Autumn perennial care

Autumn is one of the best times for planting, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

MY border planning went a bit to pot this year and while one is full of late colour, the other was swamped by early annual poppies that left an expanse of bare soil when they died back.

I’ve planted some late-flowering Nicotiana sylvestris and Clary sage to fill some of the gaps but really want to add something permanent that will reappear each year – as long as I make sure to thin impending annuals when they start to appear in spring!

This week I planted a yellow Achillea and a red helenium ‘Mariachi Salsa’ that will hopefully provide autumn colour for years to come.

Achilleas are members of the yarrow family and are popular for their flat, wide flowerheads and heleniums, or sneezeweed, are clump-forming daisy-like plants that flower long and late.