As the garden begins it’s autumn transition, it’s the perfect time to think about plants that offer both immediate impact and long-term structure. Whether you’re looking for vibrant autumn colour, fragrant blooms to extend the season, architectural features for winter interest, or evergreen screening, we have plenty of options.
Featuring everything from the fiery berries of Pyracantha to the autumnal rainbow of Japanese Maples and long-flowering perennials like Verbena bonariensis take a look at our top picks for October.
- Acers – Making large shrubs or small trees, these are well loved for their graceful habit, delicate foliage and range of eye catching colours. Japanese Maples will add interest in any garden. Perfect for growing in a pot on the patio or as the feature plant in a scheme, every garden should have a Japanese Maple. Perfect in dappled shade, they liked free draining soil that never gets too dry.
- Amelanchier lamarckii – A large erect deciduous shrub or small tree of open habit, with bronze-tinged young leaves turning orange and red in autumn. White flowers appear in short, lax racemes as the leaves unfurl followed by edible red to dark purple-black berries.
- Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Worplesdon’ – A fantastic tree for screening and autumn colour, this species of tree has large lobed leaves, similar to a Maple. The leaves of Liquidambar ‘Worplesdon’ are most distinctive emerging in spring a bright green colour and displaying the most brilliant range of colours from September onwards.
- Parrotia persica ‘Vanessa’ – A small, upright tree with attractive, flaking bark and small red flowers on bare stems in late winter and early spring. The young foliage is red and bronze turning green for summer then producing spectacular autumn colour with shades of red, orange and purple. Prefers full sun. 8 – 12m at full height.
- Rhus typhina – A large suckering deciduous shrub to 6m, the red-hairy stems with large pinnate leaves turning red and orange in autumn. Dioecious, with yellow-green flower clusters, followed on female plants by dense crimson fruiting heads
- Sorbus commixta Olympic Flame – Also known as ‘Dodong’ this Rowan originates from Japan. Selected from seed by a Swedish botanist in 1976 for its exotic look, it is now firm a favourite in Europe. Its glossy green foliage is vibrant throughout the growing season and turns to an impressive range of flame oranges and reds in autumn. Dark orange berries are produced from clusters of white spring flowers by late summer.
- Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’ – A deciduous shrub known for its captivating fragrance. With a compact and rounded form, this variety produces large, bright red to purple flowers with a sweet, fruity scent that attracts pollinators. Blooming in late spring to early summer, the aromatic blossoms stand out against the glossy, dark green foliage. Height 4m Spread 2.5m. Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in a sheltered position from cold, drying winds. Full sun or partial shade.
- Cornus kousa – The perfect feature tree for any garden. Varieties such as ‘Milky Way’ produce large, star shaped flowers in spring / summer followed by dazzling, rich autumnal colours until around mid November.
- Cotinus coggygria Flamissimo (Smoke bush) – A compact, deciduous shrub with purple / green leaves in summer and vibrant fiery foliage in autumn. It produces pink flower plumes in the summer that turn a smokey grey, hence the name. Suitable for full sun to partial shade, in well drained soil. Can grow to a mature height of approximately 1.5 – 2.5m.
- Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’ (Burning bush) – A smaller, more compact variety of the popular Burning Bush shrub. It features dense, rounded growth with the same captivating seasonal appeal. In spring and summer, it has deep green leaves, which transform into brilliant red and purple hues in the autumn, creating a fiery display. The small greenish flowers are inconspicuous, followed by reddish-orange fruit capsules. Known for its distinctive, corky winged stems, this shrub is a low-maintenance, eye-catching choice for smaller gardens or borders. Height 1m Spread 1.5m. Grow in well drained soil in full sun or partial shade.
- Pyracantha Saphyr Rouge (‘Cadange’) – More commonly known as Firethorn, Pyracantha ‘Saphyr Orange’ is a spiny evergreen shrub with a compact habit, narrow glossy leaves and sprays of white flowers in late spring and early summer. Bright orange berries follow, providing valuable food for the birds throughout autumn into early winter making it an ideal plant for wildlife gardens.
- Pyracantha ‘Golden Glow’ – Great for screening, its thorns act as a natural security barrier where defence is needed. Does well in a sheltered sunny or partial sun aspect.
Flowerheads to leave on over winter
- Agastache
- Echinops
- Eryngiums
- Hydrangeas
- Nigella
- Phlomis
- Poppies
- Teasels
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