Guest Author - Hellie T.

Autumn borders can be filled with colour.
Take a look at this photo of an English Garden border taken in mid autumn.
The big yellow flowers are rudbeckia planted in drifts throughout the border. Try planting Rudbeckia hirta - Indian summer or Black-eyed Susan, which has lovely black middles and orangey yellow petals - it grows to 4ft or 1.2 m and will flower from the middle of summer right through autumn.

Alternatively try planting Rudbeckia fulgida sullivantii goldsturm which is a smaller variety and it only grows to 20 inches or 50 cm.

There are also white and purple phlox (paniculata) still making a colorful splash - perennials phloxs are a real treat in an autumn garden and flower for weeks.

In the background you can see the tall stately thistles that still have their purple flower heads.
You could try growing teasels for their tall spikes of browny seed heads which the birds love.

The large white daisies - Leucanthemella serotina catch the fading suns rays with brilliant effect. They grow to 4ft or 1.2m and prefer a fertile moist soil.

Staying with white blooms, the Anemone Honorine Jobert is good throughout autumn, with lovely sparkling white flowers and it doesn't mind being in a shady spot.



On another side of the walled garden

Phloxes and dahlias provide autumn colour right up until the first frosts. Phlox has a lovely scent that is at its best in the evening.



Here is a selection of plants that flower until the frosts.

Little roses can do well right up to the frost so if you are short of space try Rosa The Fairy for masses of pink flowers - it will only grow to 2ft or 60cm.

Penstemons do well planted in big drifts or groups of three or five and come in pinks, whites, dark and light purples and red.

Asters - Frikartii Monch has blue flowers and grows to 29 inches or 72 cm. There are many varieties of asters available at your local garden center - try planting them with pink dahlias .

Cannas come in some vibrant reds and oranges -for the latter try Wyoming which grows to 6ft or 1.5m. Dot them amongst your border.

Salvias flower into late autumn - salvia uliginosa has blue flower spikes grows to 5ft or 1.5m and salvia confertiflora has dark orange flowers and scented leaves.

Remember that having large groups of plants will create a dramatic effect andt you can get that wilder more cottagey garden effect by mixing groups of individual plant. Note the effect you get at the end of the flowering season and adjust for next year if the result is not quite what you wanted. This is an advantage of having a garden notebook and using it.

Enjoy your garden!