Most gardens have an abundance of colour in spring and summer. However Brisbane gardens in autumn tend to be rather dull. Here’s a list of autumn beauties to snatch up at your local nursery and brighten up your otherwise overly green landscape.
Dahlias
Propagated by tubers, Dahlias grow prolifically during spring/summer and flower late summer and autumn. Colours vary and this is their strength – you can choose colour to tie in with other plantings nearby.
Photo by Nate Enyedi
Marigolds
Everyone knows marigolds! For striking warm colours in mass display or borders. Easy to grow and a long flowering season.
Salvias
Salvia guaranitica ‘Costa Rican Blue’; tall with blue to violet flowers. There are a few varieties of salvias native to high altitude, mountainous areas that flower through autumn/winter. It is important to note that some species of salvia are toxic to livestock (Salvia reflexa, nitrate poisoning) and declared as noxious weeds.
Cyclamen
The perfect Mother’s Day flower. Cyclamen love the cool weather, but don’t like too much sun or soggy soil. Choose a spot that’s sheltered from the warm sun and allow the soil to drain well between watering.
Sweet Peas
Sweet peas are perfect for mass plantings. They love the full sun and will appreciate a trellis for their tendrils to latch onto. Mind you, sweet peas can get out of control if left to their own devices. They’ll need pruning to keep the display tidy.
Photo by Andreas Eichler
Autumn Crocus
Not to be confused with the Spring Crocus, Autumn Crocus are native to north Africa and Asia, so our Brisbane climate suits them nicely. Their bulbs lay dormant during the warmer months and the flower pops up in autumn, before the foliage.