5 plants that love autumn
As we see less of the sun towards the end of summer, we also tend to see less colour in the garden – but it doesn’t have to be this way. There are plenty of plants that flourish in cooler conditions and can add vibrant new life to a tired flowerbed. Here are five plants guaranteed to give your garden a bright and colourful autumn.
Chrysanthemum – When summer bedding plants have faded away, the vibrant blooms of the perennial chrysanthemum are sure to catch the eye. These rugged spheres of colour will last all the way through to the first frosts of winter. An added bonus is that the sturdy stems also make excellent cut flowers in the home.
Pansies – These make a wonderful addition to your garden because of their vibrant colours and delicate fragrance. Many varieties struggle when the weather starts to turn colder, but real winter-flowering pansies will keep blooming all the way through to late spring. These popular and traditional flowers are a great choice for beginner gardeners as they don’t require much looking after.
Cyclamen hederifolium – Otherwise known as ivy-leaved cyclamen or Neapolitain cyclamen, this perennial with attractive pink flowers adds a welcome dash of colour to match the golden leaves falling from the trees. Often emerging after the flowers, there’s the added bonus of heart-shaped, deep green leaves, patterned with silver, that create a striking marbled effect.
Sneezeweed – A flower every bit as captivating as its name, this shimmering orange daisy has a prominent brown velvet centre. Many of our prettiest garden plants are saddled with having ‘weed’ in their name, but this is certainly no weed as we know it. Better still, a garden full of it won’t make you sneeze either. What it will do is help extend the life of your garden well into September.
Snapdragons – Equally splendidly named, these flowers will give you dazzling colours to admire right the way through the season. This plant looks at its most majestic when planted in clusters in a cottage garden or an informal border.