they will also cope with sunshine and can be planted at the front of borders for an autumnal splash of pink colour. They’re also suitable for planting in containers where their foliage can also be used as a foil for other planting combinations for winter and Christmas. They look great alongside ferns such as the native hart’s tongue fern, Asplenium scolopendrium, and make a perfect backdrop among emerging winter aconites or snowdrops.
The best time to plant the tubers is in late summer about 2.5cm (1in) deep in well-drained soil. Add organic matter such as leaf mould to the soil prior to planting. Tubers should be about 10cm (4in) apart and quite a few of them are needed to maximise their impact.
They are practically maintenance free and they tend to look after themselves. They can benefit from a mulch of leaf mould once the leaves start to die back if they are grown in full sun, but if they’re grown under deciduous trees, the falling leaves will provide the natural conditions they enjoy. They do seed freely however and rogue stray plants may need rescuing and planting in appropriate places in the garden.
ALTERNATIVES
The other commonly grown species of cyclamen is C. coum, which is another great choice for naturalising under trees and shrubs. The flowers appear later, from winter through to spring and they have a similar mottled pattern to hederifolium but on a kidney-shaped leaf.
73 |
NERINE BOWDENII |
ONE OF THE MOST EXOTIC LOOKING FLOWERS IN AUTUMN WITH ITS BRIGHT, ROSE-PINK, TRUMPET-SHAPED FLOWERS WITH QUIRKY, WAVY-EDGED PETALS, HELD ALOFT ON THICK SPIKES, NERINE BOWDENII REALLY DOES ADD THE WOW FACTOR TO ANY FLOWER BORDER.
Flowering from late summer until late autumn, Nerine bowdenii is one of the best late flowering bulbs in the garden. Their attractive strap-shaped, mid-green leaves usually appear just after the flowers. An additional bonus is their faint musky aroma that scents the cool autumnal air. Being only about 45cm (18in) it is often the fragrance that I notice in the garden before seeing the plants in bloom.
The best place to grow them is in the herbaceous border where the bulbs can be planted in large blocks or rows to maximise their impact. This species was introduced by Cornish Bowden in 1903. They originate from mountainous areas of South Africa, and they like conditions to be similar to their native habitat which is dry and free draining. They often perform worse in wet and damp autumns. They also work well at the front of a hedge, so long as they’re not in its shadow, where they can cope with the dry soil at its base. I like to see them growing by yew or other dark hedging where the flowers stand out better against the background. Their love of dry, parched conditions means they enjoy being planted at the base of a warm, baked, south-facing wall.
Bulbs should be planted just below the surface in mild areas although in cooler areas they should be planted about 5cm (2in) deep to ensure they don’t get damaged by the frost. Plant them in late autumn or winter at about 10cm (4in) apart. Avoid digging in too much organic matter as this can cause lots of luxuriant foliage at the expense of flowers. Nerines generally prefer a light, free-draining soil. However, they will benefit from a layer of mulch being placed over the top of them after planting to protect them from frost.
ALTERNATIVES
There are about 30 different species but the only one hardy enough to grow outside other than N. bowdenii is undulata, which also has pale pink flowers with crinkly edges. One of the other famous nerines is the red or orange flowering N. sarniensis, commonly known as the Guernsey lily, from the seventeenth century when the bulbs were washed ashore from a passing ship and naturalised on the island. They are slightly tender and will only survive outdoors in frost-free gardens.
74 |
COLCHICUM AUTUMNALE |
FORMING A RICH TAPESTRY OF DELICATE MAUVE FLOWERS ON THE AUTUMN GARDEN FLOOR, THE COLCHICUM IS EASY TO GROW AND A GREAT WAY TO LIVEN UP THE GARDEN AS THE DAYS BEGIN TO DARKEN AND SHORTEN.
Colchicums will grow in either dappled shade or full sun so are ideal for the edge of a woodland garden or underneath shrubs and small trees. They can be naturalised in the open lawn or alongside a hedge. They are also suitable for rock gardens where they enjoy the well-drained conditions and are great in containers or even window-boxes. If growing them in the lawn, do bear in mind that you will need to avoid mowing the lawn until the foliage has died back naturally in summer.
Confusingly, often called autumn crocus, although it is not actually a crocus, Colchicum autumnale’s other popular name is naked ladies because the flowers appear before the foliage, which appears during winter and persists into spring and summer. Even more confusingly, another common name is meadow saffron, although this isn’t the plant that produces saffron – that is Crocus sativus.
Avoid heavy clay soil where possible and add plenty of sand or grit if these are the only gardening conditions available to you. Bulbs should be planted in late summer where they will quickly establish and grow quickly. If they spread too quickly they can be lifted and divided after flowering and redistributed in the garden.
The erect, strap-shaped leaves are up to 30cm (12in) in length and can look straggly for the remainder of the season so one trick is to plant them towards the back of a border, where spring and early summer herbaceous perennials will hide them until autumn when the plant in the foreground dies back or is cut back, revealing the naked ladies behind.
ALTERNATIVES
There is a gorgeous white form of C. autumnale called ‘Album’. ‘The Giant’ produces huge, mauve-pink flowers but can spread rapidly. Another worth giving a go is C. byzantinum, which also produces lots of large, mauve-pink flowers or speciosum, which flowers later than autumnale so is a great way of extending the season. Another popular variety is C. ‘Waterlily, which produces rosy-lilac petals.
75 |
CROCUS SATIVUS |
THE HARVEST FROM THE SAFFRON CROCUS IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS ‘RED GOLD’ BECAUSE IT CAN BE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN REAL GOLD. THIS BULB IS A STUNNER AND WILL ALSO PROVIDE YOU WITH YOUR OWN SAFFRON SPICE TO USE IN THE KITCHEN.
These hardy bulbs deserve a spot in every garden. Appearing in early autumn Crocus sativus carpet the ground with their vivid purple flowers and bright red centres. Commercially they have been grown in the past to produce saffron and there are still a few enterprises growing them for this reason. It was a thriving industry in Britain and gave its name to the town of Saffron Walden.
The part that is harvested and dried to make saffron is the pretty central red filament that each crocus produces. However, before you start to see growing saffron in your garden as equivalent to winning the lottery, bear in mind that it takes up to 150 flowers to make a single gram of dried saffron. Considering each bulb only produces one or two flowers that represents a lot of back-breaking work for little reward.
Crocus is grown almost all over the world and so is suitable for most climates, but needs full sun. What it doesn’t like is heavy soil. It requires light but fertile conditions, so if your garden is on clay, then you will need to add plenty of grit and sand to ensure the bulbs don’t just rot in the soil. They can be grown at the front of flower beds for an early autumn splash of colour, planting them at 10cm (4in) apart and 7.5cm (3in) deep. Alternatively they can be naturalised in the lawn, by simply sprinkling the bulbs over the surface and planting them where they land at a depth of 8cm (3in).
ALTERNATIVES
C. kotschyanus produces very delicate pale pink flowers with pretty yellow centres and pure white stamens. The other popular autumn crocus is C. ochroleucus that appears later in the season and has pretty white flowers with egg-yolk yellow throats and stems.
76 |
VITIS ‘BRANDT’ |
THIS SPECTACULAR GRAPEVINE LOOKS WONDERFUL WHEN ADORNING THE SIDES OF HOUSES OR DRAPED OVER PERGOLAS AND FENCES WITH WONDERFUL AUTUMN FOLIAGE. BUT EVEN BETTER, IT ALSO PRODUCES DELICIOUS GRAPES TO EAT OR MAKE WINE FROM.
Bring a touch of the rolling vineyards of France to your back door by growing this ornamental grapevine in your garden. Vitis ‘Brandt’ is a climbing plant and so will ideally need something to scramble up. My favourite place to see it is trained onto a pergola providing you with shade from the midday sun when dining al fresco during midsummer. As summer changes to autumn you can look upwards and see the grape bunches all hanging downwards, tempting to you to pluck them as they ripen. They are edible although there are better tasting varieties available, however, a reasonable wine can be made from them.
The main reason for growing this grapevine isn’t for the fruit, but for the attractive, lobed leaves the size of dinner plates that turn a vivid red and purple as the cooler weather approaches.
Grapevines like a fertile, free-draining soil. They are usually trained as climbers on south-facing walls as they are real sun worshippers. However, if you’re not worried about the grapes ripening, and just want the full-on autumn foliage effect, then partial shade will be fine. In smaller gardens they can be trained as fans or espaliers on a system of wires or trellis. They can even be grown as shrubs if regularly pruned. The best time to prune them is when the plants are dormant. Prune back all the new growth to two buds except, for the leading shoot, which can be trained in the direction you wish to grow it.
ALTERNATIVES
If you want to grow vines for wine, then you can go traditional by selecting chardonnay (for white wine) or pinot noir (for red wine), but you will need very favourable warm sites for them to ripen fully. Other, hardier varieties might be more suitable such as ‘Muller Thurgau’ (white grapes) but this is prone to mildew, or some of the modern varieties, such as ‘Orion’ (white grapes), ‘Phoenix’ (white grapes) or ‘Regent’ (black grapes).
77 |
PARTHENOCISSUS QUINQUEFOLIA |
COMMONLY KNOWN AS VIRGINIA CREEPER OR AMERICAN IVY, THIS FOLIAGE-STUNNER PRODUCES DRAMATIC AND EYE-CATCHING RED AND CRIMSON LEAVES IN AUTUMN.
Originating from Eastern North America, this climbing vine is simply glorious when the temperatures drop and the attractive leaves turn fiery red and crimson. It is fair to say this climber is unrivalled in terms of impressive foliage. This is partly due to the impressive colours, but also due to the imposing size it can reach, producing a huge wall of intense autumnal foliage. To get the best colours it should be grown in full or dappled shade.
Possibly invasive if left to its own devices, be prepared to do the occasional radical prune. Once it starts to grow, stray shoots will need to be tied in, and others pruned back in autumn or early winter.
Due to its rampant growth it is possibly not always the greatest choice of plant for very small gardens or house-owners who are short on time and want low- maintenance gardens. Bear in mind they can reach as high as 20m (65ft), which can cause problems for plant care, particularly if they start to grow into gutters and brickwork.
Thriving in fertile, well-drained soil, the best time to plant one is in autumn when the soil is still warm.
ALTERNATIVES
P. tricuspidata, the Boston ivy, is similar to Virginia creeper but its leaves are three fingered instead of five. It too is a vigorous, self-clinging, deciduous climber with leaves that turn a shocking crimson and purple in autumn. Another similar choice is P. henryana, which has deciduous, dark velvety green or tinged bronze foliage.
Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’
Sambucus nigra ‘Gerda’
Cotinus ‘Grace’
Euonymus elatus ‘Compactus’
Parthenocissus quinquifolia
Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’
Penstemon ‘Garnet’
Sedum spectabile ‘Ruby Glow’
Kniphofia ‘Royal Standard’
Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’
Nerine bowdenii
This border will guarantee you a hot, fiery display of rich colour and tone as the season changes. Foliage colours in red, purple and black will provide a great backdrop to the late but dramatic dahlia and kniphofia flowers, while the gentler penstemons, asters and sedums provide cohesion and continuity.
• Allow Parthenocissus quinquifolia to climb the wall or fence at the back where its leaves will gradually turn deeper and deeper red.
• Plant the Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ in the back left corner where it will receive most shelter from cold winds and the Sambucas nigra ‘Gerda’ in the opposite corner.
• Cotinus ‘Grace’ should be planted just off centre again towards the back to bring structure and a wonderful delicate tone to the scheme.
• Plant Euonymus alatum ‘Compactus’ in front of the Sambucus for colour contrast.
• Through the main part of the border drift, Penstemon ‘Garnet’, Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’ and Sedum spectabile ‘Ruby Glow’ interspersed with individual plants of Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’ for variety.
• Add Kniphofia ‘Royal Standard’ in the front corners and clumps of Nerine bowdenii at the front of this border to complete the effect.
THESE AUTUMN BORDERS COMBINE STUNNING, LATE FLOWERING BLOOMS WITH INTERESTING TEXTURES AND VIBRANT FOLIAGE TO BRIGHTEN SHADY SPOTS.
A flat, relaxed scheme with only late flowering perennials can look extremely stylish. For extra interest grasses can also be added for a more textured effect. These are plants that need little care to perform well so this is a good scheme for those short of time.
Helenium ‘Moorheim Beauty’
Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’
Sedum spectabile ‘Ruby Glow’
Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’
Penstemon Garnet
• Plant several long skinny drifts of each flower, making sure that each drift overlaps at least slightly, for the most natural effect.
Not all autumnal planting schemes have to be based on strong and vibrant colour. This small design is perfect for a shady area, where the white of the anemones and silver-leaved cyclamen will illuminate the gloom.
• Plant Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’ in the centre of your scheme with Anemone ‘Honorine de Jobert’ around its back and the tiny Cyclamen hederifolium scattered under and towards the front.
Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’
Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’
Cyclamen hederifolium
Late autumn and leading into winter is the ideal time to get your composting area sorted as the garden starts to slow up and the craziness of spring and summer’s growth is over. Having good compost in the garden helps to improve the quality of the soil and saves having to cart all your garden waste to recycling centres in the car.
Having a great garden isn’t just about having great plants. It is also about trying to make it as sustainable and manageable as possible. One of the ways this can be done is to recycle all your garden waste into making good compost, which can then be added to the flower beds. You don’t need a big garden for a compost site. There are small compost units that can be bought, such as daleks, that can be fitted into the smallest of areas. There are even some that have a rotating drum, so you don’t have to physically turn the compost with a spade, but instead just turn a handle. They can easily be fitted into a corner in a courtyard garden or even onto a balcony.
For larger gardens, many compost heaps are made out of three pallets or fence panels, simply using them on their edges, one at the back and two at the sides, nailed together. This very simple design is wonderful because it means it’s easy to push a wheelbarrow in and out of the bay, and you can usually pick up pallets for free.
Producing good-quality compost is all about getting the right balance. It should ideally be about 50 per cent nitrogen-rich material and 50 per cent carbon-based material. Compost should not be smelly or slimy, but should be nicely friable, crumbly and of a dark brown colour.
Nitrogen-rich material includes grass clippings, kitchen waste and other herbaceous materials. Carbon-based materials include newspaper, leaves and wood chippings. If you have too much nitrogen in your mix then the compost will go all slimy and stinky. Too much carbon and it won’t break down.
To speed up the process of composition a compost heap should be turned every few weeks allowing the air to circulate around the material. When turning, all the material should be dug out of the heap and the stuff at the bottom put at the top ,and vice versa. Having an empty bay next to the current one to turn the compost into saves you having to double handle the compost.
If space allows you should have two or three compost bins on the go: one that is in use to add your material to; one that is in the process of decomposition; and a third one that is decomposed and ready to use in the garden.
Most fruit and vegetable kitchen garden waste can go into the compost, but avoid eggshells, meat and fish as they will attract rats.
It is useful to get a chipper if you can. Some of them are quite small and can be fitted into most sheds when not being used. They’re great for getting rid of all those prunings. As well as adding into the compost, chippings can also be spread onto some of the beds to act as a mulch and help suppress the weeds. Wood chip is best used for around tree circles, beds in a woodland setting, shrub borders and around the base of hedges.
In autumn, another useful material to use in the garden is leaf mould. This can be useful for putting around woodland plants as a mulch, as these plants are accustomed to having leaf litter falling around them in their natural environment. It can also be used for potting up shrubs, trees and ferns.
Making leaf mould couldn’t be simpler. Simply gather up all the fallen leaves in the garden during autumn. Shred the leaves by running the lawnmower over them. Place them in a black bin liner, add some water (about a watering can amount) and leave somewhere dark and shady, such as behind the shed for it to rot down for a year. Next autumn you will have a lovely dark material to add onto the soil in your garden.
Plants will also enjoy a liquid feed to give them a boost during spring and summer, and this can be made for free from plant material. The two most commonly used plants are nettles and comfrey. Nettles are high in nitrogen and useful for feeding plants when they first come into growth in spring as it helps them develop lots of green lush leaves. Comfrey is particularly high in potassium, which helps plants develop flowers, colour and fruit set, and so can be used for feed later on in the season when plants start to come into bloom. However, both liquids do contain most of the essential nutrients required for plants so either will do if you just want to make one type.
• To make a liquid feed, cut back comfrey or nettles and collect up all the leaves.
• Fill up a bucket with the material and then cover it all with water.
• Leave it for a few weeks to allow all the material to rot down. Do be aware that this stuff really stinks so try to leave it somewhere where you won’t be getting a whiff of it every time you step out into the garden.
• Once it has rotted down it needs to be sieved into plastic bottles.
• Feed plants once a week by diluting this concentrate at a rate of about 10 parts water to 1 part comfrey/nettle feed.
Planting a tree is a long-term investment, so it is worth giving it the best possible start you can. Trees can vary in height enormously so check the details before purchasing to make sure you have room for it in your garden. To me, planting a tree is the most satisfying aspect of gardening. It is planting something of beauty that should hopefully survive for future generations. It is a way of enhancing nature while at the same time leaving your personal mark on the surrounding landscape.
Trees can be planted at any time of year, but the best time is autumn when the soil is still warm from the previous summer, and its roots will have time to settle into its new home before the onset of winter. Most trees come in containers (pots) but in autumn and winter bareroot trees become available, which are much cheaper and often healthier as they have been grown in the ground rather than in a pot, where they can become pot-bound.
The key aspect to planting a tree is to ensure it is not too deep. Many trees die in the first couple of years because the tree’s trunk rots at the base from having been planted too deeply in the ground.
• Dig out a circular hole that is double the circumference of the root system and the same depth. Place the spoil from the hole on a board to one side.
• Check the depth of the hole by placing the tree in the hole and putting a stick across it. The stick should be at the same level as the top of the rootball.
• Sometimes trees grown in containers have only recently been placed into their pots and therefore are deeper than they should be in the compost. Scrape back any loose compost at the base of the tree to reveal the top of the root system. That is the level the tree should be planted in the soil.
• Use a fork to spike the sides of the hole to encourage the roots to grow outwards rather than spiralling in the hole.
• Avoid digging and loosening up the soil at the base of the hole, because this will cause the tree to sink after planting. Only loosen the soil if there is a solid pan in the soil structure.
• If the tree is at the correct height, back fill around the root system using the spoil from the hole. If the soil is really poor it can be improved with compost, but ideally you want the tree to spread its roots outwards to find its own nutrients, as this will make the tree stronger and better anchored, rather than keeping its roots in the planting hole.
• Firm the soil around the roots, ensuring there aren’t large air pockets left in the soil. The most effective way to firm it in the soil is to use your heel at the edge of the hole, with your toes pointing towards the trunk, and press down firmly, working your way around the tree. Afterwards check the tree is still upright and straight.
• If the tree is in an exposed position it will benefit from being staked to prevent it being rocked about in the wind. In sheltered positions the tree shouldn’t need a stake. The stake should only remain for two or three years and then be removed as the tree should then have a strong enough root system to keep itself upright.
• Use a sledge hammer to bang a sturdy stake into the ground at about 45 degrees, ensuring you miss the rootball. Ideally the stake should be on the side where the prevailing wind won’t keep blowing the tree onto it as this will damage the tree.
• Use a tree tie (or even a pair of old tights) to attach the trunk of the tree to the stake at about one-third of the way up the trunk. The idea is that the trunk further up will learn to flex with the wind and this will strengthen it enabling it to survive when the stake is taken away a couple of years later. Make sure the padding of the tree tie is between the trunk and the stake to prevent it from rubbing away the bark.
• Finally, water in the plant well and then stand back and admire your handiwork. Hopefully in years to come, you or even the next generations will also be able to stand back and admire it … albeit with a craned neck as they look at the heady heights to which it has now grown.
