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September, 2019
Autumn vibes
It's now officially autumn and seemingly overnight we're facing the onset of darker mornings and the prospect of shorter days. There's a definite nip in the air and misty damp autumn mornings have replaced the blazing highs of long summer days. Yes, the countdown to the end of British Summer Time is definitely underway. But we love the seasonal transition as there are still red letter days when Ma Nature waves her magic wand and spreads some sunshine across our green and pleasant land. Nuffield Place, former home of William Morris (Lord Nuffield), founder of the Morris Motor company and a trailblazing philanthropist, is set within a nine-acre estate nestled in the Chiltern Hills in the south Oxfordshire countryside. We recently visited the estate's gardens to see some fabulous examples of late summer/early autumn splendour in its herbaceous borders.
We loved the tropical feel of the planting closest to the house with the vibrant oranges and yellows of the Coleus and Lantana camara contrasting beautifully with the tropical green of the house's window shutters. A very different theme was encountered to the side of the house where the long herbaceous borders, criss-crossed by mown pathways, had a more relaxed vibe with grasses intermingling with dusty pink Sedums and other late-flowering perennials.
Now's the perfect time to plan ahead and identify where your borders could do with a bit more oomph. Take photos so you can refer back when deciding on your autumn plant selection to bridge the seasons. Think about a planting scheme that will punch above its weight and opt for plants that will happily continue flowering up to the first frosts. If you prefer a hot and spicy colour scheme, consider Heleniums, Rudbeckias, Crocosmias and Achilleas. If, on the other hand, you favour a more restrained colour palette, go for starry Asters, Sedums, Japanese Anemones and Gauras.