The colours of autumn are reaching a peak at Rosemoor this month as the butter yellows, burnt reds and oranges of the native deciduous trees set the skyline ablaze with colour. Fading seed heads and grasses help the transition between summer exuberance and the sleepiness of autumn.
Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki' is a lovely Acer which will remain small, eventually growing to a height and spread of just 6m (19ft). It is a handsome tree all year, but its autumn colour takes some beating; the bright green leaves turn through orange to bright crimson during October and November. We have a pair of lovely specimens on the reception terrace so you can’t miss them as you enter the garden.
The deeply divided leaves of Acer palmatum 'Chitose-yama' AGM first appear light red and age to bronze-green, until turning scarlet in autumn. This mound-forming Acer forms a striking feature close to the lake where the bright red autumn foliage reflects in the water, doubling the effect. We also have smaller specimens in the Rosemoor House beds, in the Stone Garden and on Lock's Trail.
In early summer Cornus kousa, a small tree, produces elegant and subdued greenish flowers surrounded by white bracts, but come autumn, it bursts into flame with wonderfully brilliant red leaves. At Rosemoor, it enjoys the partial shade of the woodland walk where the humus rich, acid soil suits it well.
Fuchsia 'Candy Bells' is a small shrub that does well in the protection of Lady Anne’s Garden where its dainty pink flowers and small leaves contrast well with the bold foliage and flowers of its neighbours. It likes the sun but, like all fuchsias, also does well in partial shade. The top growth is lost each year to the frost, but it comes back as strong as ever in the late spring.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Krater' has been planted in a large clump in the Hot Garden forming one impressive mass rather than having single plants dotted throughout the borders. It is one of several Miscanthus sinensis cultivars in the Hot Garden; each with different characteristics. M. sinensis ‘Krater’ has beautiful plumes of crimson, silky autumn flowers. These fade to buff continuing its value as a garden plant well into winter, when frost hangs on the seed heads making them glitter in the sunlight.
The flowers of Fuchsia 'Whiteknights Blush' look far too delicate to withstand the wind and rain of autumn, and yet each year it keeps coming back for more. This is a more refined example of the genus with pale pink pendant flowers adding sophistication to any sunny border, although they are just as happy in partial shade. This plant can be found in the Spiral Garden and the Cottage Garden.
We love Sedum (Herbstfreude Group) 'Herbstfreude' AGM for its large plate-like corymbs of deep pink flowers. At Rosemoor, it has been planted almost anywhere in the Formal Garden where drainage is good and where it can get plenty of sun. The starry flowers age to pinkish-bronze, then to a coppery red; this is one of the best long-lasting late season plants to have at the front of a border. Sedums are high producers of nectar and on a sunny day the flower heads can be crammed with several varieties of bees and butterflies.
Liriope muscari seems to do exceptionally well in the acid soil at Rosemoor, and the splashes of purple brighten up many a shaded spot. The strappy dark green leaves form a useful ground cover during most of the year, and then in autumn, the spikes of bright violet-mauve flowers appear, followed by black berries. You can find it in the Formal Garden and in Lady Anne’s Garden.
The beautifully simple white flowers of Rosa rugosa 'Alba' AGM are followed in autumn by glorious red to orange-red hips as big as tomatoes. It forms a dense bush of prickly stems and makes a good hedge. We use it as specimen planting in the Spiral Garden where the plants thrive in the fertile soil and sunny conditions.
Nerine 'Zeal Giant', an impressive South African bulb, certainly has a ‘wow’ factor with striking dark pink flowers carried on tall stems. Best grown against a south facing wall where the bulbs can bake in the summer sun, they do particularly well in the Fruit and Vegetable Garden where they are grown purely for their ornamental value. They can also be seen in the Southern Hemisphere Border and in the Exotic Garden.