Sizzling border picks: how to give your borders a final dazzling show
Crocosmias, cannas, dahlias and dazzling daisies – give borders a fiery final flourish with flowers in hot pinks and roasting reds, oranges and yellows, says Camilla Phelps
AT this time of year the garden spotlight falls on rich, intense colours. Hot hues soak up the late-summer sun and nature provides the perfect fiery palette, with a huge choice of plants that produce flowers in sizzling shades throughout late August and September.
This is great news for borders and containers that might be looking a little tired. Before you start looking ahead to autumn, winter and beyond, there’s still time to plug any gaps with a few fresh (and fiery) perennials, annuals and even some bold and lush foliage. And by doing so you can add a final fanfare of colour that will last until the first frosts.
Star performers include echinaceas, heleniums, rudbeckias and dahlias. In shades of red, orange, yellow and hot pink, they will keep you in bold blooms right into autumn.
As well as the brilliant hues of these daisy-like favourites, late summer also brings with it a fantastic array of more unusual flowers. Along with that allimportant pop of colour, they also provide interesting form, height and structure.
It certainly doesn’t get much more sizzling than a red hot poker, or kniphofia. Ranging in colour from brilliant red and orange to pale yellow, they are perfect for a dry, sunny spot, while their upright habit contrasts brilliantly with the softer outlines of perennials and grasses.
The boldest blooms
Crocosmias are also strong contenders in the fiery colour stakes, with spicy varieties like ‘Lucifer’ and ‘Emberglow’ topping the list. The flower forms themselves may be quite delicate, but they have real impact when planted in larger groups, thanks to their bold, strappy foliage. Late summer heat is perfect for tender tropical flowers, too, and the blooms of both ginger and canna lilies will add an exotic flourish. Meanwhile their big leaves help to create a sense of depth and drama.
When you’re composing a collection of hot-coloured plants, contrast is every bit as important as colour. Do not underestimate the importance of darker, broader foliage plants, or grasses, which will lend themselves to a more subtle
textural mix. And make sure you add in the deep purples and blues of salvias,
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides and aconitums – these will make those brilliant oranges and yellows sing out all the more loudly.
With the right combination of plants you will ensure that, as the sun dips ever lower, your garden pots and borders go out in a blaze of glory.