Plantsfor Autumn / Winter colour ?

hiya- i used to do all the tubs and baskets when i worked in the nurseries and plant centres years ago- loved doing the winter ones more than the summer ones!
i did combos of things like skimmia, carex evergold, ophiopogon, liriope, convolvulus cneoreum, euonymus, lysimachia, and colour co-ordinate them- so would do a gold and green theme with something evergreen (like a euonymus) and have gold grasses (carex), trailing lysimachia and pale yellow violas- or a red theme so something with berries- skimmia reevesiana (or a small rubella) and ivies and dark red pansies, red heathers and red cyclamen. and a blue/silver theme with the convolvulus, festucas, white heathers, blue pansies/violas, .
dont forget the miniature bulbs too like Colin suggested- iris and dwarf narcissus. hope thats given you some ideas! :-)

Thanks for that Shelley - just seen where you are ...
I lived in the Algarve for 13 years - built my own house there which took 2 years and still not really finished ( they never are ! ) so appreciate what you are doing .. Returned to blighty 10 years ago ( not by choice ) but had to maintain outdoor way of life so started gardening business . 'Will watch your blog with interest :-)

Shelley said:

hiya- i used to do all the tubs and baskets when i worked in the nurseries and plant centres years ago- loved doing the winter ones more than the summer ones!
i did combos of things like skimmia, carex evergold, ophiopogon, liriope, convolvulus cneoreum, euonymus, lysimachia, and colour co-ordinate them- so would do a gold and green theme with something evergreen (like a euonymus) and have gold grasses (carex), trailing lysimachia and pale yellow violas- or a red theme so something with berries- skimmia reevesiana (or a small rubella) and ivies and dark red pansies, red heathers and red cyclamen. and a blue/silver theme with the convolvulus, festucas, white heathers, blue pansies/violas, .
dont forget the miniature bulbs too like Colin suggested- iris and dwarf narcissus. hope thats given you some ideas! :-)

Replies

Shelley Barnes September 24, 2010 at 11:37am

hiya- i used to do all the tubs and baskets when i worked in the nurseries and plant centres years ago- loved doing the winter ones more than the summer ones!
i did combos of things like skimmia, carex evergold, ophiopogon, liriope, convolvulus cneoreum, euonymus, lysimachia, and colour co-ordinate them- so would do a gold and green theme with something evergreen (like a euonymus) and have gold grasses (carex), trailing lysimachia and pale yellow violas- or a red theme so something with berries- skimmia reevesiana (or a small rubella) and ivies and dark red pansies, red heathers and red cyclamen. and a blue/silver theme with the convolvulus, festucas, white heathers, blue pansies/violas, .
dont forget the miniature bulbs too like Colin suggested- iris and dwarf narcissus. hope thats given you some ideas! :-)
Andrew Goss September 24, 2010 at 12:03pm

Thanks for that Shelley - just seen where you are ...
I lived in the Algarve for 13 years - built my own house there which took 2 years and still not really finished ( they never are ! ) so appreciate what you are doing .. Returned to blighty 10 years ago ( not by choice ) but had to maintain outdoor way of life so started gardening business . 'Will watch your blog with interest :-)

Shelley said:
hiya- i used to do all the tubs and baskets when i worked in the nurseries and plant centres years ago- loved doing the winter ones more than the summer ones!
i did combos of things like skimmia, carex evergold, ophiopogon, liriope, convolvulus cneoreum, euonymus, lysimachia, and colour co-ordinate them- so would do a gold and green theme with something evergreen (like a euonymus) and have gold grasses (carex), trailing lysimachia and pale yellow violas- or a red theme so something with berries- skimmia reevesiana (or a small rubella) and ivies and dark red pansies, red heathers and red cyclamen. and a blue/silver theme with the convolvulus, festucas, white heathers, blue pansies/violas, .
dont forget the miniature bulbs too like Colin suggested- iris and dwarf narcissus. hope thats given you some ideas! :-)
Shelley Barnes September 24, 2010 at 5:36pm

thanks Andrew- i love it here! good luck with the tubs etc :-)
Kieran Ray September 24, 2010 at 5:41pm

You cant realy beat the combinations Shelly has come up with, Maybe in a bigger tub use an Aucubba, they always look good or a Vibunum tinus.