Autumn perennials maintain the summer vibe after you put away your holiday clothes.
And autumn or fall is considered the most important time of the gardening year. That’s when you plan and plant the borders next year.
To learn more about how experts do autumn gardens, I asked Asagregor’s Warg, the head gardener at Beschat Gardens, about choosing autumn perennials in the sun, shade and dry areas. She also shared her best planting tips.
The borders of this resilient autumn perennial country at Beth Chat Gardens are flames of colour.
Beth Chatto Gardens is a 7.5 acre ecologically managed garden, with the core principle being Beth Chatto’s “right plant, right place.”
She created a series of beautiful gardens on a land that was once considered too difficult to farm. With an area of dry gravel on one side and a marsh stream on the other side, she had to find out which plants were thriving in which conditions. As a result, there are gardens that are not irrigated except for planting new plants, and are restored to extreme weather.
Fall perennials at Beschat Garden include California Fuchsia and Hirotelephiam (formerly Sedum) “Matrona”.
Learn how to create a dry garden for ASA tips for making a gravel garden.
Why planning your interests in the middle of autumn year
“We don’t actually plan specifically for the fall. When we redesign our borders, we think about what it will look like all year round,” says Asa Gregors-Warg.
So, when she plans on autumn colors, she also thinks about what the plant’s leaves, textures, or structures will do for the rest of the year.
Some plants provide fresh young leaves in the spring, flowers in the summer, then seed heads and grass.
“Take notes throughout the year,” advises the ASA. – What was not working, what needs to be split or reduced – and autumn is the best time to do it on many plants. ”
Takeout: Review borders throughout the year, edited in the fall: fill gaps with plants that will split, move, and maintain for more than one season.
See more tips on what to do in your autumn/fall garden.
10 Autumn Plants and Tips and Great Border Maintenance: What to Do for Success in Next Summer.
Two good autumn perennial combinations:
The top spot is Hirotelepia (formerly Sedum) “Matrona”, which has Nepeta’s “Walkers”. The above is Bistorta (Persicaria) with Joe Pye Weed (now called Eutrochium).
Top Planting Principles for ASA Gregors-Warg
Beth Chat’s famous mantra is still leading all decisions. “It is, in contrast to textures and shapes, and of course, the right plant, the right place, and Beth’s spirit still guides us very much,” says Asa.
Plant Small & Young: Young plants are established faster in warm, moist soil, she says. In Beth Chatto Gardens, planting is usually done from a 9cm or 1L pot. It is worth noting that small young plants are also usually inexpensive! Plants in Autumn: Autumn is usually raining more than annually. The ground is still relatively warm from summer, so planting it on many perennial plants now offers a head start. It is unlikely that there is a need to water after planting, and the plant roots are established before they lie dormant in the winter. Fall/Autumn is also the best time to split overly vigorous masses. Think about the structure and texture first. “And it should still have interest and structure. “You’ll visit other gardens. Take inspiration and look in the area you live in to find something that thrives in soil like you. Keep in mind how designers repeat the colors and shapes and feel the boundaries are cohesive.
Step-by-step planting instructions
Autumn planting helps reduce watering and helps the roots settle down before summer. “We put all the pots in a bucket of water until they stopped foaming, and you can see that the whole root ball is saturated and there are no air pockets,” says the ASA.
Soak the plants in a bucket and soak them in the entire pot until the bubbles stop. Plant in the prepared soil. Water the soil, not the leaves. In spring planting, look at the plants and water whenever you need it. Remove standing grass and seeds for winter and then reduce at the end of winter.
If your boundaries still look interesting, in a black and white photo of defined shapes, you know you did well!
Autumn Perennials for Sunny Borders (Moisturizing Soil)
The Water Garden at Beschat Gardens was originally a stream passing through a hollow in a swamp. Now it is four mutually linked ponds bordered by dramatic leaves. The soil here is more hydrated than a gravel garden and the water is approaching. Therefore, the ASA combines plants that like the same type of conditions.
Bistorta (formerly Persicaria) – For spikes of deep red colored jaw weed (Eutrochium, formerly Eupatorium) – Persicaria spikes.rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan) Tall, fluffy pink flower head, in contrast to deamii. Low-growth yellow daisy flowers well combined with red and pink for a warm autumn glow.
The Persicaria spikes are combined with Joe Pie’s round weed head, Rudbechia’s daisy flowers, and Molinia’s slim shaking cane. The colors work together, and different shapes add contrast
Soft pink and pastel autumn perennials
We consider the fall/fall colours to be full of orange, rich reds and gold, but if you prefer a softer palette, there are many options.
Soft Pink and Blue: Here are cute blue pompompoms from the Devil Bit (cuccisella inflexa), obedient plants (physics), and pink flowers of pink Hesperanta.
Vernonia is a tall, upright purple flower for late season colors. Tall grasses like Beth Chatto go well together.
Askanthus ‘Beth Chatto. ”
Revived autumn perennials for dry shades
“In the shade, it’s not just about the color of the flowers, it’s about textures and forms,” Asa says. There are few plants that flower in the shade, but there is a wide selection of excellent textured plants with interesting leaves.
This is the “recipe” combination of dried tints of plants from Beschat Garden.
Flower: Liriope Muscari (lilyturf) – Late purple spikes. Unique leaves (interested to bloom earlier this year) Geranium Faum – Excellent with leaf interest and dry shades for spring flowers.
Good autumn combinations: Wood Melick (Melica uniflora albica), Geranium phaeum ‘samobor’, purple liritarf (liriope muscari).
Tip: Plant it in the fall, water it really well, then mulch.
For more information about shade gardening, see Shade Gardening – How to Choose the Perfect Shade Garden Plant.
Autumn Perennials for Dry or Gravel Garden
Beschat Gravel Garden is one of the most famous in the UK and perhaps also in the world. Although not irrigated, individual plants are watered when they are first planted.
Organic mulch is never given. “When Beth first created the garden in 1992, she added organic matter,” says Asa. “But we quickly discovered that it wasn’t necessary.” They sometimes add a new layer of gravel.
However, this is not necessarily a “low-maintenance” garden. In autumn, fallen leaves must be cleaned. Removing plants by hand is a continuous task throughout the year. “Everything germinates under warm gravel,” Asa says.
Here are some beautiful autumn perennials in the gravel garden:
California fuchsias are truly bright and intense little trumpet flowers. These elastic plants are beautiful and robust – it will be difficult to have a good autumn garden without them.
California Fuchsia (Epirobium Canum) – The bottom of the photo on the right. Hylotelephim ‘matrona’ is in the center. The soft golden grass in front of the bench is Stipa tenuissima, and you can see the tall seed head of “Golden Oats” (Stipa gigantea) on the top left.
Hylotelephium ‘matrona’ and Amaryllis Belladonna
Pin to remember autumn perennials for sun, shade and dry garden
And join us. Find out more free weekly emails with more gardening tips, ideas and inspiration here.
