Garden Centre

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Autumn garden colours

It’s always satisfying when the autumn garden has as much colour, if not more, than the summer show, especially when, for all kinds of reasons, the amount of time that we can spend outdoors is becoming shorter.

I like colours that clash. I know it’s not to everybody’s taste, but for me, the vibrancy of colours later in the year is a real antidote to the weather – and this morning we had a heavy frost that tells me winter is truly on the way. Subtle colours can be kept for spring, when the lengthening days compensate for a bit less va-va-voom!

And this combination is one of my favourites, partly because the colours are so glorious and partly because it starts now, in October, and extends well into late November. The orange-berried Pyracantha will keep its berries until December or January, if the birds allow it, and the nerines continue to throw up their hot-pink flower heads until late November.

Nerines naturalise well, if you don’t plant them too deeply, and at this time of year I’m happy to cut great armfuls of them to give to friends who are always amazed at their tropical lushness in an otherwise chilly season.

The All Seasons Gardener at 6:10 AM

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