05th November 2021

Autumn temperatures are quickly dropping, especially at night. Here, in the Thames valley, the temperature hit zero last night and the grass and dead leaves were white with frost this morning. The colder weather means many of this year’s summer and autumn flowering plants are coming to an end. Everywhere the predominant colours are now shades of greens, yellows and browns, with just a few of this year’s colourful blooms still surviving here and there in the more sheltered spots.

There are some exceptions. Dahlias, Calendula and Cosmos are still looking impressively colourful and, where gardeners (and allotmenteers) have planted them in groups, they are rewarded with great splashes of colour.

There are still a few roses growing too, but there are probably more deadheads to be seen than flowers on most rose bushes. One of my favourites, for the natural look of its flowers, is Rosa Glauca (included in ‘SeeHow’) which produces lots of bright red hips on its thorny stems – a winter food supply for the birds.

I like this time of the year – the transition from busy flower borders to winter dormancy. For many plants it is time to rest – job done. This was evident at Kew Gardens when I visited recently. The great swathes of Heleniums, Rudbeckias and Echinaceas that line the Broad Walk are now great swathes of tall brown stalks with dark seedheads and just a few remaining flowers here and there …. setting off the taller grasses wonderfully in the low sunlight.

Gaura, Persicaria and Perovskia, also planted in large drifts along The Broad walk, are coming to an end too, although they should last for another few weeks. The same can also be said for the Salvias. Kew has a huge Salvia collection – worth a summer visit for anyone thinking of planting this hardy and versatile plant. There are so many to choose from, in a variety of sizes and colours. Their flowers are beginning to thin out too at this time of year, although they still offer a spattering of colour and garden structure as well.

While I was at Kew to look at the late-autumn flowering plants, I was also looking for plants that ‘died well’ – offering good garden structure – something that could be left in place right through the winter until next spring offering habitat possibilities and food for insects and wildlife. On the reverse-side of the ‘SeeHow’ illustrations, we have tried to identify plants that have this potential. So ‘SeeHow’ can be used both to help prepare gardens for winter – supporting biodiversity – as well as for exploring planting ideas for next year’s colourful borders.

I was surprised and pleased to see several Red Admiral butterflies in early November on a large Eupatorium still covered in nectar-rich flowers.

The above Text and all Photographs are copyright of Wincenty (Wicek) Sosna. Please contact SeeHow for permission to reproduce in any way, in part or as the complete text.