Autumn COLOUR

Refresh containers and pots to create a colourful show that lasts until the first frosts

- CHRIS MORLEY

Seasonal stars

Plenty of plants reach their flowering peak in autumn and look superb in containers. For sunny areas, choose from asters, salvias, penstemons and dahlias. The bonus is that when they’ve finished flowering, you can replant them in the garden (except dahlias, which need overwintering in a frost-free place). To liven up a sheltered, shady spot, hardy fuchsias make a colourful focal point. The upright, bushy ‘Mrs Popple’ (90cm high), has showy, scarlet-and-purple blooms, while the compact, red-and-purple ‘Tom Thumb’ (30cm) is ideal for a smaller pot. Container-grown fuchsias are not frost-hardy, so protect them over winter.

Revive displays

By the end of summer, container plants can be exhausted and may have given up flowering altogether. Replant (using fresh compost) with a peppy mix of late-flowering perennials, foliage plants and even edibles. Use different sizes of pots and group them together for impact, rather than dotted around in ones or twos. Experiment with colour combinations, shapes and textures, and match plants to the size and shape of your containers.