The nights are now drawing in quickly with a brief respite forecast of a potential October heatwave before the weather deteriorates again there are still plenty of reasons to be cheerful in the garden. This is the time of year to admire the various colourful shades and hues of late September & October flowering plants many of which have a striking architectural appearance.
Tall verbenas as still in flower and Dahlias will usually keep flowering until the first frosts so long as one keeps deadheading them. The Aster is another beautiful September flower with its daisy like flowers in shades of pink, mauve,purple,blue & white. Asters also attract beautiful insects such as Dragonflies ( see image). Dahlias provide great foliage and colour through late Summer into Autumn and are a superb addition to any herbaceous border.
My own personal September/October favourite is the Canna Lilly which comes in vibrant shades of red,yellow or orange. Their tropical appearance makes a spectacular backdrop to any border especially set against a mellow red brick wall reaching a height of between three and five feet. A single flower spike can last several weeks but they do need moisture to keep blooming.
Whatever flowers you have growing in your garden now is the time on a sunny day ideally in the late afternoon to take some photos to serve as a record of your garden to look at in the grey days to come as well as to help plan next year's display.
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