Create colour for your garden in late summer and winter

Although at first it seems an impossible task when you first become a gardener,
creating colour and interest all year around in a garden both small and large is an achievable project with some careful planing.

In the spring its easy to create colour with the use of bulbs and spring flowering plants such as forsythia and dicentra, however as the year progresses the two most difficult times to produce colour are at the end of August and the period between late December to late January. The key at these times of year is plant your flowering plants nearer to your house, this will help to give the impression that the whole of your garden is still flowering rather than just two or three choose shrubs or plants.

Plants for late summer

Rudbeckia 'Goldstrum'

A border perennial 60cms high orange yellow flowers late August to September . Planted in groups incorporating garden compost into the soil Rudbeckia will produce an excellent show in the first season. Because they grow quickly they will need to be staked or supported by other plants in a border for maximum effect.

• Japanese Anemone - a useful plant at this time of year. Easy to grow in most soils and positions, but particularly useful to grow under trees or larger spring flowering shrubs. The great advantage with Japanese Anemone is the flowers are produced on long stems making it possible to produce the flowers above existing plants with in a border.
• Cosmos - annual plant sown under glass in early spring Cosmos will produce an excellent late summer display. An ideal plant for the new garden as it produces quick results and colour in the first year when colour is difficult to come by.

 

Plants for late Winter

• Prunus Autumnalis Rosea - A small winter flowering cherry tree. Flowers with small highly scented flowers well before the buds break. An ideal tree for the small garden.
• Helleborus Niger - The Christmas rose, seems unremarkable even boring during the summer months. However as Christmas arrives the display of waxy flowers is nothing short of spectacular. When planting incorporate some peat into the soil. Grows best in semi shade in a sheltered spot near to your house.

'Prunus Autumnalis Rosea'

For further suggestion of plants to grow in your garden for additional colour you can use the GardenAdvice Free advice service at
www.gardenadvice.co.uk/advisor/freeadvice/html.index

'Japanese Anemone'

'Cosmos'

'Helleborous Niger'