Golden colours are prominent amongst Autumn flowers and leaves.  These Heleniums are supported by a lighter cream coloured Kniphofia (I can’t call this colour a Red Hot Poker but that is the common name). Kniphofia Rooperi varieties are a bit later flowering than other red hot pokers.

Good Autumn Doers

• Chrysanthemums are coming into there own and you can buy ready to flower domes of Showmaker pot mum varieties.Use them to plug gaps or on the patios using the original pots. They will last for 6-8 weeks until the frost gets them. The stools are not worth saving as they tend to produce leggy plants even from cuttings in the second year.
• I have bought some winter flowering pansies to put near the house and in pots. They flower in mild spells through winter and usually come good in March.
• Japanese Anemones are flowering in clumps of white and pink blossom and can be mixed with Aster frikartii Monch or Phlox.
• Kaffir lilies like wet soil so this summer they have been getting ready for a good Autumn show. These Schizostylis can be deep red through pinks to a white Alba version.
• For the house it may be worth buying some small cyclamen which will flower for a long time and can then be planted out in the garden.

Autumn Gardeners Top Tip

Water through summer with a liquid feed to boost your Autumn show.

In expectation of an ‘Indian summer’  keep dead heading your plants and do not rush to tidy up for Autumn.
Leave interesting seed heads for decoration and jack frost.
Seeds can be collected or self sown or left to feed the birds.