When summer pots run out of steam, it’s a good idea to replace your displays with plants that will look good in autumn and beyond.
We’ve given traditional autumn bedding plants a modern twist by combining them with evergreens and keeping to a limited colour palette.
Purple, white and silver make a classy trio, and bring instant glamour to any terrace or balcony. We’ve used five types of plant – ornamental cabbage, brachyglottis, heuchera, cineraria and cyclamen. All should be available at the garden centre at this time of year – feel free to mix up varieties according to what you can find.
Remember to deadhead cyclamen regularly to keep the flowers coming. Once the container is past its best, the brachyglottis and heuchera can be planted out in your garden.
You Will Need
- Brachyglottis ‘Sunshine’
- Heuchera ‘Obsidian’
- Cineraria
- Purple ornamental cabbages (2)
- White mini-cyclamen (2)
- 30cm terracotta pot
- Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
Total time: 30 minutes
Step 1
Fill the pot two-thirds full, using good quality, peat-free multi-purpose compost.
Step 2
Position the tallest plants first, teasing out the roots as you go. As a general rule, the taller the plant, the further towards the back of your container it should go.
Step 3
Add the remaining shorter plants to the front and sides, then fill in the gaps with more compost, firming down well with your hands.
Step 4
Water the container well and move it to its final position. It’s important not to let the compost dry out.
Kevin Smith says…
The brachyglottis and heuchera can be moved to the garden when the display is past its best. This will give them a life beyond the container, meaning you’re getting real value for money from your plants.
