Chosen by Fleur van Vonneveld

 

Its beautiful, feathered, blue-green leaves have a greyish underside, and in autumn turn a glorious rich red.  In spring it is covered in white flowers, which grow in pyramidal clusters, and are followed by dark-pink berries. Unlike other rowan berries, these pretty pink ones aren’t loved by birds, so the display continues until
the following spring. It’s a small tree that is easy to grow and is able to withstand extremes of heat, cold, strong winds and drought. AGM.

Height 8m. Origin Garden origin (species China). Conditions Well-drained soil; full sun. Hardiness RHS H6. Season of interest Autumn.

 

This ornamental onion flowers late, from September to November, producing clusters of bright-purple to purple-pink flowers. Its thin, hollow, grassy leaves are attractive throughout the growing season and even turn slightly orange when temperatures fall below freezing. It forms neat clumps, so it is also suitable for pots. The species was first introduced from Japan in the 18th century, but this cultivar, which is more compact and flowers richly, was selected by the nurseryman George Schenk in Washington State, USA.

Height 40cm. Origin Garden origin (species Japan, China, Korea). Conditions Well-drained soil; full sun. Hardiness RHS H5, USDA 4a-9b. Season of interest Autumn.

 

An annual that is easy to grow from seed, although its bell-shaped flowers, which are pale blue to violet with some white, last for only a few hours a day in full glory. The spectacular, black-spotted seedpods are really small lampions that are long lasting when dried. It is a monotypic genus in the potato family, and very toxic if eaten. It takes its name from the ancient Greek poet and physician Nicander of Colophon who wrote several hundred hexameters on poisons and their antidotes.

Height 1m. Origin Garden origin (species South America). Conditions Moist but well-drained soil; full sun. Hardiness Not applicable. Season of interest Summer to autumn.

The large, purple-blue flowers of this nepeta rise beautifully above its large, fresh-green leaves, giving it a transparent feel. Its real strength comes to the fore after flowering when the purple spiked seedpods stand in whorls along the stem. They create a strong architectural effect in late autumn, when the upper half of the plant with the bushy seedpods turns a violet red. It looks beautiful when it is grown above a subtle grass, such as Sporobolus heterolepis, but can also be used to unusual and stunning effect when it’s combined with late-flowering anemones.

Height 80cm. Origin Russian region of Kuban (Caucasus). Conditions Well-drained soil; full sun. Hardiness RHS H7. Season of interest Summer to autumn.

At first sight this grass looks like Calamagrostis brachytricha, but the leaves are slightly wider and the plumes looser and more airy, attaining a soft, purple glow. It was found in 2010 by Cassian Schmidt, director of Hermannshof in Germany, on Mount Lu in central China at an altitude of 1,100m. In some winter lights, the leaves and plumes appear gold, while in others they can look silver. Its elegant, eye-catching panicles mean this is a grass that stands out as a solitary beauty in the middle of a border or in a prairie-style planting. It also works well as a contrast for the hard winter contours of hedges and buildings.

Height 1.2m. Origin China. Conditions Well-drained dry soil; full sun. Hardiness RHS H7. Season of interest Autumn.

 

Like most fuchsias, ‘Blacky’ flowers non-stop from summer to late autumn, provided temperatures remain above freezing. We first came across this new cultivar, from Billy Carruthers at Binny Plants, at last year’s Great Dixter Autumn Plant Fair and fell for its very large flowers in a dark, black purple and purplish red. It’s an improved version of Fuchsia ‘Roesse Blacky’ with a chalice that looks like a ruffle skirt and slips that curl up. It’s a large, upright plant better suited for pots than for hanging baskets, and its almost-black fruits, which are over 1cm, are also very tasty.

Height 70cm. Origin Garden origin (species Mexico). Conditions Well-drained soil; full sun to part shade. Hardiness RHS H2. Season of interest Summer to autumn.

Although its foliage provides interest from spring, the plant doesn’t bloom until late in the summer. But the blue spikes, when they do appear, stand out beautifully against the silver-grey leaves, making this a wonderful plant for a hot border where it provides a cooling contrast to more intense colours. In common with all Plectranthus species it’s not hardy, but is easy to propagate from seed or cuttings and does well in pots. Some species of Isodon, such as Isodon excisus, have a similar look for a hardy alternative.

Height 80cm. Origin Australia. Conditions Moist but well-drained soil; part shade. Hardiness RHS H1C. Season of interest Spring to
early winter.

 

 

A cultivar, introduced in 2005 by the Dutch grower Henk Holtmaat. In summer the bright-green spring leaves mature to a purple colour then in autumn these fade to a wide colour spectrum that ranges from green and purple to gold, orange and deep red, which probably accounts for its alternative selling name of ‘Color Flash’. The pale-pink blooms, held on upright stems, also offer good autumn colour and, after flowering, dry to form reddish-brown silhouettes.

Height 60cm. Origin Garden origin (species China, Japan). Conditions Moist, rich soil; part to full shade. Hardiness RHS H7, USDA 5a-8b. Season of interest Autumn.

The name of this Japanese cultivar translates as ‘white wave’ and the abundant, pure-white, double flowers that froth above slightly hairy, apple-green leaves on short stems look like stylised sea foam. So stunning are its flowers, which without night frost will bloom until December, that it feels out of place among the often messy mix of browns in the late autumnal border and is better placed in nice pot on the terrace. This cultivar may be Japanese but the species, Saxifraga fortunei, is from China brought to Europe in the 19th century by the Scottish plant hunter Robert Fortune.

Height 30cm. Origin Garden origin (species China). Conditions Moist but well-drained soil; full sun to part shade. Hardiness RHS H4. Season of interest Autumn.

 

One of our favourite clematis. The medium-sized, dark-violet flowers contrast nicely with the fresh-green leaves. It is a clematis with a rich and long flowering period and one that is strong and almost never suffers from wilting disease. It is a good grower that can be easily guided through bushes and small trees such as Elaeagnus ‘Quicksilver’. It also combines wonderfully with climbing roses, such as the yellow ‘Golden Showers’, the voluptuous pink ‘Eden Rose’ or the single-flowered Open
Arms (= ‘Chewpixcel’). AGM.

Height 3m. Origin Hybrid of garden origin. Conditions Moist but well-drained soil; full sun to part shade. Hardiness RHS H6. Season of interest Late summer to autumn.

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