Garden Design - part 6

So, last month we looked at the planting to add interest from Spring into Summer, this month we look at the Summer to Autumn transition.

As summer progresses, the garden takes on a richer, fuller feel. The stone wall on the east side continues to play an important role, absorbing warmth during the day and releasing it slowly in the evening. This creates a favourable microclimate for late-flowering perennials and tender plants, extending their season well into early autumn. Plants growing close to the house wall similarly benefit, maintaining colour and structure as temperatures begin to drop. Climbing roses can be added to the winter-flowering climbers to add scent and beauty through the summer into autumn.

From the patio, the deciduous woodland remains an integral backdrop, but its character subtly shifts. During late summer the greens deepen and become more muted, before gradually warming into softer golds and russet tones as autumn approaches. I want the garden planting to mirror this transition, using plants that bridge the seasons rather than stopping abruptly at the end of summer.

In the borders, summer-flowering perennials give way to plants chosen for seed heads, texture and late colour. Ornamental grasses begin to come into their own, adding movement and catching the lower autumn light. Their straw, bronze and copper tones echo the woodland beyond and help soften the change from lush summer growth to autumn restraint.

Late-flowering shrubs and perennials help sustain interest: sedums, rudbeckia, echinacea and Japanese anemones carry the borders through into autumn, while asters provide cooler blues and purples that contrast beautifully with the warmer woodland colours. Many of these plants also offer attractive seed heads, extending interest even after flowering has finished.

Shrubs used for winter structure start to assert themselves again as herbaceous plants fade. The evergreen laurel and bay regain visual prominence, while Photinia Red Robin and skimmia provide continuity of form and colour, bridging summer abundance and winter structure. Dogwoods quietly build energy below ground, preparing to offer their vivid stem colour once leaves have fallen.

In the grassed areas naturalistic drifts of autumn-flowering bulbs such as colchicum and autumn crocus, adding unexpected pops of colour. Around the rockery and path edges, low-growing plants and grasses provide texture, ensuring these areas never feel bare.

Containers on the patio also shift with the season. Summer herbs can be refreshed with plants that thrive in cooler conditions, such as sedum, heuchera, ornamental grasses and cyclamen. These combinations retain interest through autumn and begin the transition towards winter displays, ensuring the patio remains inviting as evenings draw in.

By planning for this gradual seasonal handover, the garden avoids a sharp divide between summer and winter. Instead, it moves smoothly into autumn, celebrating texture, seed heads and mellow colour, while quietly laying the groundwork for winter interest still to come.