Discover autumn colour
As summer flowers fade this month, a host of new blooms are waiting in the wings. Tamsin Westhorpe suggests some late season stars that will boost garden colour for weeks to come
Can you imagine a world where all the plants flowered at the same time? Thankfully, our gardens can be home to such a diverse range of shrubs, annuals and perennials that the flowers are spread across a full 12 months of the year, so there’s always something exciting just coming into bud.
Flowering is triggered by seasonal changes in light and temperature – those species that fC lo awpe trio inei na rh le yr aeu tu mn are usually responding to a subtle combination of factors such as a reduction in daylight hours, cooler temperatures and increased moisture in the soil. They’re affected by the season that has come before too – for instance, a wet summer can produce lots of lush growth and earlier flowering.
Flowering time also has a lot to do with the type of pollinating insects a plant hopes to attract. In late summer, bees, butterflies, moths and hoverflies are still out foraging for nectar, and it’s their attention the late flowers are hoping to attract. And although the midsummer flowers may be more varied and numerous, these late-season beauties are definitely worth the wait. In many cases they’ll keep going for weeks, until the first frosts nip them back.
Many of these annuals and perennials are easy to grow, reliable and readily available at the garden centre in a dazzling palette of hot pinks, purples, blues and golds. September and October often bring fine weather and, by adding vibrant flowering plants to beds, pots and borders, you can soon create your own ‘Indian summer’ vibe. ➤
Add vibrant plants to create your own ‘Indian summer’ vibe