Autumn Colour in the Garden: A Symphony of Seasonal Beauty

As summer fades, the garden undergoes one of its most breathtaking transformations. Autumn brings with it a painter’s palette of rich reds, golden yellows, fiery oranges and deep purples — a final flourish before winter’s rest. With thoughtful planting, your garden can become a celebration of colour and texture through the crisp months of the year. Here’s how to capture the magic of autumn with trees, shrubs, climbers, flowers, and bulbs that truly shine.

Trees That Steal the Show

Few things define autumn more than the fiery canopy of deciduous trees.

Liquidambar autumn leaves, Photo by Sebastian Schuster on Unsplash

• Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet Gum) is a true star of the season. Its maple-like leaves turn a dazzling mix of crimson, amber, and plum as temperatures drop. The remaining spiky fruits on the tree are also highly decorative. You have a small garden, the variety ‘Gum Ball’ will be more suitable growing only to 2.5 wide and high. It is often grafted on a clear stem to give it a more sophisticated look.

Parrotia Persica in Autumn

• Parrotia persica (Persian Ironwood) offers a spectacular display of orange, gold, and scarlet, with the bonus of attractive bark and a graceful shape in winter. Urban garden will enjoy the variety ‘Persian Spire’ with its columnar shape. Its foliage is not only magnificent, emerging rich purple in spring, turning dark green with a purple margin in summer to finally make the most dazzling display in Autumn with its fiery tones.

Ginkgo Biloba, Photo by taro ohtani on Unsplash

• Ginkgo biloba, known as the maidenhair tree, turns a pure, luminous yellow — almost glowing in low autumn light. It is a very large tree, growing to 25m but there are manageable varieties like ‘Mariken’ growing only to 2.5m. It is a male variety as well so you are sure to avoid the smelly fruits produced by the female varieties.

Cercis in bloom in Spring, Photo by Vladimira Slyusarenko on Unsplash

• Cercis canadensis (Redbud) provides heart-shaped leaves that fade from rich green to buttery gold, often alongside the decorative seed pods left after spring’s blooms. ‘Forest Pansy’ and ‘Merlot’ are purple-leaved varieties with stunning autumn colours. They are also compact enough to adorn small to medium-sized gardens.

Together, these trees create layers of colour and form that add structure and drama to the garden as days shorten.

Climbers for Vertical Colour

Don’t forget the power of height when planning for autumn interest.

Parthenocissus Tricuspidata, Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

• Parthenocissus transforms into a wall of flaming red and burgundy, ideal for covering fences or climbing up trellises. From the large leaves of the Tricuspidata ‘Veitchii’ (Boston ivy), the vigorous five-lobed leaved Quinquefolia (Viriginia Creeper) or the exquisite Henryana with its showy veins, the Parthenocissus features outstanding autumn colour and strong growth, making it a great choice for difficult locations
• Trachelospermum jasminoides (Star Jasmine) retains its glossy evergreen foliage, which takes on a deep red colour in colder months. Its twining habit and sweet-scented summer flowers make it a year-round delight. It is a dense climber, ideal for a sunny and sheltered wall where its scent can be enjoyed.

Pyracantha, Photo by C Schneider on Unsplash

• Pyracantha (Firethorn) lives up to its name with vibrant orange, red, or yellow berries that light up hedges and feed hungry birds. This evergreen shrub can be grown against a wall to ornate it. It is also a good ornamental and protective hedging option as it is thorny. Its flowers appear in Spring, in abundance.

These climbers bring the beauty of autumn right up to eye level — and beyond.

Shrubs with Seasonal Flair

A well-chosen shrub can provide both backbone and brilliance in an autumn border.

• Leucothoe offers glossy leaves that shift from green to deep red and bronze as temperatures fall, perfect for shady spots. From the fresh variegation of ‘Hokus Pokus’ to the intense burgundy hues of ‘Royal Ruby’, the leucothoe is ideal in gardens or all sizes and in pots. It is compact and dense, and very low maintenance.

• Nandina domestica (Heavenly Bamboo) is unmatched for colour and texture, with red-tinged foliage and bright clusters of berries that persist into winter. While Nandina domestica can reach up to 2 metres, more compact varieties will add interest to the borders or containers. Most of these do not produce the berries but they will still flower in Spring. Amongst these, ‘Blush Pink’ and ‘Obsessed’ are very popular thanks to their autumn colour.

 

• Skimmia japonica brightens dull corners with glossy green leaves, fragrant spring flowers, and striking red berries through the colder months. You will need a male (‘rubella’) to pollinate your female variety so that it can produce berries. However, where space is limited, self-pollinating types can be planted such as ‘Temptation’ with a shrubby, rounded shaped or Reevesiana, a lower, ground-cover type with dark red berries. (NB: the berries of the skimmia are toxic)

These shrubs ensure your garden remains alive with interest well into the season.

Flowers That Keep Blooming

Chrysanthemum (Garden Mums)

Autumn doesn’t mean the end of blooms.
Chrysanthemums are the quintessential flower of the season, offering cheerful bursts of colour from soft gold to deep burgundy. Perfect in pots or borders, they bring warmth and energy to fading displays. Their resilience in cooler temperatures makes them a must-have for late-season cheer. They will make perfect companions for ornamental cabbages, cyclamens and winter pansies, for containers bursting with colour.

Bulbs for Ground-Level Beauty

For a magical carpet of colour under trees or in shaded corners, bulbs are invaluable.

Cyclamen, Photo by Andréas BRUN on Unsplash

• Cyclamen hederifolium produces delicate pink or white flowers that rise gracefully above marbled foliage, thriving even in dry shade.

Colchicum, Photo by Nika Benedictova on Unsplash

• Colchicum autumnale (Autumn Crocus) appears like a miracle in late season — lilac-pink chalice-shaped flowers emerging before the leaves, adding a touch of surprise to fading beds.

These small but mighty plants are perfect for naturalising and extending the life of your garden’s display.

Bringing It All Together

Autumn is not the end of the gardening year — it’s the crescendo. By mixing trees for height, climbers for texture, shrubs for structure, and bulbs and flowers for vibrant ground-level colour, you can create a tapestry that glows even as the days grow shorter.

So, wrap up warm, grab your secateurs and your leaf rake, and enjoy nature’s most spectacular performance — right outside your window.