As Autumn arrives there is a perception among many gardeners that the flowering Season is over. But there are many garden plants just getting into flower, more than one might imagine
Flowers that peak in late-summer Autumn are pretty wide-ranging and Blue, is a colour that comes to the fore in Autumn, it is a strong colour that is always captivating in any aspect of the garden.
Flowers come in a wide array of colours this has to do with genetic selection for example yellow flowers tend to attract insects like bees. Interestingly Bees can’t see the colour red but birds can. Flowers therefore also naturally select red because small birds will pollinate, red flowers, more then any other colour. Then there is Blue which actually appears as yellow to Bees so the extra blue flowers seem to be there to maximise at this time of the year for efficiency coming into the Winter as there is a wide range at this time of the year.
Ceratostigma is a great autumnal blue plant that can be found winding its way around many a Caribbean archway. Happily it can manage our cold weather as well .The strong autumnal foliage colours and vibrant blue flowers can make it a valuable addition to any garden provided that they have reasonable drainage and a good sunny position.
Caryopteris is another late summer blue flowering plant that is small in stature but big in ornamental value. It is a neat bush with slightly fragrant leaves and clusters of textured blue fluffy flowers. Its maximum height is 1m tall and will be happiest in a warm sheltered spot. The flowers inject fresh colour in to the early autumn and give repeat performances for years to come.
Sedums can survive an early frost and are very reliable at adding brilliant colours to the Autumn garden.
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is ideal as a front of border plant that is best planted in groups there umbrella-like flower heads are pink initially changing to a rosy red in autumn making an excellent contrast to its green foliage. Sedums are nectar rich plants, which encourage beneficial wildlife, such as ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies into the garden
The ground is now at its warmest after the Summer months, moisture demand is not as high, as the days are shorter making Autumn an excellent time for introducing new plants successfully.