autumn in a garden
It is now very clear that the season is changing. Even though we can still experience high temperatures, our gardens are telling us that autumn is coming.
The foliage of many trees and shrubs are drying out, ornamental grasses are beginning to look more transparent, even hay like.
We can see that many flowering perennials are putting their energy into producing an abundance of seed heads.
This is a great time to evaluate your garden, as a good garden design should provide a plant palette that will allow your space to look attractive and vibrant during this time of the year.
When you think how to make your Autumn garden design stand out, you might want to consider a variety of plants that will not only bring attractive colour, but will also have interesting flowers and seeds that add a structural wow factor.
One of the very obvious plants to consider for bringing autumnal colour into your garden are asters.
We should never underestimate their humble and often overlooked appearance. Asters will deliver a welcome floral burst of colour, when other perennials are starting to fade.
I would recommend asters as ‘a must have’ in your garden design. They are available in array of colours, forms, sizes and growing habitats, that make asters a star in any garden in early autumn. There is an aster for every garden situation, from small and compact varieties, to very tall and blousy.
Asters create beautiful clouds of flowers that are also very attractive for pollinators.
To make your autumn garden design more attractive, pair your asters with other perennials, for example you can plant groups that combine Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’ together with yellow Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ – this combination will create a very attractive visual contrast.
There are also asters that will grow happily in a shade garden, even in a dry shade. To brighten up darker corners of your garden design plant Eurybia divaricata, White wood aster. Their dried flowers will also make a welcoming addition to late season garden.
Another plant that is worth considering in your garden design is a Japanese anemone. It will add charm and presence into your autumn garden.
If you have space, choose varieties that are bigger. The long stems, bearing clusters of big pink or white flowers, will stand above other perennials and will look fantastic planted between groups of ornamental grasses.
Adding just these two plants into the planting of your existing garden border will definitely make a big difference and there are many cultivars and sizes that would suit any garden size.
After the summer bonanza of intensive colours in a garden, the September garden is calmer, more subdued, as most perennials are starting to fade.
Autumn flowering plants, like asters or anemones, will allow for the continuity of seasonal interest in your garden, bringing colour, presence and a more refreshed look.
A well created garden design considers the dynamic in a garden across all seasons. It ensures that plants come and go at right intervals, delivering an attractive and lively appearance that always gives you an interesting and changing view of nature.