PLANT AND COLOUR COMBINATIONS
Bright jewels
In autumn, Frogmore’s Crimson Border offers a deliciously rich mix of colour of different shades of red and purple. The jewel-like colours of Zinnia elegans ‘Red Meteor’ ( 1) and dahlias ‘Chad’ ( 2) and ‘Mrs Rees’ ( 3), bring depth and shade to the dark foliage of Amaranthus ‘Hopi Red Dye’ ( 4) and the purple flowers of Agastache mexicana ‘Sangria’ ( 5), while the pale pink of Dahlia ‘Star Attraction’ ( 6) adds a lightness of tone that helps lift the border.
Golden glow
In the Sunset Borders the fiery colour of Gladiolus ‘Autumn Red’ ( 1), is tempered by the cooling blue of Salvia ‘African Skies’ ( 2), which in turn complements the lemon and peachy yellows of Dahlia ‘Meadow Lea’ ( 3), and Helianthus angustifolius ( 4). The border enjoys a position in full-sun and in summer it benefits from the heat of the Australian summer, making it the perfect spot to experiment with more exotic plants and hotter colours.
Pale light
The rich-red autumnal foliage of Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’ ( 1) adds a burst of colour to the Pale Garden, and creates a bold contrast to the white of Phlox paniculata ‘Dunbar Creek’ ( 2), which since midsummer has added a spicy fragrance to the border. Nearby Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Psyche White’ ( 3) continues the white theme but mingles with the pale-lemon flowers of Dahlia ‘Lime Glow’ ( 4) and the pink and lilac tones of Nicotiana mutabilis ( 5). As the white flowers of the Nicotiana mutabilis age to pink they help to lift the white of the Queen Anne’s lace Ammi majus ( 6).
Prairie patterns
In late summer the Prairie Garden is awash with the mauves and pinks of asters and veronicastrums, but by late autumn the golds and tans of the grasses, such as Miscanthus sinensis ‘Sarabande’ ( 1), Panicum virgatum ‘Rubrum’ ( 2) and Miscanthus oligostachyus ‘Eileen Quinn’ ( 3), dominate the area. Planted in large drifts, the grasses provide blocks of colour while also adding movement and a soft counterpoint to the formal hedging beyond. A few perennials, such as Verbascum nigrum ( 4) and Anemone x hybrida ( 5) remain in autumn to add spots of colour and structure.