The clipped forms of Prunus lusitanica (Portugal laurel) add to the formality of the Wimpole Hall, Cambridgeshire, historic parterres. This large evergreen shrub or small tree has dark red shoots and deep green leaves.
Even herbaceous perennials can contribute autumn colours to the garden. Here the clump-forming Geranium × magnificum (purple cranesbill) puts on some spectacular colours before dying down for the winter. For a short time in early summer it is covered with purple flowers.
Though they will grow outside in Britain this Beesia calthifolia was in the shelter of the Cambridge Botanic Garden alpine glasshouse. It comes from mountainous forests in China, having glossy green leaves and upright spikes of starry white flowers followed by these sculptural seed pods. This plant thrives in semi-shaded moist, well drained soil.
Still putting on a show till the first major frost is the tender perennial Salvia elegans (pineapple sage). When touched the foliage releases the fragrance of pineapple and the loose whorls of terminal flowers appear towards the end of summer. Sadly the plant will soon be cleared away for winter but cuttings will be rooted for next year’s display. This plant is a native of Mexico and Guatemala.
At the end of summer the white spikes of Elsholtzia stauntonii ‘Alba’ (Chinese mint bush) appear and provide a display into the autumn. This plant requires a sunny well drained site, and needs pruning back to a low permanent framework in spring.
Still producing a display of flowers was Clethra barbinervis (Japanese clethra). This large, deciduous shrub produces small fragrant racemes of white flowers in late summer and autumn. An interesting feature of this plant is that as it ages it produces bark which peels to reveal lavender, grey and cream colours.
Still flowering into the autumn with wonderful large, single, pale pink to white flowers is Rosa ‘Sally Holmes’ (shrub rose). This repeat flowering shrub rose has upright, strong growth with few thorns and healthy foliage. It was introduced in 1976.
The white flowers of the tall, herbaceous perennial Ageratina altissima (white snakeroot) were brightening the shaded woodland landscape of Teardrop Park, New York.
The large, vigorous deciduous Clematis ‘Paul Farges’ has climbed this gabion wall. It forms the backdrop to this garden seat providing clusters of small, fragrant, creamy-white flowers from mid summer to early autumn. This impressive retaining wall was made by the garden staff of the Royal Horticultural Society Garden Hyde Hall, Essex, UK.
In a reasonably sheltered location Indigofera howellii will continue to flower from summer into the autumn. To help the plant from becoming too brittle and untidy it is best to cut out the unsightly dead wood in late spring. This deciduous shrub thrives in a free-draining soil in a sunny location.
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