Autumn pot display

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Monday, 23 September 2019 at 3:09 pm

Find out how to make an autumn pot display using phormium, heather, sedum and cyclamen.

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When summer pots begin to look past their best, it's a good idea to replace your displays with plants that will look good in autumn and beyond.

The pink-striped leaves of the phormium beautifully set off the pink flowers of sedums (Hylotelephium), cyclamen and heather in this striking autumn pot display.

Remember to deadhead cyclamen regularly to keep the flowers coming. Once the container is past its best, the phormium, heather and hylotelephium can be planted out in your garden.

You Will Need

Erica 'Disco'
Phormium 'Pink Stripe'
Cyclamen 'Mini Gem'
Sedum sieboldii
Large pot
Multi-purpose, peat-free compost

Step 1

Fill the pot two-thirds full with compost. Plant the phormium at the back of the pot, with the cyclamen just in front of it and to the side so it will cascade over the edge. Plant the erica to the other side and nestle the sedum amongst them, towards the front of the pot. Fill the container with compost, to within 5cm of the rim, firming around the plants with your fingers to squeeze out any air pockets.

Kevin Smith says...
Change the look of this container by using a red phormium combined with ericas and cyclamens in rusty shades. It’s surprising how easy it is to change the mood of a display by being clever with the colour palette.