Blog: Plan ahead to reap the rewards in October and early November
I’m glad I did the spadework (sorry) so that the best late autumn plants really lift the garden, even at this soggy and windy time of year. By careful planning – and allowing judicious self-seeding – you can still enjoy roses, annuals and perennials well past Halloween.
It’s easy to shut up shop by August bank holiday but by creating interest, you’re more likely to get out and enjoy your garden in the fresh air for longer. It’s good for your mental and physical health. We all need that boost of Vitamin D as the days shorten.
All of these pictures were taken between October 16 and 22 in my garden. It’s been very wet but relatively mild, with no serious frosts. The beauty of these plants is that even with frost, they’ll not die back immediately (except the nasturtiums).
The best late autumn plants – roses
They’re a mainstay of my garden’s late-season interest, but do your research and choose carefully. Not all varieties flower this late! Top of the list has to be climber Claire Austin, clambering through my old apple tree. Its creamy-white blossoms take on a pinkish tinge after the first frosts – it will flower until December, when I have to prune it.
Also looking good this year are the apricot roses Lady of Shalott and Floribunda Sweet Honey. I suspect the mild, wet weather has enabled them to perform so well, as they’ve only been in a year and three years respectively. Here are more great late-flowering roses.
Annuals – nasturtiums
The key here is to let them self-seed. They mature later, so they will not run out of steam and keep going until the first severe frost. Of course, many people will think my rampant excess is too much! Just pull out those you don’t want. Among the mix of varieties are colour changers Chameleon and Ice Cream Sundae, plus Purple Emperor. Read more about my trial varieties.
The best late autumn plants – perennials
One unusual choice here is the borderline hardy ornamental ginger (Hedychium). It is flowering now and looking rather spectacular. As it is likely to rot in our winters, I grow mine in a large RootPot. This is a recycled fabric container which is lightweight and has handles, making it easy to carry the ginger into the greenhouse to overwinter, where it can be cool and dry. They’re easy – treat them similar to dahlias.
On the hardy side, my favourite asters Barbados (Island Series), are pure blue with yellow eyes. They cope with some shade, which makes them invaluable and they look stunning with Rudbeckia Goldsturm.
Don’t cut back perennials!
Unlike our parents, more and more people choose to leave herbaceous perennials standing over winter. The foliage not only gives structure and mellow seasonal colour but also provides hibernation spots for beneficial insects. The foliage also protects the crowns of less hardy perennials, such as Penstemons, from frost. Read more about this not cutting back perennials.
