What to plant in October for months of beautiful colour (2024)

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Autumn is the season of milder weather, fiery colours and a big gardening to-do list! Don’t fret, though – Dobbies Garden Centres has compiled a checklist of what to plant in October, complete with growing tips, so you can get your garden looking gorgeous in no time.

What to plant in October

Autumn is the ideal time to get planting, with warmer soil but cooler weather creating the optimal growing conditions for plants and gardeners alike! This season is the traditional moment to prepare for next spring by planting spring flowering bulbs, but you can also celebrate the present by growing plants that display brilliant autumn colour.

Marcus Eyles, the horticultural director of Dobbies, shares his top plant picks to get you growing below.

Spring flowering bulbs to plant in October:

• Daffodils: Available in all shades of yellow and great for creating a cheery splash of colour. Miniature types are great for pots.
• Crocus: Ideal for a sunny spot at the front of a border or in small pots on a tabletop.
• Hyacinths: Grow for scent and flamboyant flowers. Plant in pots or at the front of a border.
• Alliums: With striking, globe-shaped blooms, alliums are real showstoppers. They flower in late spring.
• Iris: Grow miniature varieties in pots for a patio table. They are great in a sunny border too.
  

Plants for autumn colour:

• • Dogwoods and birch are great choices for an interesting colour kick. Don’t worry about trying to create a colourful ‘autumn area’ – just dot the interest around your plot for a natural look that’s pleasing as a whole. Look to vibrant stems and bark to add dynamism and colour.
  • Many plants and trees begin to produce berries and hips in autumn. These are perfect for adding to the colourful spectacle. Cotoneasters, roses, rowan and crab apple trees are all great candidates.
  • Many flowers put on a gallant show during autumn: Stonecrop (Sedum), Liriope, Japanese anemone and Michaelmas daisies (Aster) with their pink, blue or white flowers are just a few.

    

    Acer palmatum; Autumn bedding

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• Autumn wouldn’t be complete without fiery foliage adding to the scene. Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) are an obvious choice – they are great for a pot too. Grow Acer in a semi-shaded spot and water regularly if growing in a pot, as they don’t respond well to drying out. Japanese maples make a stylish focal point on a patio or doorstep and look good year-round.
• Brighten up beds, patios or the front doorstep with traditional autumn bedding plants. Cyclamen, chrysanthemums, pansies, violas and ornamental grasses such as Panicum, Miscanthus and Pennisetum are all perfect for injecting instant colour.

More beauties to plant in October:

• Ornamental and fruit trees are traditionally planted in the autumn, meaning you’ll have homegrown fruit to harvest by the following year. There’s a fruit tree for every size of garden – you don’t need an orchard! Some fruit trees can be grown in containers and guarantee a harvest for years to come.
• Apart from during extreme weather conditions, David Austin roses can be planted at any point during the year. The end of October is ideal.
• Beautiful winter flowering shrubs include Skimmia, Sarcococca, Pyracantha (berries) and Viburnum tinus.
• Low-maintenance winter flowering heathers such as Erica varieties are low-growing, compact plants. They’ll add subtle colour to your garden or patio when planted up in pots. These types of heather prefer to grow in full sun and well-drained soil.

Dobbies Garden Centres provided these tips as part of the campaign by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) to #KeepBritainGrowing this autumn. To find out more, visit dobbies.com.

You may also like:

• How to naturalise spring bulbs in your garden
• Encourage wildlife in your autumn garden
• Top trees for autumn colour