Autumn colours

Ann Kretzschmar

Oct 30, 2019 • 3 min read

It may be a dreary, dark wet day; the clocks may go back tonight meaning winter really is approaching fast but the dogwoods, heucheras and cotinus are looking glorious in their autumn colours. The heucheras are loving the cooler weather and the darker days are brining out their amazing autumn foliage.

The dogwoods, I planted about 3 years ago before I decided to take the hawthorn hedge out. They were mostly garden centre rejects and have really come into their own this year. I've taken lots of cuttings which seem to root very easily. Last years are now growing nicely and I have another batch ready to plant out in the spring. Sadly the virginia creeper at the front only kept its leaves for a few days.

The heucheras are really showing off their colours and seem to glow on a grey day. Some of them change colour completely whilst with others the colours just seem to intensify.

This is a Tiarella called Tiger Stripe which has changed completely from original green to this wonderful pinky-red.

This is one of my favourites, Art Deco. Its been glorious all summer with its varying leaf colours and now it has gone to the glorious pinky shade. I hate to disturb it when its doing so well but its due for a replant in the spring as its pot is getting very crowded.

Of course, autumn brings other challenges such as the first frost. The frost brought out some wonderful patterns on the leaves of the more exposed Heucheras.

Time to get the pelargoniums and begonias under cover and hope that all the fuschias are hardy!

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