September can be a magical month for the gardener. The weather in the UK can still be hot, although the sun's intensity has gone, making things feel just that little more relaxed. After a busy spring and summer, I relish this slower pace, where rose flowers are left to form hip, and drying seedheads of angelica, monarda and veronicastrum mature to create interesting structure for the months to come.
For now, I don't mind the borders looking a little chaotic and loose, as long as they hold some warm, rich colours that ‘El Dorado’ shouts loudly from the borders, while ‘Miss Scarlet’ and ‘Fat Domino’ are ablaze with rich scarlet flowers. A recent favourite and arrival to the garden is var. ‘Bleeding Hearts’. Available as seed and flowering in its first year, the burning orange flowers contrast with burgundy tarnished foliage and stems. In the cutting beds dahlias bounce around in almost every colour, working beautifully in a vase or container display with neighbouring ‘Roulette’ and ‘Violaceum’.
