Red and Yellow and Pink and Green Orange and Purple and Blue these are the colours of a Rainbow which can all be found in your garden every autumn. As the days get shorter and the light levels and temperatures drop deciduous plants will stop producing chlorophyll, their source of nutrition, and shed their leaves. Chlorophyll produces the green leaves we see when plants are actively growing. In autumn the chlorophyll breaks down and the leaves loose the green pigment revealing other colours in the leaves. Carotenoids are the yellow and orange pigments that absorb the energy needed to produce Chlorophyll. Anthocyanins are red, pink and purple and protect the leaves from sun scorch. The Autumn colours of the leaves of some species can be absolutely stunning. That’s the science so let’s look at plants that will give us an Autumn Garden Rainbow.
Japanese Acer Osakazuki is a medium sized shrub grown for its stunning leaf display. It thrives in acidic soil so plant in ericaceous compost somewhere sheltered from cold winds which could damage the young foliage in the early spring. It is a wonderful plant to grow in a container. The leaves are a delicate pale green in spring turning bright green in summer and vibrant red in autumn before leaf fall.
Cercis Canadensis, The Judas Tree, is a large shrub which grows easily in peaty soils. Its bare branches in spring are covered with bright magenta pink pea flowers followed by large heart shaped green leaves which turn gleaming yellow in October before dropping to form a golden carpet beneath.
Sorbus Aucuparia Eastern Promise is a variety of Mountain Ash, a small tree with an upright habit. It has white flowers in spring followed by green pinnate leaves which turn red, yellow, orange and purple in autumn. The deep pink berries appear in late August and are a spectacular contrast to the autumn leaf colours. The berries hold on the tree until taken by the birds in early winter.
The native Ilex, Holly Bush, must be the most iconic green autumn and winter shrub. It is evergreen and so does not shred its leaves. It can be grown as a large shrub or clipped as a small standard tree to grow in a container. The foliage is shiny at all times with white flowers in spring and red berries in winter to bring into the house for good luck at Christmas. A good berry producing variety is Ilex Aquifolium J C Van Tol.
Euonymus Alatus Compactus is a small shrub with curiously flattened corky stems. The green flowers in spring become red purple berries in autumn which split to reveal a bright orange seed that the birds love. The green foliage is magnificent in autumn when it turns brilliant scarlet giving the plant the common name, The Burning Bush.
Pyracantha Orange Glow is an evergreen wall shrub that has scented white flowers in spring which are an abundant source of early nectar for bees followed by bright orange berries in autumn. An excellent winter feed for wild birds. The plant is also very dense and provides great nesting and winter shelter for birds and squirrels.
Callicarpa Bodinieri Profusion Giraldi is a small shrub that is easy to grow in most soils. It has purple bronze young leaves in spring followed by dark green foliage in summer and purple and yellow autumn leaf colour. The flowers are small and pink in summer followed by brilliant shiny purple bead like berries in autumn.
Prunus Spinosa Blackthorn or Sloe is a prickly shrub which is found in the deciduous hedgerows in our countryside. It is covered in white flowers in early spring before the leaves appear. In autumn it produces berries that look like blue berries but have a tart flavour and should be cooked before eating. It is also used to make the scrummy liqueur Sloe Gin. The wood is used to make walking sticks and in Ireland the Shillelagh.
The Rainbow in the sky is transitory but if we plant one in our garden it’s there every Autumn.
