As the days grow shorter and summer flowers begin to fade, many gardens can start to look a little bare. However, autumn doesn’t have to mean the end of vibrant colour in your outdoor space.
September is the perfect time to plant flowers that thrive in cooler weather, ensuring your garden remains bright and beautiful well into the autumn months. By choosing the right plants, you can enjoy weeks of colour – some may even bloom until the first frost.
Here are three flowers to plant now to keep your garden looking lively throughout autumn and beyond.
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums are a classic autumn favourite, offering a stunning array of rich colours that can brighten up garden borders and containers just as summer blooms begin to fade.
These flowers really come into their own as the temperatures drop, with many varieties continuing to bloom until the first proper frost. To help chrysanthemums thrive, plant them in the sunniest spot available with well-drained soil. Avoid waterlogging, as sitting in water can quickly lead to root rot. Regularly deadhead spent flowers to encourage new buds, and divide the plants every few years to keep them healthy and vigorous.
They’re incredibly easy to grow and will reward you with weeks of vibrant colour.
Pansies
Pansies are cheerful, hardy flowers that are tougher than they appear. With their bold colours and striking patterns, they’re perfect for adding life to pots and flower beds during the cooler months.
Pansies are surprisingly resilient and, in milder parts of the UK, can often keep flowering right through the winter. To get the best from pansies, plant them where they’ll receive morning sunlight, especially as daylight hours shorten. Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged – adding a layer of mulch can help maintain moisture levels and protect roots during sudden cold snaps. Removing faded flowers will also encourage new blooms to form.
Asters
For a burst of late-season colour, asters are an excellent choice. Their daisy-like flowers come in shades of purple, pink, blue, and white, and they’re a vital food source for bees and butterflies when other blooms are scarce.
Asters are fantastic at this time of year because they add a splash of colour while supporting pollinators. Plant them in the brightest spot you can find, ensuring good air circulation to reduce the risk of powdery mildew, a common issue for these plants. Like chrysanthemums, asters benefit from being divided every few years to maintain their vigour. Cutting them back after flowering will also help keep them neat and tidy.
Adding a little compost when planting will give asters a strong start, and ensuring they have plenty of light and air will help them thrive.
With these three flowers, you can extend the beauty of your garden well into autumn, keeping it full of life and colour even as the seasons change.
