Once the summer warmth fades, long sunny days return to cooler climes as the nights draw in. The change of season into autumn marks the start of nature’s long wind down into winter, and it’s not only us who retreat indoors to wait out the colder months. Flowers that once lit the garden with a rainbow of colour begin to fade, and the vast canopy of lush green growth withers and falls, as trees and plants recede into winter survival mode.
This is when, most notably, our own gardens can fall into a category of ‘deflated shabbiness’. However, all should not be lost! Autumn is a time of great celebration, it marks a season of festivities such as Halloween, Bonfire Night and Harvest festivals. All in their own right are displays of vibrancy, colour and bounty. Our gardens don’t have to be excluded from this seasonal celebration - not all of nature completely shuts down during these months - some take the opportunity to shine with colour and form that creates a welcome ambience to the garden at this time of year.
Here are five plants we think are perfect to lift the mood of your garden in autumn:
Cyclamen
A seasonal favourite of many, Cyclamen are frequent sellers for many garden centres and plant nurseries at this time of year. With a big variety now available, both hardy and tender forms, Cyclamen are a must for Autumn colour.
Fragrant pink and white jewel-like flowers dangle delicately on dainty stems protruding from marble heart-shaped leaves that hug the ground tightly. En masse, these tuberous perennials form quite the attractive picture in a woodland setting, underplanting trees and dotted amongst evergreen ferns to create a naturalistic effect.
Whilst these hardy or tender plants do make an excellent addition to a shady section, as the vibrant pinks and white seem to glow in darker spots, they are in fact Mediterranean in origin and are equally happy in sun or shade. Why not try them in pots or hanging baskets as a great replacement for those summer bedding displays that have all but finished.
Liriope muscari
Not to be confused with their namesake Muscari (Grape Hyacinth), Liriope muscari are an evergreen perennial form that may not be familiar with many, but ought to be.
Low-growing mounds of neat grassy-like foliage sit amongst the full orchestra of the spring and summer flower show until autumn arrives. Then, as the seasonal colour fades and falls, masses of vibrant blue-purple flowers emerge on long slender spikes, to produce a timely display of colour.
But don’t let their graceful form fool you, these are tough plants that tolerate a multitude of conditions, even those problematic dry shady spots. They prefer shade or dappled shade, so they make the perfect addition to a woodland theme or shady border, but will cope with full sun if the soil is on the moist side.
This versatility, along with its attractive evergreen textural form, makes this plant not only an autumn must but a perfect addition all-year-round to any garden display. They are the perfect accompaniment for underplanting: planted en masse, their slender foliage contrasts beautifully with larger leaf forms, creating a subtle frame at the base of a specimen tree or shrub. With their tightly formed neat characteristics, why not use them for edging a border or along a path to add some spectacle this autumn.
Callicarpa
An autumn favourite of mine, Callicarpa really does merit its common name, beauty berry, and is a real showstopper at this time of year.
In spring, young shoots of foliage in bronze/purple emerge from bare winter stems, developing strong dark green tones through to summer, before the bright yellows and golden displays materialise in autumn. However, it’s not just the golden leaf display that makes this plant an ideal autumn performer. Amongst the seasonal foliage, dense bejewelled clusters of purple berries transpire. These bead-like violet berries dazzle with luminosity amongst the fading planting all around, creating a visual spectacle.
This radiant quality makes the Callicarpa a great addition as a stand-alone specimen or equally a contrasting figure in a mixed border. Tolerating sun or dappled shade and reaching a height and spread of almost 3 meters, this really is a useful shrub and perfectly containable in a smaller urban garden. Why not try harvesting the bare stems and berries and incorporating them in an autumnal flower display in the home.
Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’
What autumn display would be without the majesty and autumnal splendour of a maple during this season. But in particular a firm horticulturist favourite, the Japanese maple, specifically the Acer palmatum.
We chose the Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’, a deciduous small tree or shrub that is largely grown for its fine and gentle feather-like foliage. Much like all the palmatum species, this variety has a strong structural appearance, with stems that gnarl and diverge beautifully with maturity and a canopy that opens up like an elegant umbrella. In spring and summer, this canopy is awash with a lime-electric green lush foliage, but when the seasons change to autumn, soothing greens are replaced with the effervescence of fiery yellows and oranges that light up the seasonal presentation.
Reaching mature heights and spread between 2 and 3 meters, with a rounded more compacted habit than other varieties, dissectum proves a useful member for any garden scheme, providing they are kept in sheltered spots away from all day sun and drying winds. Its weeping form makes it a great addition as a stand-alone specimen in a large container or indeed positioned next to a pond where you can enjoy the extended colour show reflected across the water.
Sorbus aucuparia
When planning your garden, it’s important to consider guests, especially any of the local wildlife inhabitants. Autumn marks the slow wind down to winter, for many of us it means swapping the avocado salad for the lavish Sunday roast, but for our smaller furry and feathered neighbours, food can become a whole lot scarcer. It is therefore important, especially in more urban areas, that our gardens become a haven for any nature that resides, and that our back yards provide vital habitat not just for the easier warmer months but for the tougher times through autumn and winter.
Adding trees like Sorbus aucuparia is not only great for Autumn interest, but they provide a vital platform for wildlife. A native to the UK and Europe, the Mountain Ash or Rowan is recognised by its dainty pinnate leaf structure and typical conical shape. In the autumn, rich green leaves turn into deep reds and yellows and an abundance of dense pendant-like bunches of red/orange berries emerge. These ruby pearl-like fruits encapsulate the autumn colour theme, whilst also proving a much needed bounty for many bird species.
Reaching heights of around 12 meters and tolerating a wide range of different soils, these small native trees are great for a town garden, especially for attracting wildlife. With many varieties available now with berry colours ranging from orange to pink, the rowan is an excellent choice for an urban or wildlife garden, to get the best out of autumn, whilst also giving nature the assistance it greatly needs.
For more useful planting tips or help planning your dream garden, contact Chris Wild Garden Design for a consultation.
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