When Autumn comes the leaves start to fall and gardens everywhere start to look drab.
But what can be done?
There are several flowering shrubs that can be used to bring some colour into your garden and brighten the cold days, or at least until the frosts start.
Blue Enigma (Salvia Guaranitica) – tall, deep blue twin lipped flowers growing to 1-1.5 metre. They like full sun and flower throughout summer and into Autumn.
Chrysanthemums – the varieties Korean, the rubellum and the Japanese semi-pompon are all hardy and will flower well into Autumn. They enjoy full sun and well drained soil.
Dahlias – easy to grow and flowers through summer to Autumn, when winter does come be sure to cut to ground level and cover with a thick layer of compost or bark chippings to protect from frosts.
Hardy Fuchsia – preferring partial to full shade this plant has masses of red/pink flowers throughout summer and into Autumn, and unlike other fuchsias can survive the winter months.
Verbena Rigida – another hardy species that has hundreds of tiny lilac/purple flowers from June to late October. They enjoy full sun and are frost hardy, but can suffer from slug attacks.
