Design Director, James Smith, shares his tips for a garden perfect for Autumn…
Gardens have become more valued than ever, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic and as we head into Autumn, we look at how best to elongate your garden’s blooms into the cooler months. James has many years of experience in designing gardens for all seasons and shares his Autumnal planting tips. With the Autumn sun sitting lower in the sky, he believes that in fact this season can be one of the most beautiful for the garden – with possibilities to create truly stunning visual effects…
HOW CAN YOU MAKE YOUR GARDEN GLOW?
Think about mixing textures, flowers and foliage. Deciduous shrubs and trees will eventually lose their leaves in Autumn, but many go out with a bang! The fiery reds and oranges in species such as Euonymus alatus and Rhus typhina can create a stunning focal point and light up a dull corner of your garden. The leaves can look equally as impressive when they cover the lawn or float on a pond.
Autumn is a great time for grasses too, as they have matured over the summer and their seed heads stand proud as they sway in the breeze.
TOP TIP
Why not try leaving the foliage into the winter months if it will stand – as it creates a great structure for frost and spiderwebs to work their magic
WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING AUTUMNAL PLANTING?
Think about backdrops that can really accentuate the colour of autumn leaves and flowers. It’s also important to think about the view from key windows – so you can see and experience the seasonal change, even on a rainy day.
Mixing different textures and foliage is always good and can be just as interesting as seeing flowers. Plants with good stem structure help to hold the space, even after the leaves have fallen, and can look like sculptures in their own right.
Berries are always an important part of Autumn. There are old favourites, such as all the Cotoneaster varieties. Cotoneaster horizontalis is less used than it used to be, but offers both berries and autumn colour. Some other shrubs such as Cornus kousa or Arbutus unedo offer fantastic, exotic-looking fruits in late summer and early autumn.
TOP TIP
Plants in shady corners can help to brighten the space when they burst into colour, or why not position plants next to walls and entrances to make them a real feature
5 PLANTS FOR AN AUTUMN GARDEN
James shares his Autumnal planting favourites…
September 2, 2020
