What can I plant now to bring colour through the autumn and winter?

[Rapscallion]

Hi all. I have a number of 10” and 15” pots that I have grown tomatoes and cucumbers through the summer.

Rather than put these pots away I wondered what flowers I can plant soon tidy will give some colour through the autumn and winter.

Location is Cardiff and the pots will be on a sheltered patio se facing.

[burnie]

Plastic pots aren't much good as they don't protect the roots from frost, clay pots that are frost resistant are good for winter pansies, I have some on the go now. Hellebores are another we have in pots, some flower in winter, some are in flower now.

[Nicos]

I like to plant daffodil bulbs in pots with winter flowering pansies above them for a bit of autumn/ winter/early spring colour.

(I've lined pots with bubble wrap to protect the roots but you do lose some root space - so I've only used that with larger pots.)

[Rapscallion]

Plastic pots aren't much good as they don't protect the roots from frost, clay pots that are frost resistant are good for winter pansies, I have some on the go now. Hellebores are another we have in pots, some flower in winter, some are in flower now.

That’s a shame. All my pots bar one are plastic. Could I raise the pots on something to try and avoid frost or are there any frost resistant plants I can try?

[Rapscallion]

I like to plant daffodil bulbs in pots with winter flowering pansies above them for a bit of autumn/ winter/early spring colour.

(I've lined pots with bubble wrap to protect the roots but you do lose some root space - so I've only used that with larger pots.)

Thanks. If there’s no better way then I’ll be saving my bubble wrap!

[peanut]

That’s a shame. All my pots bar one are plastic. Could I raise the pots on something to try and avoid frost or are there any frost resistant plants I can try?

I use plastic pots and various clay, terracotta etc and haven't had any problems with frosted roots in either, (I've lived in the South East and East Anglia with both North and South facing gardens). Just be careful not to over water them if heavy frosts/prolonged freezing temps are forecast. Nothing likes sitting in the wet in freezing weather ..

[Rapscallion]

Thanks Peanut. What would you recommend planting out now?

[Nicos]

Are you thinking of something which will only last the winter or something you can transplant into the garden once you need the pots again for the veggies?

[Rapscallion]

I am thinking for economy mostly things that will just last the winter. Though i could plant out some things i could transplant. PS, have about a dozen or so pots so could try a few different plants.

[peanut]

If you just want things to look pretty for winter you can't go wrong with winter pansies, primulas and cyclamen. Garden Centres and online stockists are full of them. Buy the largest plants you can as they don't put on much size between now and winter, but they will flower and look great. Wallflowers planted now can also carry on flowering right through depending on how cold it gets where you are. Then you have all the bulbs which can take you from February till Spring. So much to choose from, get shopping and have fun!

[Rapscallion]

Thanks all for the advice. Went to the local nursery and managed to find a few plants you mentioned. Here are the pots now.
there were Pansies, viola, cyclamen, hellebores (though it is difficult to see those in the pots at the moment) heuchera, ajuga, heather (one autumn and one winter flowering), trailing Jenny. Can’t remember the name of the palm type plant or the round shrub but I have them worn down here somewhere.

[Rapscallion]

Ps. I’m guessing it is too late in the year more, but what could i do to make the fence more attractive? Any climbers I can put in pots?

[peanut]

Ps. I’m guessing it is too late in the year more, but what could i do to make the fence more attractive? Any climbers I can put in pots?

There are evergreen winter flowering clematis like Armandii and there are some others but I can't think of their names, Winter Jasmine is another. You'd need to find big established pot grown plants if you want flowers this winter though.

[Rapscallion]

Thanks Peanut, if i want them to cover a fence approx 5m x 2m, how big / how many pots will i eventually need?