The hour has gone back, the days are short, so is all gloom and decay in the garden? Well of course it isn’t. There are many plants that are still offering vivid colours well into November. Some such as Dahlias and Chrysanthemums will flower until the frosts arrive.  The photos below were taken yesterday, so strictly speaking still October, but the sun was shining.

Autumnal Dahlias

Cosmos and Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums

Other plants like many of our deciduous trees offer superb leaf colour, while others such as Pyracantha, Sorbus and Cotoneaster bear vibrant berries.

Autumnal Trees

Pyracantha Hedge

Cotoneaster berries

Sorbus Pink Pagoda

However, our choice for colour lasting well into the autumn are two bulbs, Nerine and its hybrid relative the Amerine. They tend to start flowering in October but the blooms will generally last into early November when the starburst flowers are entirely appropriate for bonfire night. Like most bulbs they require relatively little maintenance, but may need extra water in the summer when the leaves emerge (these will die back before the blooms appear on bare stems).

Nerine

The vegetable garden also has a couple of our favourites reaching their peak now, parsnips and leeks. Both will be ready for harvesting and whether it is roast parsnips, leeks in cheese sauce or hearty soups, they provide perfect comfort food for the gloomier days of late autumn. Both have quite long growing seasons, so are a timely reward for patient gardeners after many of the brasher summer vegetables have finished. Just make sure that you leave a few for Christmas dinner!