October is synonymous with the vibrant colours of autumn as leaves turn to copper, gold and crimson. But, says Tracy Reid, our gardens can still benefit from some beautiful flowers throughout this transitional month
As the summer season comes to a close there’s still lots of colour to be found in the garden during October.
Autumn colours may be starting to appear in the trees and shrubs but we can also enjoy floral displays until the first frosts.
Dahlias, once considered old-fashioned, are back in vogue and you can see why as they will continue to produce lots of flowers throughout the autumn months. The pom pom types in particular make excellent cut flowers – and the more you cut, the more you get!
There are plenty of open flowered types, too, which are loved by pollinators. So, you could grow some of each type, some for you and some for the bees.
Some people are nervous about caring for dahlias over winter, but if you have a well-drained garden they will often survive with only a bark mulch for protection.
They will die back when the frosts arrive and you can simply cut them down and mulch. Alternatively, you can lift the tubers, leave them to dry somewhere warm then pack them away somewhere cool, but frost-free.
If you’re still not sure about dahlias, my top tip is to grow some from seed. They are surprisingly easy to grow this way and you can then experiment to see if they survive in your garden.
If that all sounds like too much trouble, then why not have a look at the hardy shrubby salvias? You may be familiar with ‘Hot Lips’ but there are literally hundreds of varieties available now in all colours. They are drought resistant and loved by pollinators too.
Salvias don’t suffer much from pests and diseases and may be unattractive to rabbits. I don’t have personal experience of this, but they aren’t nibbled by our hens and geese!
They will flower for a long period, too, especially if you keep on top of the deadheading. They can flower into November and it’s best to leave foliage in place until April, when you can give them a good haircut and they’ll be ready to romp away.