If the prospect of putting on your Lifestyle garden furniture covers, cutting back your floral displays and generally winding down the garden is making you feel sad, now is a great time to plan for autumn colour. Here are a few ideas for late blooming flowers that are at their best in September and October.
Chrysanthemum
Hardy, perennial and hugely varied, chrysanthemums do very well in UK gardens, as long as they are in a sunny spot. Flowerhead shapes range from large pompoms to looser anemone-like open petals. Try Avignon Pink, Pip Salmon, Spider Bronze, Spiro Yellow, Tarantula Red or Tula Purple for bright bursts of colour to liven up your autumnal borders.
Pansy
Pansies are perfect for injecting gorgeous shades of purple, yellow and blue into any autumn landscape. These incredibly hardy little plants can be planted out as late as October and can flower right up to December in the right conditions. That said, the earlier you get winter varieties into the ground, the more chance they have to develop a solid root system. Go for a mixed variety like Autumn Blaze or Autumn Jewels for maximum impact.
Dianthus
More commonly known as ‘pinks’, dianthus come in hardy annual, biennial or perennial varieties and are close relatives of the carnation. In addition to an abundance of pretty flower heads and blue-grey foliage, dianthus also have a lovely, slightly spicy fragrance. Try Flutterburst for height or Deltoides for thicker ground cover.
Plant some of these gorgeous flowers for the perfect antidote to the end of summer blues.
