While the trees and shrubs in my garden look fabulous right now with the changing colours as we move into autumn, the containers aren’t faring so well. With the flowers fading and the foliage needing cutting back, they could definitely use a lift.
Brightening up the patio area around the house is a must for me, so there’s something colourful to look out on while I’m inside more, so I’ve earmarked some favourite flowers and plants that I’ll be planting up now in my containers to add some autumnal colour.
‘Whether you have a sprawling garden, a small patio, or just a windowsill, autumn is an exciting time to plant containers for a late season transformation,’ says Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres. ‘No need to wait weeks or months, these plants bring immediate beauty and a feast of colours to brighten even the crispest and dullest of autumn days.’
1. Pansies and violas
Pansies and violas are handy little bedding plants that are brilliant for adding instant colour to pots and planters. You can pick them up quite cheaply in garden centres right now, and they’ll often be on special offer if you are buying more than one tray.
Great for using in a container display alongside other foliage, I find their small size makes them really useful filler plants for popping in gaps here and there. And if you are planting up spring bulbs in pots right now, pansies and violas can be used as ‘pot toppers’ so that you don’t have lots of bare soil on show.
‘Among the most recognisable seasonal plants, pansies and violas are cherished for their cheerful resilience and instant colour during autumn months,’ says Julian Palphramand. Their petals range from deep purple to vibrant yellow and delicate blue, providing reliable bursts when other plants start to fade. They continue to flower well into winter, even through frosty mornings, making them the gardener’s choice for pots, borders, or window boxes.’
Where to buy pansies and violas:
2. Heathers
Another of my favourites for the autumn and winter, evergreen heathers are a versatile option for all sorts of container ideas, from pots and tubs to hanging baskets.
With their spiky shape and amazing purple, green and white colouring, heathers are really good for providing a bit of height and structure to any container arrangement, whether several lined up in a window box interspersed with flowering plants and trailing ivy or one or two positioned at the back of a large tub with a collection of smaller plants in front.
‘Though modest at first glance, calluna and erica varieties of heather provide subtle autumn and winter beauty,’ says Julian. ‘Their evergreen foliage grants structure throughout the seasons, while their small blooms in pink, purple, and white add fine detail to beds and pots. They also provide excellent evergreen groundcover and provide an invaluable food source for wildlife throughout the year, with bees attracted to their nectar and smaller creatures taking refuge in the foliage over winter.’
Where to buy heathers:
3. Cyclamen
As soon as I spot cyclamen on sale in the garden centre in early autumn, I’ll always grab a few to plant up as a pick-me-up in any containers where the flowers are fading.
Another great all-rounder, cyclamen come in a variety of colours from bold reds, hot pinks, purples and whites, and while the flowers are super-pretty, the marbled foliage is eye-catching too. I’ve always found them really long-lasting (just pick the flowers off as they fade), and I’ll use a few of the mini variety in window boxes at Christmastime as they look really festive.
‘A true autumn classic, cyclamen appears in our garden centres from September onwards,’ says Julian. ‘Its elegant, wing-like flowers rise above heart-shaped, dark green foliage, turning even the shadiest corners into late-season beauty. Thriving without direct sunlight, cyclamen is ideal for north-facing gardens, steps, or porches.’
Where to buy cyclamen:
4. Chrysanthemums
I’d never been a big fan of chrysanthemums, but after seeing a stunning autumnal display at a flower show last year, it totally changed my mind, so I’ll definitely be including some in an arrangement this autumn.
Bold, bright and in an array of fiery colours that just scream ‘autumn’, chrysanthemums look pretty marvellous potted up on their own in a large tub or in groups of smaller planters clustered together to brighten up a small patio, front garden or entranceway.
‘Few plants signal autumn as clearly as chrysanthemums,’ says Julian. ‘With large, colourful flowers in glowing yellows, rich reds, and fiery oranges, they make an immediate seasonal statement. Just one or two pots can transform a space into a celebration of autumn colour.’
Where to buy chrysanthemums:
5. Heucheras
Flowering plants aren’t the only way of bringing colour to pots and containers. Foliage can offer a multitude of colours, shapes and textures and can look quite striking without a bloom in sight. And with no dead-heading to worry about, a foliage arrangement offers a low-maintenance option.
Heucheras are a top pick for containers, prized for their fantastic foliage and range of colours, from deep purple and bronze to dark green and zingy lime. I’ll mix different varieties of heucheras in the same container, or try combining them with ferns, hostas and maybe some trailing greenery.
‘Renowned for their colourful foliage, heucheras contribute instant colour and wow factor in autumn through leaves rather than flowers,’ says Julian. ‘Tones vary from soft lime greens to rich burgundies, ensuring year-round contrast and texture in containers or borders.’
Where to buy heucheras:
6. Dianthus
When planting up larger containers, I always follow the thriller, filler, spiller planting rule, which ensures that you have a combination of different heights and textures for a more rounded display.
Dianthus are another favourite of mine and are great if you’re looking for ‘fillers’ for a container. I used them for a spring hanging basket earlier in the year, and they looked really colourful and pretty and lasted for ages (with regular deadheading).
‘Compact and neat, dianthus forms rounded mounds of foliage with fragrant blooms in shades of red, pink, and white,’ says Julian. ‘Its close relative, sweet william, has an old-fashioned charm and brings a nostalgic quality to autumn planting schemes, whether it be in flower borders, containers or window boxes.’
Where to buy dianthus:
7. Primroses
Last but not least, colourful primroses are another easy win for autumn and winter container displays. The cheery colours and dense foliage are great for refreshing tired pots that have faded over summer, and (like pansies and violas) they can go in when planting spring bulbs to brighten up bare pots.
My top tip for planting any autumnal container arrangement is to choose a great pot or planter if you can. A shapely terracotta pot, an eye-catching coloured glaze, textured stoneware, a basket or or even a collection of battered galvanised metal tubs grouped en masse…put your plants in a stylish container and it’ll set them off and really help to make your display stand out.
Where to buy primroses:
Shop garden window boxes
Dipamkar Set of 3 Vintage Long Oval Galvanised Metal Garden Trough Planters
Crocus Loft Urban Trough – White
I’m going to be brightening up my patio for autumn with these favourites. Are there any autumnal plants that you’ll be adding to your garden?
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