Nerines for Autumn colour - My Number 1 plant for October

Nerines for Autumn Colour

 

There is nothing like the Nerines for prolonging the colour well into the Autumn. The vibrancy and poise shown by the Nerines is that generally reserved for spring and summer performers.

 

The defiance these magnificent bulbs show holding back the ravishes of Autumn and Winter, as they display their great trumpet blooms. Sturdy upright stems these gorgeous plants from South Africa can pretty much cope with whatever the Autumn weather throws at it.

 

They benefit from being planted in a southerly position on good well draining soil, but mine thrive in a north west facing garden, and bring a welcome splash of colour, in an otherwise now sleepy bed. They quite like to be over crowded, I have got some growing in a well established pot of bamboo, the more they compete with each other for space, the better the show each year. I do feed the ones in the pot, mainly because the bamboo is such a greedy plant, but the flowers are no more or less impressive than those planted directly into the ground.

I do believe they are now available in whites and reds but I have the near native bubble-gum pink variety but I think I will try an add some white ones this year.

My Number 1 Garden Plant for September - Heliniums

My Number 1 Garden Plant for September - Heliniums.

As the summer starts to fade so to do some of the more blousey blooms of the hot months. However I love the garden as it slides into Autumn. Daisy like plants come into their own bringing with them deep warm colours. So my Number 1 plant for September was a hard choice, as so many gorgeous Autumn daisy like plants seem to have caught my attention this year.

I have narrowed it down to the  Heleniums. Heleniums are members of the Aster family (Asteraceae). The species from which the garden forms of Helenium have been bred grow wild in North America.

According to www.helenium.net  "Heleniums are much under-rated hardy perennial garden plants. They are a mainstay of the autumn border but are so often overlooked by gardeners, garden journalists and growers. Why can this be? They are hardy, colourful, easy to grow, tolerate difficult growing conditions, provide months of colour, are attractive to pollinating insects and unaffected by most pests and diseases."

Having a small garden every plant counts, so choosing plants to extend the season with little effort are well worth investing in. Heleniums have everything I look for in a plant, they provide deep warm colour, with strong architectural shape and are perfect for a cottage garden border. Easy to grow and suited to a wide range of garden conditions, however they are often found in very moist or even wet conditions making them ideal for our British climate.

They are at their best right now so pop to the garden centre and give your garden a colour boost!