Modern Gardens Magazine October 2021

Sitting in my garden as summer slowly melts into autumn is such a sensory treat. The grasses have faded to a barely-there buff tone that seems to soak up the sunshine, and their seedheads look like a modern art installation against the black fences. Warming wafts of rosemary hang in the still air above the jumble of potted herbs outside the back door, and the scent of my new potato vine has been a lovely surprise – I planted this fast-grower to quickly turn my pergola into a shady summer den and didn’t think for a second that the flowers on such a leafy thug would have such a pretty fragrance. The birds are busy, and so should I be really – there are bags of spring bulbs on the…

MESSAGE ON A MAPLE This charming decoration with a mindful message will sway and glint in the sun. Maple Leaf with WH Davies Quote, £10.95 joules.com TIME TO THINK A little book with little thoughts about big things… Mindful Thoughts for Gardeners by Clea Danaan, £4.99 onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk PLUSH TOUCH As pleasing to look as it is to feel, this cocooning throw will cosy up your garden chair a treat. Cashmere Touch Fleece Throw in Spruce, £25 waltonshop.co.uk SOFA, SO GOOD! This snug sofa is made for cosy autumn evenings for two. Two Seater Chevron Chair Pod, £699.99 vonhaus.com GARDEN TREAT The spiced pumpkin in this hot chocolate is more treat than trick! Spiced Pumpkin Drinking Chocolate, £9.50 cartwrightandbutler.co.uk HANDKERCHIEF TREE Now’s a great time to plant a tree, and here’s a stunner with heart-shaped leaves and bracts that look just like…

The new AW21 homeware collections are awash with natural materials and it’s a trend that translates perfectly to an outdoor setting. The non-uniform nature of these fabrics will bring a strong sense of snuggle to your patio. Pile on honey-hued cushions, add a glut of slatted lanterns and create a whimsical backdrop by casually hanging a sheer voile. Accent pieces in black will keep it looking modern. Trend alert! UNIQUE SEATS Low armchairs and sofas are more conducive to lounging. Garden Teak Wood Armchair Narel, £439.95 sklum.com TEXTURE TREAT Tactile jute cushions create a laidback but luxe feel. Jute blend cover, £29.99 hm.com; Navy-edged, £12 dunelm.com; Benoni cushion, £20 next.co.uk HANG AROUT Lanterns at various heights create a beautiful display. Ivory Wooden Hanging Lantern Holder, £6 Primark, and 25cm Solar Hanging Bamboo Lantern, £29.99 festive-lights.com CANE COMFORT A swing,…

3 PERKY persicarias ROCK KNOTWEED £2.95/7cm pot Enjoy narrow spikes of tiny, pale pink flowers amid spreading mats of evergreen foliage which turns rusty-red in autumn. Persicaria vacciniifolia likes moist soil. Height 20cm Spread 60cm. plantsforsmallgardens.co.uk RED BISTORT ‘ORANGE FIELD’ £5.99/0.5L pot Elegant spires bursting with orange-pink flowers top mounds of striking foliage. Persicaria amplexicaulis is a favourite among late pollinators and thrives in boggy ground. Height and Spread 1.2m. ballyrobertgardens.co.uk WHITE-FLOWERED RED BISTORT £6.50/2L pot Simple but showy Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Alba’ has upright stems topped with wispy white flowers from summer to autumn. A lovely see-through plant, preferring moist soil. Height 1m Spread 60cm. woottensplants.com ADD AUTUMN DAZZLE! HARDY BLUE-FLOWERED LEADWORT £5.99/9cm pot Few plants have foliage and flower colour peaking at the same time, which is why we love Ceratostigma plumbaginoides. The mix of scarlet leaves and…

Don’t let the chillier months stop you creating a beautiful pot display. A relaxed collection of containers and plant textures will instantly brighten up a patio or welcome guests at the front door. And what better way to enjoy it than to catch a sunny moment outside with your hands wrapped around a hot cuppa? What are the plants? Evergreens in harmonizing autumnal hues and contrasting cool white will look good well into winter. Where do they thrive? Choose a sunny or partially shaded spot and plant the photinia and bush flax in John Innes compost as this heavier compost will keep your pots upright in an autumn gale. Heather needs more acidic ericaceous compost such as Verve Ericaceous Compost (£4.95/50L, diy.com) to thrive. BUSH FLAX ‘WESTLAND’ £11.99/1.5L pot Pop arching Astelia nervosa in…

YOU WILL NEED * 2 x 30cm hanging baskets with fibre liner, £10.99 primrose.co.uk * Hardboard, £5.97 diy.com * Pencil, jigsaw and sandpaper * Drill, drill bit and countersink * Screws and strong wire * Chicken wire, £12.75 diy.com * Wire cutters * Spade and hand trowel * 1.8m x 7.5 x 7.5cm fence post, £14 wickes.com * Spirit level * Secateurs * Dried leaves and short stems, bark, pinecones and broken terracotta pots * Sphagnum moss, £4.89 diy.com * Compost: Westland Multi-Purpose with added John Innes £5.95/50L diy.com * Plants: 2 thyme, 2 trailing sedums and 3 ivies, £10.50 garden centre * Strong cardboard 1 Place a hanging basket upside down on the hardboard and use a pencil to draw around it. 2 Cut out the circle with a jigsaw. Smooth any rough edges with sandpaper if needed. 3 Drill about 16 evenly spaced holes around the circle,…