No change of seasons feels as noticeable to me as the shift from summer to autumn. The days shorten and a sense of closing is in the air. Certainly in the garden, many plants begin to die back pinks, verdant greens, and blues begin to be replaced by golden browns, reds, and yellows. I find a sense of calm in the slowing down, despite work often offering no such respite. Yet there are many plants that are finding their moment in early autumn, continuing a long season of flowering, extended floral interest into September, October and sometimes beyond. If not flowers, then seedheads, or like ornamental grasses, ‘that look good in death’ as Piet Oudolf puts it, become a thing of beauty in autumn.

The plants below are a small selection of plants that have something to give in the autumn. With some you feel that it is their time to shine, with others it is that they show a second characteristic that adds to their season of interest. All are mentioned here not only as a reminder not to focus on singular seasons when planting, but also to seek plants that carry out more than one role, that can offer you something other than a couple of weeks of flowering. This is the key to finding year round interest in the garden.

Aster x frikartii 'Mönch' (45cm (w) x 1m (h))

Overlooked and sometimes perhaps viewed as unfashionable, the use of asters (and Symphyotrichum) needs serious rethinking. A late summer burst of flowers, and some burst at that, comes through and keeps flowering sometimes until into November. I prefer the subtler blues rather than the more shocking purples and this variety has some of that nuance that others don’t.

Suiting a mid-border position as it holds a fair height at around a metre, this variety suffers less with flopping over. It rarely needs much staking and doesn’t suffer from mildew. They look great when planted with different forms such as Hylotelephium, where the sedum’s umbels and darker foliage combine well.

*Aster frikartii* ‘Monch’
Image from Aster x frikartii 'Mönch' - Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens

Hesperantha coccinea ‘Major’ (30cm (w) x 60cm (h))

With the common name of flag lilies, this hesperantha variety really makes you sit up and take notice. Gladiolus-like flowers are deep-red giving a welcome hot colour as the autumn starts to bite. Upright in form, they would look great planted amongst grasses such as Stipa tenuissima, or asters. This hesperantha is semi-evergreen but needs a little shelter. They will tolerate most soils but need a bit of moisture and sun to give a long flowering display. Looked after, and you can expect flowering periods from August to November.

*Hesperantha coccinea* ‘Major’
Image from HESPERANTHA coccinea Major. Woottens Plant Nursery

Cotoneaster frigidus 'Cornubia' (4.5m (w) x 6m (h))

One of the largest varieties of Cotoneaster, this shrub can be trained into a small tree, and as a semi-evergreen, is a welcome presence for most of the year. In autumn however, this Cotoneaster starts to show off when summer’s white flowers give way to pea-sized red berries. If not eaten by birds (and are seemingly chosen later than other available food), they will remain through the winter, and look gorgeous where mirroring the foliage of autumnal foliage. Trouble free, the shrub can tolerate most soils only occasionally needing a light prune to tidy it up, this is really a year round winner, with a little autumnal bonus.

Cotoneaster frigidus 'Cornubia' red berries — *Cotoneaster frigidus* 'Cornubia'
Image from gardentags.com/plant-encyclopedia/cotoneaster-frigidus-cornubia/2702

Euonymus alatus (2.5m (w) x 3m (h))

A bit obvious? Perhaps so. A shrub that is at its most spectacular in autumn, and a little inconspicuous for the rest of the year. Named commonly as the ‘Burning Bush’, this shrub’s foliage turns from a mid-green to a fiery red and every colour in between. Their autumn colour is both spectacular and eye-catching. However, this shrub is not just a one trick pony, the alatus name refers to its unusual, winged stems, and the fruits that result from insignificant flowers are purple-red and contain orange seeds that appear from their winged cases. Furthermore, they are attractive to birds. Hardy and tolerant, these shrubs can be grown in most soils (though

Cercidiphyllum japonicum (15m (w) x 20m (h))

The Katsura tree is a lovely medium-sized tree for sheltered spot in the garden and is often multi-stemmed. It leaves are tinted bronze when young and heart-shaped. Come autumn, the leaves turn yellow, orange, and pink, but what makes the Katsura tree particularly special is the smell of the leaves as they begin to drop and decompose. As they begin to fall a special compound called ‘maltol’ is released the smell invokes caramel, roasted malt or is reminiscent of a bakery. Incidentally, if smelt during summer, enjoyable though it is, it can be a sign of stress and should be watered. Though easily grown, they need a little shelter, and prefer moisture retentive, acidic, heavier soils.

Autumnal leaves of the katsura tree — *Cercidiphyllum japonicum*
Image from Cercidiphyllum Japonicum - CC Plants

Hylotelephium ‘Matrona’ (50cm (w) x 70cm (h))

Also named stonecrop for its foliage that feels cold to the touch, most hylotelephium are last summer flowering. This variety is no exception, and true, the flowers begin to die off come autumn, but what remains is still beautiful and holds great worth in an autumn border. This is why I have included it and could be grouped with many other perennials that have finished flowering. Plants that have great silhouettes, forms, or seedheads are of huge value late in the season and on through the winter. ‘Matrona’ is one of my favourites, with darker maroon stems and fleshy purple leaves, it flowers with wonderful pink/purple umbels, then remains upright through the winter. Piet Oudolf the famous dutch garden designer has an edict stating that plants should decompose beautifully, that is should look good in death, and this hylotelephium shares that with many other plants such as Phlomis, Helenium, Eryngium, Sanguisorba and many others.

*Hylotelephium* ‘Matrona’
Image is author’s own

Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea 'Transparent' (2m (w) x 2m (h))

I’ve selected Molinia as an example here, but many ornamental grasses take on wonderful golden yellow and brown hues later in the season. This ‘Transparent’ variety is tall and arching meaning it both adds some movement to a garden but also catches those late evening rays of sun. A good partner when planted with late flowering perennials such as helianthus, rudbeckia, asters, and eupatorium. Molinia ‘Transparent’ is tall but has an airy transparency (more so than other grasses) that mean it could be used in a variety of positions in a border, though it does prefer part shade and a more moisture-retentive soil. Other great grasses for golden autumn tones include Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, Sporobolus heterolepsis; Seslaria autumnalis; Stipa gigantea.

*Calamagrostis* x *acutiflora* 'Karl Foerster' ornamental grasses in Coal Drops Yard, London.
Image is author’s own

Rudbeckia fulgida 'Little Goldstar' (45cm (w) x 60cm (h))

Straightforwardly, a gem of a plant. Long flowering at the front of a border or in a container, well into October this compact variety of rudbeckia will give great value to a garden. Happy in most soils provided they are reasonably well-drained, in full sun, this joyful plant will be little trouble. The bright yellow flowers resemble large daisies and would look excellent alonside ornamental grasses like Stipa tenuissima.

*Rudbeckia fulgida* 'Little Goldstar'
Image from Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Little Goldstar’ | Kiefer Nursery: Trees, Shrubs, Perennials

Chrysanthemum ‘Chelsea Physic Garden’ (50cm (w) x 90cm (h))

This half-hardy woody perennial has an upright form and flowers with burnt orange petals and a yellow centre. What makes this variety special is how late it flowers. It can bloom from October through to December with the warm hues complimenting ornamental grasses and browning seedheads. In northern climates it may survive under a thick layer of mulch having been cut after flowering, but otherwise will grow in most soils in full sun.

*Chrysanthemum* ‘Chelsea Physic Garden’
Image from Chrysanthemum 'Chelsea Physic Garden' - Dorset Perennials

Cotinus coggygria (4m (w) x 4m (h))

Named ‘Smoke Bush’ because of its hazy clusters of pink flowers resembling clouds of smoke that appear in summer, this shrub has secondary interest in autumn that makes it a real showstopper. Its autumnal foliage turns from a deep purple to a fiery display of yellow, orange, and crimson. Cut back hard in spring and new growth will promote larger leaves for an even more impressive display, though this shrub requires very little maintenance. They are not too fussy over soil so long as its well-drained and will do well in full sun to partial shade. Given a good mulch over winter or in spring and this shrub will give many years of autumnal joy.