As summer turns towards autumn you may be looking forward to a bold splash of colour from your late flowering annuals. To blanket the ground you can use a mass planting of easy to grow annuals with long flowering characteristics. Below we offer a list of top ten annuals to consider but there are many varieties and species that fit the bill.

Autumn Annual Bed

• Plan where you are going to plant your annuals for autumn flowering. Consider height, colour and shape of the plants in your selection. Plan low at the front and contrasting colours in opposition
• Improve the soil with compost dug in to improve water retention.
• Rake the top soil smooth and mark out a plan of what you want to grow where.
• Individual potted or plug plants can be set 3-4inches apart.
• Some plants you can grow from scattered seed to fill the gaps. They may need thinning later.

Plant Varieties for Autumn Annuals

• Low growers to consider include the white Sweet Allysum ‘Little Dorrit’, Tagetes tennufoila ‘Tangerine Gem’ and Viola ‘Maxim Marina’ light blue with dark faces.
• Zinnias can be free sown and a good mixed packet will flower in red, orange, yellow, pink and cream.
• Wax begonias semperflorens is a popular low grower that will stand a bit of shade if necessary.
• I like African Marigolds a big double flower in yellow or orange. French Marigolds are smaller but intensely coloured and will go on flowering until the first frost.
• Cineraria senecio is a plant grown for it’s light grey- silver finely cut leaves.
• For mid height and airy foliage try Cosmos ‘Sonata white’ or Mexican sunflowers.
• If you have some form of support for climbers there are several annuals that work hard to give you a good display including; Ipomea alba or ‘Cardinal’, Mirablis jalapa, Lablab purpureus and the cup and saucer vine Cobaea scandens.
• I am already over the ten plants and you probably only need 5 varieties repeating in a pattern. However the best value seeds are often from the annual Dahlias which flower for fun.

Photo Credits
Mixed Annuals by dbkfrog CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

“2008-07-08 Mohave Autumn Bronze – Bracteantha by rosepetal236 and 2008-07-08 Colorado State University Annual Flower Trial Garden by rosepetal236 CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Footnotes for Autumn Annuals

Some plants may last more than one season but I recommend treating all these plants as annuals.
Collect the seed in autumn if you want to grow then again and compost the old plants.
Deadhead and pick for indoor use to encourage even more flowers.
In the UK plant in early June to give your annuals chance to develop good roots.

Description & Growing Deciduous Azalea

• All Azalea are Rhododendron but not all Rhododendron are Azaleas. Now we have that as clear as a muddy pond what is an Azalea?
• An Azalea can be an evergreen or deciduous flowering shrub with pale or startling coloured blooms.
• Some Azaleas are scented whilst others are without scent. Whatever you think about deciduous Azaleas, ‘muddy and boring’ they are not.
• Azalea are some of the most gay and brilliant flowering shrubs yet grown.
• For the technically minded Azaleas are in the genus Rhododendron, with evergreen azaleas in the subgenus Tsutsusi and deciduous azaleas in the subgenus Pentanthera.

Varieties & Hybrids of Deciduous Azalea for Growing

• The species have been much crossed and bred but the scented Rhododendron luteum and Rhododendron japonica are available as species.
• Knapp Hill hybrids are amongst the most colourful deciduous Azaleas.
• The Ghent hybrids have sweetly scented, honeysuckle-shaped flowers with long stamen emarging from the tube.
• The Rhododendron Mollis Azaleas are crossed between Rhododendron mollis and Rhododendron japonicum
• Rustica hybrids have fragrant double flowers and Occidentale hybrids flower in late May
• The Exbury range were bred by Lionel de Rothschild who loved deciduous azaleas and carried out much breeding work to enhance colours and scent. The Solent Range was started by George Hyde a private grower in Dorset but bought for Exbury (Images).
• For specimen plants Azalea Coccinea Speciosa or R obtusum are recommended

Cultivation and Soil for Deciduous Azalea

• Azaleas need an acid soil, pH 4.5-6.0 is best. Prepare the soil well and over a good area as the plants will be in-situ for many years.
• Roots are fibrous and tend to be near the surface so don’t hoe too closely
• Azaleas are relatively pest-free, forgiving and easy to grow plants. They like to be mutually supporting so closer planting (say 3 feet for stronger growers) is better for general health.
• Mulch with at least an inch of peat, pine bark or wood chips to keep moisture in the ground, allow air into the soil, even out changes in the soil temperature and keep weeds down.

Cultivation and Watering for Deciduous Azalea

• Azaleas like moist soil at their roots. This may require supplemental watering at least until plants are established in the ground for a few years.
• Adequate water after flowering helps to produce more flower buds for next year.
• An infrequent deep soaking is more effective than superficial sprinkling. If the Autumn has been dry water well before winter.
• Azaleas do not like “wet feet”. Good drainage can be provided by planting azaleas with the tops of their root balls a few inches above ground level and mounding the soil up to the plants particularly on heavy clay soil. Moss growing on the soil is an indication of chronic bad drainage.

Unusual Facts about Deciduous Azales

• As a woodland tree Azaleas except Mollis hybrids like shade and the flowers last longer.
• Flowers start before the leaves are fully open

Old & Odd Tips From Gardeners Tips

• More sun typically produces a more compact plant. You may get more blooms but they will not last as long.
• Established azaleas do not need fertilizer but a little sulphate of ammonia in spring gives a nitrogen boost and water in potash if flowering is poor. Undertake any fertilising in late winter or early spring so you do not encourage sappy growth that may be killed in a cold winter.

‘Azaleas are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Pentanthera (deciduous) and Tsutsuji (evergreen). Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks. Shade tolerant, they prefer living near or under trees.’

Horticultural Sources and Links about Deciduous Azaleas

• Glendoick in Scotland is a great nursery specialising in Rhododendrons and they have some grand Deciduous Azaleas
• Burncoose Gardens Burncoose Gardens
• Cally Gardens Cally Gardens in South West Scotland)
• Glenwhan Gardens Glenwhan Gardens

Photo Credits
Deciduous azalea by Eric Hunt CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Rhododendron occidentale #4 by J.G. in S.F. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Orange deciduous Azalea by wallygrom CC BY-SA 2.0
Azalea by dmott9 CC BY-ND 2.0
Azalea Berry Rose flower by Herms56 CC BY-NC 2.0

Description, Cultivation and Growing Tips for Globeflower

• Globeflower is a herbaceous perennial plant that generally flowers yellow in spring or early summer.
• They are another meadowland plant closely related to the buttercup but flower 1-3 feet tall depending on variety.
• Globeflowers are easy to grow, disease resistant and good for cutting.
• Keep the soil moist, they like a boggy soil that isn’t too wet in winter.
• Mulch with an organic compost in winter to protect the roots.
• Plants will grow and flower in partial shade.

Common Names and Varieties of Globeflower

• Globeflower is the common name for Trollius which is a family of around 20 species and many hybrids and cultivars.
• The petals of Trollius europaeus are curved over the top of the flower to appear like a ball or spherical globe giving the plant its common name.
• Many of the other species such as Trollius chinensis have more open, flatter flowers. Golden Queen is a variety with prominent stamens that form a crown on the head of each flower. It grows taller than most varieties and the flowers can be 2-3 inches across.
• Trollius europeaeus ‘Superbus’ has an AGM and is readily available.
• Lemon Queen, Fireglobe and Canary bird are descriptive varieties for growing.

Unusual Facts about Globeflower

• All Globeflowers and Trollius species are poisonous to cattle and other livestock but not butterflies which thrive on the leaves.
• The globe is formed by the inward curve of the sepals and there are no true petals.
• Pale yellow flowering Alabaster tones well with Lobelia cardinalis which also enjoys a wet soil

Old & Odd Tips From Gardeners Tips – Globeflower

• Collect the seed from your own plants and sow immediately whilst the seed is fresh.
• In our experience the plants do not transplant easily. Sow seed where you want them to flower.

Horticultural Sources and Advice

• Globeflower are slow clump formers with a mass of fibrous roots.
• You can often obtain seeds or plants from our mail order company of choice Thompson & Morgan
• Hybrids of Globeflowers are labeled Trollius x cultorum and are probably crosses between three species: Trollius europaeus, Trollius asiaticus and Trollius chinensis.

Credits
Trollius europaeus ‘Superbus’ Globeflower and Trollius chinensis ‘Golden Queen’ Globeflower by KingsbraeGarden CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Trollblumen by vasile23 CC BY 2.0
Globe Flower, Die Trollblume, Trollius europaeus by Dandelion And Burdock CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Maj 2005 by Isfugl,CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Forget-me-not Cultivation and Growing Tips

• These plants are very easy to grow from seed. Sow one year and they flower the next because most varieties are biennials.
• Forget-me-nots are usually blue but are also found in pink and white and shades of blue.
• Forget-me-nots are dwarf, compact plants upto a foot tall! A fantastic addition to spring beds and borders.
• The plants complement golden Daffodils yellow Wallflowers and Primulas.
• Sow May -June and thin out. Plants self sow all over my garden so clear out any invaders.
• Plants can also be purchase to avoid the problems of sowing your own.

Forget-me-not Common Names and Varieties to Consider

• Myosotis is the Latin name for Forget-me-nots. It is a family of 50 species. See main varieties at the foot of this page
• Historically it got the name ‘mouse ears’ due to the shape of its leaves.
• Varieties to look out for include Ultramarine and Blue ball or for Alpine Forget-me-nots ‘Ruth Fisher’.

Unusual Facts about Forget-me-nots

• Newfoundland in Canada used the Forget-me-not as a symbol of remembrance of that nation’s war dead.
• Germans and Freemasons use forget-me-nots as a symbol not to forget the poor and desperate. (Germany may need a good crop with the economy in such a state.)

Old & Odd Tips From Gardeners Tips on Forget-me-nots

• Plant in drifts around the edge of ponds.
• Pull up and compost plants as they finish flowering – you will still get lots of seedlings.
• Use forget-me-nots as a cut flower when in bud to prolong vase life.

Horticultural Sources and Advice on Forget-me-not

• You can often obtain seeds or plants from our mail order company of choice Thompson & Morgan
• Powdery mildew can be a problem in dry soil. Pull up and destroy infected plants.
• Species include; Myosotis alpestris – Alpine Forget-me-not
  Myosotis arvensis – Field Forget-me-not
  Myosotis asiatica – Asiatic Forget-me-not
  Myosotis azorica – Azores Forget-me-not
  Myosotis caespitosa – Tufted Forget-me-not
  Myosotis discolor – Changing Forget-me-not
  Myosotis latifolia – Broadleaf Forget-me-not
  Myosotis laxa – Tufted Forget-me-not, Bay Forget-me-not
  Myosotis scorpioides – True Forget-me-not
  Myosotis secunda – Creeping Forget-me-not
  Myosotis sicula – Jersey Forget-me-not
  Myosotis sylvatica – Wood Forget-me-not
  Myosotis verna – Spring Forget-me-not

Credits
forget-me-nots by Mags CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Dandelion and Forget-me-nots (1) by Purrrpl_Haze CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Flowers from my granny’s garden by sermoa CC BY-SA 2.0

Top Ten Selection

1. Little Beauty 5″ with white perianth and yellow corona
2. Rip Van Winkle
3. Sun Disc a consistent bulb with round disc shaped yellow flower.
4. Hawera with reflex bachward pointing petals
5. Petrel has several ivory-white hanging flowers per stem.
6. Segovia -with a white perianth contrasted by a neat lemon cup
7. Snipe A classic 5″ tall white cyclamineus type with a green tinge.
8. Baby Moon late flowering and scented jonquilla type.
9. Baby Doll with pink cups and a nice scent.
10. La Belle with yellow flowers and shallow coronas in orange-yellow with a distinct reddish-orange rim

Daffodils are organised into groups and classes called divisions. Read more about Daffodil divisions that encompass miniature daffodils and narcissus varieties.

Tips on Miniature Daffodil and Narcissus

• Look in spring for successful varieties that you may want to buy for planting this Autumn.
• Buy pots in bloom this spring so you know what you are getting. Deadhead before the seedheads start to develop and feed the bulbs with a high phosphate feed.
• One of the smaller varieties is Bulbocodium Conspicuous, yellow hooped petticoat at 4 inches tall with golden yellow flowers.
• The scented Jonquilla has a couple of varieties that are low growing including Jonquil Single, Sugarbush and the ivory white flowered apricot cup of Waterperry.
• Cyclamineus varieties tend to be low growing. One of the most popular is the Tete-a-Tete with fluted golden trumpets which bulks up quite well year on year.
• For something different try the double Rip Van Winkle or the pinky yellow Nanus.
• Place your order from a reputable bulb supplier during summer so that you get the varieties you want before the best bulbs are sold out. The best time to plant miniature daffodils is from September until mid October. They like to make long roots before flowering and fully produce their leaves first. .

Try growing Narcissus bulbocodium ‘Golden Bells’ commonly called the Hoop Petticoat Daffodil! Bulbs from Thompson & Morgan

Cyclamineus – Div 6 are eye-catching daffodils with reflex petals.
Triandrus Daffodils – Div 5 are a result of breeding from the species N.triandrus. There are mid flowering height and usually 2 to 5 delightful hanging flowers per stem. Available from the Miniature Bulb Co
The Daffodil Society has a list of other bulb suppliers

Cultivation and Growing Tips for Pompom Daisies

• Bellis perennis is the name of the small common daisy found in great profusion growing in lawns. Pom Pom Daisy is the cultivated double daisy that makes a good spring flowering ornamental plant.
• Grow from seed sown in late spring/early summer outdoors in a sheltered, shady site in a well prepared seed bed about ¼in deep.
• Germination usually takes 14-21 days.
• Thin seedlings out to 4-6in apart when they are large enough to handle and finally transplant to flowering site in autumn in sun or part shade for flowering the following spring.
• Bellis perenis Pom Poms are great for small beds, edging, windowboxes etc.
• Greenfly love to eat the tender leaves so keep an eye open in case you need to treat the plants

Common Names and Varieties of Pom Poms to Consider

• Pompom daisies are available in red, pink and white. You can buy them as self colours or in mixed packets of seed
• ‘Tasso Mixed’ is one of the best pomponette bellis ever introduced! Flowers are larger than normal pom – pom types, on compact, short, strong flower stems. The bright colours of rose, deep rose, red and white, will all give excellent results
• ‘Petite Pom Pom’ and ‘Pomponette’ have rosettes of mid-green leaves with narrow stems topped with pink, dark pink and white pompons from early spring to autumn.

Old & Odd Tips From Gardeners Tips

• Pom Pom daisies look good in containers, rockeries and paired with Tulips.
• Deadheading will prolong flowering or leave to seed and collect for next season.
• Will grow in some shade and withstand an open windy position

Credits

Buy more varieties of Daisies at Thompson & Morgan

Sorry if you feel badly done too by the head line. The shrubs in question major on one colour but as there are three shrubs I called them three coloured shrubs. It seemed logical at the time but I recognise you could have been expecting tri-coloured shrubs.

The red leaves of the Photinia fraseri is often called Robinia which is really best reserved for the False Acacia or Robinia psuedoacacia ‘Frisia. In the spring the new waxy leaves are a vibrant and shiny red only slowly aging to light green. This plant copes well in the shade in a clay soil. I give it no special treatment and it forms a key part of my low maintenance area.

Behind the Photinia fraseri is another garden stalwart the Lilac. This small tree is just coming into flower and with a bit of sun each blossom will open a lighter colour and almost match the sky behind. As with the other shrubs here the Lilac likes the clay soil.

The Berberis Julianae has been very good this year which I put down to the sunny dry March and the cooler climate since then.

The angle of this photograph has changed and emphasis is placed on a white Hebe still to flower and the conical evergreen Picea.
The shrubs at the front cover the trunk of the Lilac that can be a bit uninteresting other than when the Lilac is in blossom.

I was lucky to get some old cast iron wheels for the garden and I planted a Spirea ‘Goldflame’ close by to get my ‘Wheels on Fire’. In Spring the foliage is the main attraction but when the shrub blossoms the bees will be an added attraction.
This plant grows to 3 foot but I then prune it down hard so it can’t get any larger.

Tips for Growing Spirea

• Beginners tips on Spirea
• Buy dormant plants in containers for planting between autumn and spring.
• Avoid buying plants that are too large or pot bound.
• Plant in full sun and water during dry periods for the best results.
• Plant roots can be divided in late winter to increase your stock of plants.
• Prune to 1″ for more flowers or halve the length of stems for a more dense bush.
• Spirea as a genus of flowering shrubs has around 100 species and hybrids cultivated by gardeners.
• Spirea is a hardy genus that will grow almost anywhere.
• Plants will tolerate part sun or shade and even poor soil.
• Pot bound plants do not transplant very well so buy them when dormant and check the container by tapping the plant out.
• Spirea japonica are easy to care for, fast growing shrubs with a floral interest to add to the strong leaf colour in Spring and Autumn.

Spirea Varieties and Colours

• Spirea japonica flower for 2-3 months in pink and white clusters of very small florets.
• ‘Anthoiny Waterer has young cream and pink leaves and red flowers.
• Golden flame is the variety shown above.
• Nana and little Princess are smaller varieies 1-2′ tall.
• Bridal wreath Spirea Vanhouttei has masses of white blooms upto 6 feet high.

Images from Google

You may also hear plants in the spirea genus referred to as meadowsweet. These plants have small oval leaves which may be toothed to lobed, and they produce profusions of white or pink flowers in the spring and summer. A healthy spirea will bloom so profusely that it looks like an explosion of flowers in the garden, producing delicate clusters of small flowers. In the fall, spirea shrubs drop their leaves, returning with fresh green foliage in the spring. Read complete article on the Wise Greek

Credit
Spirea by edgeplot CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Spirea prunifolia, Bridal Wreath Spirea by KingsbraeGarden CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Can you be a green gardener if you use Glyphosate?
Well I have come across one garden problem that is best tackled by the application of Glyphosate

Creating a New Kitchen Bed from a Turfed Area

• The top mantle of your soil is the richest in flora and fauna.
• This top soil is too good to be turned over and buried or sliced off for loam making.
• An application of Glyphosate is the lesser of many evils and keeps the soils micro-organisms in tact where you need them.
• Plants love the fibre left by old grass roots as do the earthworms.

Green Alternatives to Glyphosate

• Black polythene can be laid over the new plot. It must exclude all light and be left down for at least a year.
• If you must remove the turf, stack it face down and add a layer of manure every 12″. It will make good loam and a base for planting new fruit trees once it rots down.
• I have had no reports about the flame thrower treatment but if you want to avoid all chemicals this may be the way to go. Initially give a light burn to the leaf surfaces, then follow up several days later with a stronger burn. You may also need subsequent burns for pernicious weeds.

Facts about Glyphosate

• Glyphosate is a strong, systemic weed killer for stubborn, deep-rooted weeds.
• It will not damage or leach into the water table
• Glyphosate kills annual and perennial weeds leaving the area ready for replanting
• Ground can be replanted 7 days after treatment
• Children and pets will not be harmed once treated areas are dry
• Glyphosate is biodegradable and quickly breaks down on contact with soil.

Glyphosate from Amazon“>

Can you be a green gardener if you use Glyphosate?
Well I have come across one garden problem that is best tackled by the application of Glyphosate

Creating a New Kitchen Bed from a Turfed Area

• The top mantle of your soil is the richest in flora and fauna.
• This top soil is too good to be turned over and buried or sliced off for loam making.
• An application of Glyphosate is the lesser of many evils and keeps the soils micro-organisms in tact where you need them.
• Plants love the fibre left by old grass roots as do the earthworms.

Green Alternatives to Glyphosate

• Black polythene can be laid over the new plot. It must exclude all light and be left down for at least a year.
• If you must remove the turf, stack it face down and add a layer of manure every 12″. It will make good loam and a base for planting new fruit trees once it rots down.
• I have had no reports about the flame thrower treatment but if you want to avoid all chemicals this may be the way to go. Initially give a light burn to the leaf surfaces, then follow up several days later with a stronger burn. You may also need subsequent burns for pernicious weeds.

Facts about Glyphosate

• Glyphosate is a strong, systemic weed killer for stubborn, deep-rooted weeds.
• It will not damage or leach into the water table
• Glyphosate kills annual and perennial weeds leaving the area ready for replanting
• Ground can be replanted 7 days after treatment
• Children and pets will not be harmed once treated areas are dry
• Glyphosate is biodegradable and quickly breaks down on contact with soil.

Glyphosate from Amazon0″>

Can you be a green gardener if you use Glyphosate?
Well I have come across one garden problem that is best tackled by the application of Glyphosate

Creating a New Kitchen Bed from a Turfed Area

• The top mantle of your soil is the richest in flora and fauna.
• This top soil is too good to be turned over and buried or sliced off for loam making.
• An application of Glyphosate is the lesser of many evils and keeps the soils micro-organisms in tact where you need them.
• Plants love the fibre left by old grass roots as do the earthworms.

Green Alternatives to Glyphosate

• Black polythene can be laid over the new plot. It must exclude all light and be left down for at least a year.
• If you must remove the turf, stack it face down and add a layer of manure every 12″. It will make good loam and a base for planting new fruit trees once it rots down.
• I have had no reports about the flame thrower treatment but if you want to avoid all chemicals this may be the way to go. Initially give a light burn to the leaf surfaces, then follow up several days later with a stronger burn. You may also need subsequent burns for pernicious weeds.

Facts about Glyphosate

• Glyphosate is a strong, systemic weed killer for stubborn, deep-rooted weeds.
• It will not damage or leach into the water table
• Glyphosate kills annual and perennial weeds leaving the area ready for replanting
• Ground can be replanted 7 days after treatment
• Children and pets will not be harmed once treated areas are dry
• Glyphosate is biodegradable and quickly breaks down on contact with soil.

Glyphosate from Amazon

The Bearded Iris offers a huge range of colours. This is a deep purple variety growing in the Oxford Botanic Gardens. The furry hairs on the petal or ‘Fall’ give the plant the bearded image.

Bearded Iris do well in a sunny, well drained soil. They can provide years of spectacular colour in May – July.

Other Iris are well adapted to grow in damp conditions.

Bulb Iris are useful in rockery and Alpine arrangements and in this case are appreciated by passing Bees..

The next two pictures are taken as the rain stopped and the light improved.

Some flowers veer towards the lilac in shade but just about fit into my purple patch.

Iris are able to stand without staking as this large clump demonstrates.

Named varieties include George an Iris reticulata.

Another Iris Histroides looks similar to a Dutch Iris but smaller.

Growing in the Oxford Botanic Gardens with the other Oxford beardies.
25 Iris bulbs from Amazon (the book people not the river).