Autumn might mark the end of the warm, sunny summer months, but it doesn't have to mean the end of colour in your garden.
In fact, some plants put on their best display as the seasons change. Trees burst into fiery reds and oranges, berries brighten up shrubs, ornamental grasses catch the autumn light and colourful foliage keeps borders looking interesting as summer flowers begin to fade.
If you’re looking for the best plants for autumn colour, there are plenty to choose from. Whether you have a large garden, a small border or a few containers or a patio, combining colourful foliage, berries, flowers and evergreen plants can help create an autumn garden with plenty of interest.
And if you’re wondering what to plant in October, autumn is also a great time to introduce many trees, shrubs and perennials to your garden. Colder temperatures and naturally wetter soil can help new plants establish before the warmer months return.
So if you’re planning an autumn garden or simply want to add a little more seasonal colour, here are some of our favourite plants to consider.
What plants are best for autumn colour?
The best autumn gardens don’t rely on one type of colour. Instead, try combining plants the offer interest in different ways.
Think:
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Colourful autumn foliage form trees and shrubs
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Bright berries on autumn and winter shrubs
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Late season flowers
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Ornamental grasses and seedheads
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Evergreen foliage
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Colourful autumn containers
This gives your garden more than one moment of interest and means you can enjoy different plants as the season progresses.
Japanese acers
When it comes to plants for autumn colour, Japanese acers are hard to beat.
Their delicate foliage can transform as temperatures drop, changing from green or purple during summer to vibrant shades of red, orange, yellow and gold.
There are lots of varieties to choose from, including compact options that work well in smaller gardens and containers. Their attractive shape and delicate leaves also make acers a great focal point whether planted in a border or positioned near a patio where you can enjoy their autumn display.
If you’re looking for a plant that gives you beautiful foliage rather than flowers, an acer is well worth considering.
Best for: Fiery red, orange and golden autumn foliage.
Planting tip: choose a sheltered position and check the eventual side of your chosen variety before planting.
Heucheras
Heuchera 3L 2 for £20 or £12.99 Each
For colour at front of a border or in a container, heucheras are one of our favourite autumn plants.
Their foliage comes in an impressive range of colours, from deep burgundy and purple to copper, lime green, silver and rich green. Many varieties are evergreen or semi-everygreen too, so they can continue providing colour after deciduous plants have lost their leaves.
Heucheras are particularly useful for creating contrast. Try combining dark-leaved varieties with lighter grasses, or use copper and orange toned varieties alongside other warm autumn colours.
They’re also compact enough for smaller gardens and containers, making them a versatile choice if you’re looking for plants for autumn pots.
Best for: colourful foliage, borders and containers
Pernettya
Pernettya 10.5cm 2 for £10 or £5.99 each
If you want to bring colour to your garden through berries rather than foliage, consider pernettya.
This compact evergreen shrub produces colourful berries in shades including pink, red, purple and white. The berries stand out against its glossy green leaves,giving you a splash of colour as summer planting starts to fade.
Pernettya works particularly well in containers or towards the front of a border, where its berries can be enjoyed up close.
Its evergreen foliage also means it can continue adding structure to your garden after many deciduous plants have lost their leaves.
Best for: Colourful berries and evergreen structure
Ornamental grasses and pampas grass
Pampas 'Selloana Pumila' 19cm £19.99
Autumn colour isn’t just about bright reds and oranges.
Ornamental grasses can bring a completely different type of interest to an autumn garden, adding height, movement and texture. Their seedheads and plumes catch the autumn light beautifully and can continue providing structure well into winter.
Pampas grass is particularly striking, with tall, feathery plumes that make an impressive focal point in a larger garden. For smaller spaces, there are plenty of more compact ornamental grasses that can bring similar movement and texture without taking up as much room.
Don't be too quick to cut grasses back at the end of summer either. Leaving many ornamental grasses standing through autumn and winter allows you to enjoy their seedheads and structure for longer.
Best for: height, texture and movement.
Fruit trees
Fruit trees can provide much more than a summer crop.
Apple and pear trees can bring seasonal interest through their blossom, fruit and changing foliage, making them a useful addition if your looking for trees for autumn colour and interest.
Autumn is also a good time to think about planting fruit trees. With the soil still holding some warmth and cooler weather on the way, newly planted trees have time to establish their roots before the growing season begins again.
If space is limited, look for compact varieties or trees that can be trained against a wall or fence.
And of course, there’s the added bonus of being able to pick your own fruit.
Best for: Fruit, foliage and year round interest.
Pyracantha
Pyracantha 'fire thorn' was £14.99 now £9.99
For autumn berries that can carry through into winter, pyracantha is a fantastic choice.
Also known as firethron, pyracantha is an evergreen shrub with glossy foliage, white flowers in spring and masses of brightly coloured berries in autumn. Depending on the variety, the berries can be red, orange or yellow.
It can be grown as a shrub, hedge, or trained against a wall or fence, making it a versatile choice for different garden styles.
The berries can also provide food for garden birds, so pyracantha is a useful option if you want to combine autumn colour with wildlife-friendly planting.
Best for: Autumn berries, evergreen foliage and wildlife.
Heathers
Heathers 12cm 3 for £10 or £3.99 each
Heathers are an easy way to add autumn colour to pots and borders, particularly if you’re looking for something compact.
Their smaller flowers come in shades of pink, purple, red and white, while their foliage provides additional interest throughout the year. Some varieties also develop attractive bronze, copper or red tones as the seasons change.
Plant them in groups for a bigger block of colour, or combine them with ornamental grasses, small evergreens and other seasonal plants in containers.
Just make sure you check the requirements of your chosen variety, as some heathers prefer acidic soil.
Best for: low growing colour, containers and autumn borders.
Ferns
Ferns 2L Only £9.99
Ferns might not be the first plant you think of when you picture an autumn garden, but they’re brilliant for adding texture and filling shady areas.
Their soft, feathery foliage works particularly well alongside bolder plants such as heucheras, grasses and shrubs.
Some varieties can also bring their own seasonal colour. For example, Dryopteris erythrosora is known for its coppery new fronds, adding warm tones to a shady planting scheme.
Use ferns underneaths trees, towards the back of a shady border or to soften the edges of paths and planting areas
Best for: Shade, texture and woodland style planting.
Autumn flowering plants
Autumn colour doesn’t have to come from foliage.
There are plenty of autumn flowering plants that can keep your borders and containers colourful as summer favourites start to fade.
Asters are a popular choice, producing daisy-like flowers in shades of pink, purple, blue and white. Sedums produce clusters of flowers that can provide late season colour, while cyclamen are particularly useful for seasonal containers and sheltered areas.
Winter flowering pansies and other seasonal bedding plants can also bring plenty of colour to pots, baskets and borders.
When planning an autumn garden, think about including a mixture of foliage and flowers. That way, even when one plant finishes flowering, another can take its place.
Best for: late season flowers and pollinator friendly planting.
Other trees and and shrubs for autumn colour
If you have room for something larger, there are plenty of trees and shrubs for autumn colour worth considering.
Some of our favourites include:
Amelanchier
Known for its delicate spring blossom, edible berries and attractive orange-red autumn foliage.
Liquidambar
A fantastic choice for dramatic autumn colour, with foliage that can turn shades of red purple, orange and yellow.
Continus
Also known as smoke bush, with rounded foliage alongside colourful fruits.
Sorbus
Useful for both autumn foliage and colourful berries, with some varieties particularly attracted to garden birds.
Euonymus
Some varieties produce striking autumn foliage alongside colourful fruits.
Berberis
A useful shrub for autumn foliage, berries and year-round structure.
When choosing a tree or shrub, always check its eventual size and growing requirements before planting. A plant that looks small at the garden centre can become a much larger feature over time.
Best autumn plants for pots and containers
You don't need a large garden to enjoy autumn colour.
Containers are one of the easiest ways to create an instant seasonal display, whether you have a patio, balcony, front door or small garden.
Some of the best autumn plants for pots include:
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Heucheras
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Heathers
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Cyclamen
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Ornamental grasses
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Ferns
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Compact acers
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Evergreen shrubs
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Autumn bedding plants
Try combining plants with different heights and textures rather than choosing several plants that all look the same.
For example, a taller ornamental grass could sit towards the back of a container, with a colorful heuchera in front and a trailing plant around the edge.
For more container inspiration, take a look at our range of pots and planters.
Prepare you soil before planting
Good plants start with good soil.
Before planting new trees, shrubs and perennials, take a little time to look at the condition of your soil. Adding organic matter can help improve soil structure and support healthy plant growth, particularly if your soil is very sandy, heavy or lacking in organic matter.
Autumn is also a great time to add compost, well rotted manure and other organic matter to your borders.
For more advice, read our complete guide to improving your garden soil.
You can also explore our autumn lawn care collection to find products suitable for your garden.
Don't forget your autumn garden tools
Autumn brings plenty of gardening jobs with it, from planting and pruning to clearing fallen leaves and preparing your garden for winter.
Having the right tools to hand can make these jobs much easier.
A sturdy garden spade is useful for planting trees and shrubs, while a good pair of gloves can protect your hands when you’re working with soil and plants. A garden rake or leaf collector can also make lights work of the fallen leaves.
And don't forget that autumn leaves don't necessarily need to go straight in the bin. Collecting them and turning them into leaf mould is a simple way to make use of a natural garden resource. Read our guide on how to make leaf mould to find out more.
How to create an autumn colour scheme
The secret to a garden that looks good throughout autumn is to combine different types of interest.
Rather than choosing lots of plants that all turn orange at the same time, think about how different plants can work together.
Start with colourful foliage
Choose a tree or shrub such as an acer, liquidambar or amelanchier to provide a string autumn display.
Add berries
Pernettya and pyracantha can bring bright berries into the planting scheme while evergreen foliage keeps the garden looking full.
Add flowers
Asters, sedums, cyclamen and autumn bedding can provide flowers as summer blooms start to disappear
Add texture
Ornamental grasses and ferns bring movement and texture, helping to soften the stronger colours.
Keep some evergreen structure
Heucheras, heathers and evergreen shrubs can continue providing colour and structure once deciduous plants have lost their leaves.
The result is a garden that feels layered rather than simply colourful, with something to enjoy from early autumn through to winter.
Why autumn is a good time to plant
If you’ve been putting off adding new plants to your garden, autumn is a great time to get started.
The soil can still be warm from summer, while cooler air temperatures reduce stress on newly planted plants. Autumn rainfall can also help keep the soil moist while plants establish their roots.
Trees, shrubs, climbers and many perennials can all benefit from autumn planting, although it's important to avoid planting into very wet or waterlogged ground.
Autumn planting also gives you the change to get ahead before the busy spring gardening season arrives.
From fiery acers and colorful heucheras to autumn berries, soft grasses and late season flowers, there are plenty of ways to bring colour and interest into your garden as summer comes to an end.