Autumn Containers For All Your Needs

With summer plants coming to an end, now’s the time to take a fresh look at your containers for autumn, says Camilla Phelps, as she looks at suitable perennials

- Camilla Phelps

Planting up containers for autumn is a bit like choosing a new wardrobe for the season. Your summer pots are probably starting to look a bit tatty and past their best, so it’s a chance to give your patios and window boxes a fresh look. It’s also a positive way to mark the end of summer and embrace the rich and vibrant colours of autumn – and, even better, you can experiment with new plants.

It’s tempting to look for plants that will last right into the winter months. Winter pansies and cyclamen are great performers, and if you want easy long-lasting colour they tick all the boxes. But it’s fun to mix these up and use perennials, too, as this can be a testing ground for new planting ideas.

I like to look at containers as a display with a lifespan of two-to-three months. Seize the moment to curate a collection of perennials that represents the best of the new season. You can plant up an autumn container with a rich selection of perennials, mixing evergreen, hardy, non-hardy and semi-evergreen plants.

For those plants that fade and die back, you can transfer them into borders. Alternatively, plant into temporary pots over winter, ready to plant up again next spring, or even swap with friends.

This might sound expensive, but it’s amazing what you can find at garden centres. Look for end-of-season bargains as you might find large pots of cosmos, dahlias and asters in flower that need a home and will look good for another six weeks or so with some judicious deadheading.

Three plants per container