September is a brilliant time to refresh tired summer containers and bring a little new colour and texture into the garden.
As summer displays begin to fade, you don’t need to completely start again. A few carefully chosen plants can keep patios, entrances and garden displays looking good through autumn and, in many cases, well into winter too.
Here are a few of our favourites for pots this September.
Cyclamen
Cyclamen are one of the easiest ways to add instant autumn colour.
Their delicate flowers sit above beautifully patterned foliage and look particularly good in terracotta. Try planting them individually in small terracotta pots or group several together around a doorway, patio or garden steps.
If they’re going outside, look for hardy varieties and give them a reasonably sheltered position.
Heucheras
For colour that doesn’t rely entirely on flowers, heucheras are hard to beat.
Their foliage ranges from rich plum and bronze through to caramel, lime green and silver, making them particularly useful as summer colour starts to disappear.
They work well mixed with other autumn plants, but a good heuchera can look just as effective planted alone in a simple terracotta pot.
Violas and Pansies
There’s a reason violas and pansies return to autumn pots year after year.
They bring a welcome splash of colour as the garden starts to quieten down and work particularly well in smaller pots, bowls and troughs.
Rather than mixing lots of colours together, try choosing one or two shades and repeating them across several containers for a more considered display.
Ornamental Grasses
September is when many ornamental grasses really start to come into their own.
Their movement, seedheads and softer texture work beautifully with the lower autumn light, while smaller evergreen grasses and sedges can continue providing structure through the colder months.
Use them to add height to a mixed container or give a larger grass a generous pot of its own.
Add Some Evergreen Structure
Not everything in an autumn pot needs to flower.
Compact evergreen shrubs can provide the structure that keeps a container looking good throughout autumn and winter. Skimmia and euonymus are both useful choices and can be surrounded with smaller seasonal plants for extra colour.
It also means you don’t need to completely replant every season. Keep the permanent structure and simply change the planting around it.
Don’t Forget Shadier Spots
Hardy ferns are a great option for pots in parts of the garden that receive less sun.
Their fresh green foliage brings texture to quieter corners and looks particularly good against the warm tones of terracotta, brick and stone.
Autumn planting doesn’t have to mean everything suddenly becoming orange and red. Sometimes plenty of greenery is all you need.
Plant Something for Spring
While you’re refreshing your pots for autumn, you can also start thinking ahead to spring.
Daffodils, crocus and hyacinths can begin going into containers during September, with seasonal planting added above them for colour in the meantime. Tulips are usually better left until later in autumn.
Our hand-thrown terracotta bulb bowls are particularly well suited to creating dedicated spring bulb displays.
Think About the Pot Too
The container is just as important as what you plant in it.
Try mixing different heights and shapes rather than lining identical pots up together. A taller planter alongside a lower bowl and a couple of smaller pots tends to feel much more natural.
Repeating one or two of the same plants through the group will help bring everything together. September certainly doesn’t have to mean the end of colour in the garden. Cyclamen, heucheras and violas can bring immediate interest, while grasses, ferns and evergreens will add structure as we head further into autumn.
For more seasonal inspiration, take a look at The Autumn Glow of Terracotta for more ideas on using terracotta as the seasons change.
Or, if you’re ready to refresh your own autumn displays, explore our collection of terracotta pots and planters.
