September's Top Botanical Picks

Boosting Autumn Color in Your Garden: Expert Recommendations

September's Top Botanical Picks

As summer fades and autumn approaches, your garden can benefit from a burst of vibrant color. Several plants are highly recommended by gardening experts for their ability to add a touch of autumn magic to your outdoor space.

Plants for Borders and Beds

1. Autumn-flowering Colchicum
2. Plant these beauties by late September for a stunning display of color as summer plants begin to fade. They'll reward you with a vibrant show in their first year [1].
3. Hardy Geraniums
4. These reliable and long-flowering plants are perfect for maintaining color in the garden. Varieties like Geranium x oxonianum, Geranium sanguineum var. striatum, and Geranium 'Patricia' offer a range of colors and growth habits [2][3].
5. Erigeron
6. Known for its long flowering period, Erigeron is great for walls and steps and continues blooming into autumn [3].
7. Snapdragons (Antirrhinum)
8. These plants start flowering in June and some varieties continue until October, providing a late-season splash of color [5].

Choices for Containers

If you're looking to add some color to containers in your garden, consider these plants:

1. Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea')
2. This plant's golden leaves cascade beautifully over the edges of pots, adding a vibrant touch year-round [4].
3. Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica)
4. Offering attractive new growth in the spring, this plant can also provide interest in autumn and winter with its evergreen foliage [4].

Additional Recommendations

• Louise Curley, author of The Cut Flower Patch, recommends actaea for its dark foliage, bottlebrush-like, white flowers, and sweet scent [6].
• Toby Buckland, director of Toby's Garden Festival, recommends 'Blue Wave' hydrangea, which has blue lacecap flowers that last long into winter [7].
• Catherine Mansley, GardenersWorld.com deputy editor, recommends the shrub rose 'Desdemona' for its continuous flowering, lemon scent, and abundant petal fall [8].
• Lucy Felton, BBC Gardeners' World Magazine content coordinator, recommends asters for their cheery waves of pink and lilac 'Michaelmas daisies' throughout September [9].
• Arit Anderson, Gardeners' World presenter, recommends Devil's bit scabious, a British native plant that looks beautiful when planted en masse and is great for a wildlife garden [10].
• Frances Tophill, another Gardeners' World presenter, recommends whitebeam tree, which provides for wildlife with spring flowers and autumn berries [11].
• Adam Duxbury, BBC Gardeners' World Magazine features editor, recommends echinaceas for their joyful presence in sunny spots with free-draining soil and a range of colors from hot pink to sunshine yellow [12].
• Cel Robertson, founder of Forever Green Flower Company, recommends Pennisetum, particularly the variety 'Dark Desire', for its dark plume-like flowerheads and use in floral arrangements [13].

James Alexander-Sinclair, BBC Gardeners' World Magazine columnist, recommends persicaria, a plant that works well as ground cover and flowers for a long time [14].

Remember, to enjoy these beautiful plants, sign up for the newsletter to receive advice and inspiration for your garden. Happy gardening!

[1] Gardeners' World [2] BBC Gardeners' World Magazine [3] Gardeners' World [4] BBC Gardeners' World Magazine [5] Gardeners' World [6] The Cut Flower Patch [7] Toby's Garden Festival [8] GardenersWorld.com [9] BBC Gardeners' World Magazine [10] Gardeners' World [11] Gardeners' World [12] BBC Gardeners' World Magazine [13] Forever Green Flower Company [14] BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

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