Don't write off summer but be ready for the onset of autumn.
John Manley finds the perfect family of plants for bridging the two seasons
I like to think we gardeners have a slight psychological advantage over nongardeners. As summer draws to end many people become melancholic and wistful.
I'm not claiming that in late August and early September I don't succumb to a sense that the best of another year is behind me, but on the upside I have all the horticultural pleasures of autumn to look forward to.
Yet even though in recent days there's been a strong hint that the season of yellow, red and brown hues is just around the corner, I reckon there's a bit of life left in summer.
It may take an additional layer of clothing but the garden will continue to be a refuge for a few weeks yet.
This is the time when a more mature (10-years-plus?) garden, one that you've grown with over the years, can be at its most delightful.
As the sun's arc lowers noticeably in the sky and the light changes, the well-planned and well-planted garden should reflect a period when seeds begin to outnumber flowers. The time top throw yourself into those autumn chores has not yet arrived so just carry on with your routine tasks and maybe take on a little project if you're feeling especially energetic. Mostly, however, sit back and relax.
If you're looking for a something beyond herbaceous perennials that comes in to its this time of year ornamental grasses are worth considering. They are an easy to care for, architectural plant that can be both reassuringly familiar and exotic at the same time. Flowering grasses provide a spectacle in the garden that far outweighs their demands for care, or the initial investment. Many, including Imperata, Pennisetum and Miscanthus are said to be 'trouble free' and bring pleasure year after year. They're also fantastic for softening up hard landscaping. The range of ornamental grasses available these days means that you can find something for every situation. In even the smallest garden you should be able to plant specimens of several different species/varieties.
The taller species and varieties offer the promise of sensory reward from the movement and sound as breezes sough through the leaves.
Shorter grasses are suitable for container planting.
Here is a flavour of the wide variety of shapes and sizes on offer.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder' (silver feather) can develop stems as long as 2.5m that remain as an attractive garden feature through winter. The leaves of Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' are shorter (reaching about 1.2m), but the creamy horizontal banding they exhibit can make them appear stippled in sunshine on cloudy days. Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra', also known as the 'Red Baron', is another spectacular grass. It's a clump-forming plant and the leaves are shorter, at about 40cm, but they turn red from the tips of the stems downwards, almost as far as the base.
Penisetum villosum (also known as feathertop) is an example of a wonderful perennial grass that produces soft, feathery heads in late summer and early autumn. Ornamental grasses combine well with other plants. Autumn flowering plants, for example, asters, helianthus or chrysanthemums make good partners, but foliage plants can also be effective alongside more subtle grasses.
For example a side-by-side blend of the foliage of Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus' and Elaeagnus 'Quicksilver' can be a delightful and understated combination. Most grasses are easy to grow and will thrive in even poorer soils, though they do tend to need a full sun position.
Once established they will perform year after year with the minimum of intervention and have low water requirements, making them perfect for drought-prone areas.
However, if you want to do your best by them, feed in spring with a general purpose fertiliser.
They're sufficiently sturdy to survive the odd ball being kicked through them, which makes them the ideal choice for a family garden.