This month there is still interest in the garden thanks to the last of the bright autumn leaves, colourful bark & stems, and fruit and berries. Evergreen plants that were not noticed through the more colourful months now come to the fore in their many shades of green.
The most striking thing about the flowers of Aster lateriflorus var. horizontalis AGM is the rosy pink florets set off by pale lilac flowerheads. It likes sun, but we use it as ground cover in partial shade throughout the garden and have done so for about 20 years! It is quite undemanding as to soil, but it does like it moist and moderately fertile.
When visiting Rosemoor at this time of year you cannot help but notice the bright red stems of Cornus alba 'Sibirica' AGM. This plant really comes into its own in late autumn and winter, brightening up the Winter Garden, the Rock Gully and the lake area. Stems colour best in a sunny spot but otherwise it is not fussy about soil. Ours are so vigorous that we cut down all the stems in early spring.
At this time of year Cotoneaster salicifolius is covered in a mass of bright red berries just waiting for the visiting redwings to arrive (provided our resident blackbirds and thrushes have not demolished them first of course!) This is an excellent shrub for the larger garden with interest all year as it is evergreen and in the spring it is smothered in small white flowers. Happy in sun or partial shade, it appreciates shelter from cold winter winds. Take a look in the Stream Field garden for our specimens.
The delicate pink, bell-shaped flowers of this evergreen Fuchsia microphylla brighten up a sheltered late autumn border. Although considered to be only half hardy, it managed to survive one of the harshest winters we have known here in recent years, thanks in part to the sheltered positions we provide for it in the Plantsman’s Garden and the Exotic Garden.
Ilex aquifolium 'J.C. van Tol' AGM produces the most magnificent and abundant red shiny berries, adding to the winter larder available to the Rosemoor birds. This is one of the non-prickly hollies and like all hollies, it can be formally clipped, but we like to allow it to grow naturally in woodland settings such as in the lake area, the Shrubbery and in Lock’s Trail.
Our most magnificent Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip trees) can be found in Lady Anne’s garden near the house. At this time of year, they positively glow – one tends to sunshine yellow and the other to a marvellous rich chestnut. This is almost certainly due to seed variation which illustrates why, if you are after a particular autumn colour, it is best to buy your trees at this time of year so that you know exactly what to expect.
Like all crab apples, Malus 'Evereste' AGM has interest from early spring into winter. The beautiful white spring blossom is followed in autumn by red-flushed orange fruit. It is a small tree, perfect for the average garden and although it prefers full sun, it will tolerate some shade. See it growing at Rosemoor on the bank outside the Plant Centre and in the Fruit Garden Field.
Miscanthus sinensis 'China' is a relatively new plant for us, which we have planted in drifts with ‘hot’ perennials such as Geum, Crocosmia, Coreopsis and Monarda in the new Hot Garden. Now, when most of those flowers have faded, the Miscanthus is still putting on a show of soft, buff coloured seedheads. These attract the seed-eating birds, small mammals such as field mice, and provide insects with shelter.
Parrotia persica AGM, the Persian ironwood, hangs onto its brightly coloured leaves well into late autumn. Best grown in an open woodland setting, it also makes a good specimen tree with interest from its late winter/early spring spidery flowers to its glorious rich-coloured autumn leaves, most vibrant when grown in acid soil. As you would expect, we have it growing in the Winter Garden but also in the lake area.