We choose many of the shrubs we grow for their autumn foliage or for their colourful fruits, but how often do we look for these appealing features in hardy perennials?, asks plantsman Graham Rice
Of course, that’s partly because there are fewer to choose from but some of those that are available in nurseries are not only colourful as the season winds down, but also bring us other features earlier in the year.
These 10 hardy perennials are all winners of the coveted RHS Award of Garden Merit and all have appealing autumn foliage or fruits. Numbers at the end of each entry refer to RHS hardiness ratings.
For more ideas on perennials with autumn tints, see the October 2014 issue of The Garden magazine, where Alan Gray of East Ruston Old Vicarage picks his favourites for autumn leaf colour.
