September Is a betwixt and between month, with summer fading and autumn starting to make its presence felt. Happily, there are still many different types of flowering plants to choose from. Here are ten that should be looking wonderful this month:
1. Anemone x hybrida ‘September Charm’ (Japanese Anemone)
‘September Charm’ is a wonderful, easy-to-grow, plant that flowers prolifically this time of year and grows well in part shade! Its flowers are a pretty shade of pink with purple-tinted outer petals and stems and look wonderful. Either dot them through or plant at the back of, a mixed flower border.
• Flowers from July to September
• Hardy
• Grows to 90cm tall and 50cm wide
• Moisture-retentive, well-drained soil
• Sun or part shade
• Exposed
Top Tip
These plants don’t particularly like to be moved, so if you have to divide them, try to do so as infrequently as possible and in early spring.
2. Symphyotrichum novi-belgii ‘Vasterival’ (Aster)
Autumn commences aster-flowering season, and there are many cultivars to choose from to bring colour to your garden. ‘Vasterival’ is elegant, light, and airy, producing lots of pretty, light lavender/pink flowers highlighted beautifully on dark stems. It makes a good, long-lasting cut flower too!
- Flowers from July to October
- Hardy
- Grows to 90cm tall and 60cm wide
- Well-drained soil
- Sun or part shade
- Exposed
Fun Fact
In ancient times, Asters were burned and the smoke was used to ward off ‘negative energy’. Some also consider it the birth flower for those born in September!
3. Rudbeckia subtomentosa ‘Henry Eilers’ (Coneflower)
This statuesque, coneflower produces pretty, soft yellow, narrow, quilled petals with an orange-brown centre. Flowering all the way through to October, it looks fantastic planted among tall grasses or back of a flower border. Also, it’s a good idea to stake the stems before the flowers appear to avoid plants flopping over onto others.
- Flowers from August to October
- Hardy
- Grows to 120cm tall and 60cm wide
- Well-drained soil
- Sun
- Exposed
Top Tip
This coneflower variety looks quite striking when planted with ornamental grasses. And it pairs well with sunflowers.
4. Heptacodium miconioides (Seven son tree)
Unusual, easy-to-care-for, small to medium-sized tree which requires little or no pruning and deserves to be more widely grown. Once established it rewards you with scented, creamy-white flowers, hanging from the end of its branches, from now until early winter. After which, the elegant-shaped leaves develop a handsome dark red colour before falling.
- Flowers from September to November
- Hardy
- Grows to 800cm tall and 400cm wide
- Well-drained, moderately fertile soil
- Sun
- Exposed
Top Tip
This plant is actually a member of the honeysuckle family. Additionally, that would explain why butterflies are so fond of the flowers.
5. Colchicum ‘The Giant’ (Autumn crocus)
These cheerful-looking, large mauve-pink flowers, with a white centre, are a delight as they suddenly appear in clusters at this time of year, before the leaves. This makes them ideal for front-of-border colour. They also look good naturalised in grass.
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Flowers in September
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Hardy
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Grows to 15cm tall and 10cm wide
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Well-drained, fertile, moisture-retentive soil
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Sun or part shade
-
Exposed
Fun Fact
A particular variety of crocus is responsible for the spice Saffron. 90% of this spice is produced and harvested in Iran, and it is one of the world’s most expensive spices.
6. Sternbergia lutea (Autumn daffodil)
Although the common name of this bulb is autumn daffodil, the bright yellow flowers look just like a crocus! If happy in their growing situation, they will soon bulk up and flower prolifically. Also, they do need lots of sun and very well-drained soil, so add plenty of grit to the soil when planting.
- Flowers from September to November
- Hardy
- Grows to 15cm tall and 10cm wide
- Well-drained, fertile soil
- Full sun
- Exposed
Top Tip
As these lovely flowers grow so well, they are a great choice if you want to grow a floral autumn carpet! Because they love a sunny spot, within a few years of planting you will have a bright and cheerful patch to enjoy.
7. Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Dark Knight’ (bluebeard)
This medium-height shrub is a great choice for a wildlife-friendly, pollinator-attracting, flower border. It produces vibrant, purple-blue flowers, highlighted perfectly, when the wind blows, by the silvery reverse colour of its leaves! Plus, in colder parts of the country, it’s best planted against a warm wall and is drought-tolerant when established.
- Flowers from August to September
- Hardy
- Grows to 100cm tall and 120cm wide
- Well-drained soil
- Sun or part shade
- Sheltered
Top Tip
The Dark Knight is a fan favourite amongst your local pollinators! And, as an added bonus, they are rabbit and deer resistant, which is ideal for gardens which have regular guest appearances.
8. Cupea ‘Torpedo’ (Bat face cuphea)
This frost-tender shrub, with its unusual-looking flowers, is sure to be a talking point amongst your visitors. It flowers its heart out from early summer to early autumn. As long as it’s either grown in a pot or lifted and moved somewhere warm over winter, it should delight for years. Additionally, it has bright green leaves contrasting well with the flowers, which are purple, elongated and tubular, with dark purple ends.
- Flowers from May to September
- Frost tender
- Grows to 60cm tall and 45cm wide
- Moderately fertile, moist well-drained soil
- Light shade
- Sheltered
Fun Fact
With red flared petal tips, giving the appearance of a bat with bright red ears! Regular feeding with a high potassium feed will produce the best flowering results.
9. Nerine bowdenii ‘Amandi’ (Bowden lily nerine)
If you love pink and have a warm sheltered wall in your garden with free-draining soil, it’s well worth planting a hardy nerine. Because it delights at this time of year with its bright pink, ruffled flowers held on long stems.
- Flowers from September to November
- Hardy
- Grows to 60cm tall and 25cm wide
- Fertile, moist well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Sheltered
Top Tip
The Bowden lily originated in South Africa, so loves a sunny spot. Also, they are great choices for Mediterranean, coastal, and rock garden designs, as they originally appeared on cliffs.
10. Rosa ‘Persian Mystery’ (Rose)
All modern hybrid roses repeat flower, having their first major flush in June and their second in September. Persian Mystery is a very pretty, compact, repeat flowering hybrid rose. The scented flowers are pink with distinctive maroon centres and should continue to repeat-flower until the first frosts. Its compact size means that it is also suitable for growing in containers.
- Flowers from September to November
- Hardy
- Grows to 80cm tall and 60cm wide
- Fertile, moisture-retentive, well-drained soil
- Sun or part shade
- Exposed
Top Tip
The ‘Persian Mystery’ rose has a lovely delicate scent, so make sure to enjoy it whilst the flowers are blooming this September.
Guarantee some September garden colour with these lovely plants.
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David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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