As summer starts to fade, autumn is a great time to give tired pots and planters a bit of a refresh. Summer bedding may be coming to an end, but that certainly doesn’t mean your containers have to lose their colour.
There are plenty of plants that will keep pots looking good through autumn and, with the right choices, well into winter too.
We caught up with Liam Cleary, our Garden Retail Director, to pick out some of his favourite plants for autumn pots and get a few tips on putting together a display that will last.
“Autumn is a really good time to replant pots,” says Liam. “There’s loads to choose from and you don’t have to rely just on flowers. Mixing colourful foliage, grasses and evergreens with a bit of seasonal colour usually gives you a much better display.”
What are the best plants for autumn pots?
When choosing plants for autumn pots and containers, it’s worth thinking beyond flowers. A mixture of seasonal bedding, evergreen plants and interesting foliage will give you a display that lasts much longer.
Here are some of Liam’s favourites.
Pansies & Violas
It’s difficult to go wrong with pansies and violas.
They’re a firm favourite for autumn and winter pots, window boxes and hanging baskets, with a huge choice of colours available. Winter-flowering varieties are particularly useful as they’ll keep flowering during milder spells and often put on another good show as we head towards spring.
“Pansies and violas are always popular at this time of year,” says Liam. “They give you plenty of colour without costing a fortune. Keep taking the old flowers off and you’ll get much more from them.”
Violas have slightly smaller flowers than pansies but tend to produce plenty of them, making them particularly good for filling gaps and planting around the edges of larger containers.
Cyclamen
Cyclamen are another autumn favourite and a brilliant way of adding a splash of colour to pots.
Their flowers come in shades of pink, red and white, with attractive patterned leaves adding interest too. They look particularly good around a front door, on a patio or somewhere sheltered where you’ll see them regularly.
“Cyclamen are great if you want something a bit different,” explains Liam. “The flowers really stand out and even the leaves look good. A few pots grouped together by a front door can look fantastic.”
Bear in mind that not all cyclamen have the same level of hardiness, so check the variety when buying if your pots will be in an exposed position.
Heucheras
If you want colour without relying entirely on flowers, heucheras are well worth considering.
Depending on the variety, their leaves can be lime green, caramel, bronze, red, purple or almost black. They work really well alongside autumn bedding and ornamental grasses.
They’re perennial too, so once your seasonal display has finished, you can keep the plant and use it elsewhere in the garden or in another container.
Skimmia
For a bit of evergreen structure, Skimmia is one of our go-to plants for autumn and winter containers.
The glossy green foliage looks good throughout the year and provides a great backdrop for pansies, violas and cyclamen. Many varieties also develop attractive buds through autumn and winter before flowering later on.
“With a bigger pot, I’d always try to include something that gives you a bit of structure,” says Liam. “A Skimmia in the middle with seasonal bedding around it is really simple, but it works. Even when the flowers slow down in colder weather, the pot still looks good.”
Heathers
Autumn and winter-flowering heathers are another easy option for pots and planters.
Their small flowers bring plenty of colour, usually in shades of pink, purple and white, and they work particularly well alongside grasses and evergreen plants.
They’re also useful for pollinators, providing a source of nectar at a time when there are fewer flowers around the garden.
Ornamental Grasses
Don’t overlook ornamental grasses for pots.
A grass can completely change the look of a container, adding height and movement without taking over the display. Compact grasses such as Carex and Festuca are particularly useful in mixed autumn pots.
They also combine really well with the rich autumn colours of heucheras, heathers and cyclamen.
Hebes
Compact hebes are another good choice if you want something that will last beyond one season.
Their evergreen foliage gives you year-round interest, with varieties available in different shades of green, purple and bronze as well as variegated forms.
Try using a hebe as the main plant in a larger pot and changing the bedding around it with the seasons.
Chrysanthemums
If you’re looking for plenty of colour straight away, chrysanthemums are hard to beat.
They come into their own in late summer and autumn, when their masses of flowers can quickly brighten up a patio or entrance.
A large chrysanthemum can look great in a pot on its own, so you don’t necessarily need to create an elaborate mixed display.
Ornamental Cabbage & Kale
For something a little different, ornamental cabbage and kale bring some fantastic colour to autumn and winter pots.
Their leaves form colourful rosettes in shades of green, cream, pink and purple and they look particularly good mixed with pansies, violas and grasses.
Don't Forget Your Spring Bulbs
If you’re emptying and replanting pots this autumn, take the opportunity to add some spring-flowering bulbs at the same time.
Tulips, daffodils and crocus can all be planted underneath your autumn display, ready to appear next spring.
“It’s always worth putting a few bulbs underneath while you’ve got the pot apart,” says Liam. “You won’t know they’re there through autumn and winter, then suddenly they start coming through in spring. You get another display without having to replant the whole pot.”
If you have a deeper container, you can plant different bulbs at different depths to extend the flowering period – often known as creating a bulb lasagne.
How to Put Together an Autumn Pot
There really aren’t any hard and fast rules, but a good starting point is to choose one plant to give you some height or structure, then add foliage and flowers around it.
For example, you could start with a Skimmia, compact hebe or ornamental grass, add a heuchera or heather and then fill the gaps with pansies or violas.
Trailing ivy is useful around the edge of larger pots and helps soften the overall display.
“Don’t feel that you need loads of different plants,” advises Liam. “Three or four varieties that work well together will often look better. Think about different heights and leaf colours as well as the flowers.”
What Compost Should I Use for Autumn Pots?
For most autumn bedding and container plants, a good-quality peat-free multi-purpose compost is a good place to start.
Some plants prefer more specific growing conditions, so always check the label when buying.
Good drainage becomes particularly important as we head into wetter weather. Make sure your pots have drainage holes and check that they haven’t become blocked.
Look After Your Pots Through Autumn & Winter
One of the biggest problems for pots during a wet UK winter can be too much water rather than too little.
If a container is sitting flat on a patio, its drainage holes can become restricted. Pot feet are an easy way to raise it slightly off the ground and help excess water escape.
“We tend to think about protecting plants from frost in winter, but sitting wet for weeks on end can cause just as many problems,” says Liam. “Good drainage makes a big difference. I’d always check the holes in the bottom of the pot and lift bigger containers onto pot feet if needed.”
You’ll need to water less frequently than during summer, but don’t stop altogether. Pots underneath a porch or against the house may receive surprisingly little rain, so check the compost every now and again.
It’s also worth regularly removing dead flowers and yellowing leaves. Deadheading pansies and violas will help keep them tidy and encourage more flowers when conditions are right.
Three Easy Autumn Pot Ideas
If you’re not sure where to start, here are three simple combinations to try.
For the Front Door
Skimmia + cyclamen + white violas + trailing ivy
The Skimmia gives you height and evergreen foliage, while the cyclamen and violas provide plenty of seasonal colour.
For Autumn Colour & Texture
Ornamental grass + heuchera + heather + trailing ivy
A great combination if you like rich autumn foliage and a slightly more natural look.
For Colour Through to Spring
Compact hebe + heuchera + winter pansies + violas, with spring bulbs underneath
The hebe and heuchera provide longer-lasting structure, with bedding for immediate colour and bulbs waiting underneath for spring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best plants for autumn pots in the UK?
Pansies, violas, cyclamen, heucheras, Skimmia, hebes, heathers and ornamental grasses are all good choices for autumn pots in the UK. Mixing flowering plants with evergreen foliage will help your display last for longer.
What can I plant in pots in September?
September is a great month for refreshing containers. Try pansies, violas, cyclamen, chrysanthemums, heathers and other autumn bedding plants, alongside evergreen shrubs and colourful foliage plants.
It’s also an ideal time to start planting spring-flowering bulbs.
What are the best plants for autumn and winter pots?
For autumn and winter pots, look for plants that offer flowers, evergreen foliage or interesting leaves. Winter pansies and violas are great for colour, while Skimmia, hebes, heucheras, heathers and grasses can provide longer-lasting interest.
What can I plant in pots for winter colour?
Winter pansies, violas, cyclamen and winter-flowering heathers can all add colour to containers. Heucheras are another good choice as their colourful foliage lasts much longer than many flowers.
Can I plant spring bulbs underneath autumn bedding?
Yes, and we’d recommend it. Plant tulips, daffodils, crocus and other spring bulbs deeper in the container before adding your autumn bedding on top. They'll stay hidden until they begin to emerge towards spring.
How do I stop pots getting waterlogged in winter?
Check that your pots have clear drainage holes and avoid letting them sit permanently in water. Raising containers slightly on pot feet can improve drainage, particularly on patios and other hard surfaces.
Give Your Pots an Autumn Refresh
You don’t need to completely redesign the garden to make a difference at this time of year. A couple of freshly planted containers by the front door or on the patio can bring plenty of colour back into the garden.
You’ll find a great selection of autumn plants, winter bedding, spring bulbs, pots and planters, compost and everything else you need for autumn planting here at The Old Railway Line Garden Centre in Three Cocks, between Brecon and Hay-on-Wye.
And if you’re not sure what will work in your pots, just ask one of our Plant Team. They’ll be happy to help you put something together.