You might consider autumn a gloomy season, but it’s also associated with many nice things. Research at the University of Chicago has found, for example, that people born in the autumn live six months longer. Autumn is also the perfect time to curl up indoors and enjoy autumn’s seasonal veggies. But way out in first place is enjoying the beauties of nature during this season.

What makes autumn so nice?

A lot is going on in the natural world at this time of year. The leaves on the trees turn colour, mushrooms start to erupt, and there’s a nice crisp chill in the air. All this makes it a great time to enjoy your garden. Many perennials even reach their peak in autumn. Fill your patio or balcony with perennials, too. After all, you don’t need a garden to enjoy the wonders of nature.

An outdoor celebration

Ornamental grasses and ferns exhibit gorgeous colours during this time of year and make a wonderful display against perennials with special foliage. Perennials such as Coral bells (Heuchera), Japanese anemones (Anemone) and Michaelmas daisies (Aster novi-belgii) top the list. And ornamental grasses like Japanese bloodgrass (Imperata), Feathergrass (Stipa) and ferns like Tassel ferns (Polystichum) and Rockcap ferns (Polypodium) combined with other perennials make a wonderful autumn display!

Years of pleasure

Perennials, ornamental grasses and ferns are extremely hardy plants so they will thrive in pots. All of them will emerge year after year. Fill pots or containers with fresh potting compost so that the plants will feel right at home. Also make sure that these containers have a hole in the bottom to keep the plants from drowning in too much rainwater. Under normal autumn weather conditions, watering will be unnecessary. Only if the weather is unseasonably dry will the plants appreciate this.