Colour In The Autumn Garden
By Sue Montgomery | Horticulturalist
With a bit of know-how it is quite easy and rewarding to add a bit of seasonal colour to any garden.
Go for a ramble through yours and check for areas that need some colour. Colour will also brighten bland courtyard areas. Add a visit to a local nursery on your list of things to do and consider some of the following suggestions.
PERENNIALS AND SHRUBS
Cordylines provide colour and height to the garden, together with begonias with their colourful flowers and wonderful leaf patterns. 
Tall foxgloves and groups of salvia, ornamental grasses all add variety to the garden bed.
The silver Artemisia provides a great contrast with tibouchina “Jules’’ which is a purple low-growing shrub. Scaevolas has long flowering fan shaped flowers.
Dahlias and camellia sasanqua are also attractive to birds for their nectar so provide a wonderful focal point.
Another shrub to consider is plectrantus argentatus, also known as Silver Shield. Grevilleas flower throughout the year and are attractive to birds and insects. 
The beauty of small native shrubs is that they are water-wise and attract insects and birds to the garden.
Native violets provide groundcovers for partly shaded areas and the purple flowered Hardenbergia, Patersonia (native iris) and Anigozanthos (kangaroo paws) are delightful additions.
Everlasting daisies, Swan River daisy, (brachyscome multifida and hibbertia) are ideal rockery plants for seasonal colour.
COLOURFUL TREES
The Ivory curl tree (Buckinghamia celsissima) is a beautiful native tree with long cream flowers. 
The Firewheel Tree (Stenocarpus sinuatus) with its red flowers is spectacular and the nectar attracts birds.
Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) and Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea) are also lovely.
Popular trees with autumn colour are: Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica); Golden Ash (Fraxinus excelsior), Aurea and Claret Ash (Fraxinus oxycarpus “Raywoodii”), Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum).
