Late June and early July warmth across the South West gives you a useful window to get new shrubs, perennials and container plants in the ground so they put on their best show in autumn. Get the roots in now and they will settle over the summer, ready to give you bold leaf colour, berries and late flowers as the days shorten. It is exactly the kind of work our landscaping team takes on at this time of year.
Below we cover why now is the moment to plant, how to plant and look after them, and how to position new planting around decking, resin patios and glass balustrades.
The soil is still warm at this time of year, so roots grow quickly, and there is usually enough summer rain to help everything establish. You are not trying to force a display this season; you are giving the plants time to build a strong root system, which is what makes the autumn colour better. Expect the first tones from late September, with the peak through October and into November depending on the year and how exposed your garden is.
Choose plants that cope with our maritime climate, the occasional coastal wind and the range of soils across the region. These are reliable performers in towns such as Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Truro, Taunton and Weymouth:
| Plant | Type | Autumn interest | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrangea paniculata | Shrub | Late flowers ageing to pink and rust | Borders and containers |
| Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ | Perennial | Large flower heads, warm foliage | Borders and pots |
| Acer palmatum / dwarf maples | Tree / shrub | Fiery red and orange leaves | Specimens in beds or large pots |
| Amelanchier lamarckii | Small tree | Orange-red tints plus berries | Specimen tree, wildlife |
| Ornamental grasses | Grass | Movement and warm bronze tones | Mid-border planting |
| Asters / Michaelmas daisies | Perennial | Purple and pink late blooms | Late colour, pollinators |
| Heuchera (coral bells) | Perennial | Lime to deep-purple foliage | Front of beds and pots |
| Heathers (Calluna, Erica) | Shrub | Long-lasting autumn colour | Poorer soils, coastal sites |
| Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) | Tree | Orange-red leaves and berries | Wildlife and autumn interest |
Planting now means a simple routine: dig a hole twice the width of the rootball, loosen any compacted soil at the base and mix in plenty of compost. For heavy clay, add grit or horticultural sand with extra organic matter to improve drainage; for sandy soils, work in garden compost or coir to hold moisture. Plant to the same depth the plant sat at in its pot, firm the soil gently and water in well so soil and roots are in direct contact.
If you are planting beside an existing feature such as decking or a resin patio, leave a 150 to 300 mm gap to avoid splashback and allow for maintenance. For terraces with glass balustrades, choose lower-growing specimens or containers so the views are not blocked, and use slim planters fixed behind the balustrade for a neat finish.
Give everything a good, deep water at planting. For the first fortnight, water daily in dry spells, then reduce to twice weekly for the rest of the first season. Always water deeply rather than lightly, so roots are encouraged to grow down. Mulch with bark or compost to a depth of 5 to 7 cm to conserve moisture and suppress weeds, and check containers more often as they dry out faster in warm weather.
A root stimulator or mycorrhizal inoculant can help establishment in poorer soils if you prefer to use one. Stake small trees and larger specimen shrubs until they are secure, and prune only as needed: light shaping now, with any heavier pruning left until winter dormancy unless there is dead wood to remove.
Low maintenance does not have to mean short on colour. Combine a few structural plants, some grasses and a handful of long-flowering perennials and you get plenty of interest for very little work. If a low-effort garden is the goal, our small garden ideas guide has more inspiration for getting the most from a compact space.
The main things to get right here are water, soil and airflow. Planting alongside decking works well when you use planters, because they keep moisture and roots away from the timber fixings. We usually recommend timber or composite planters lined with a root-resistant membrane and filled with a good free-draining mix, kept at least 50 mm from the deck boards to allow airflow and prevent rot.
On a resin or paved patio, place planting beds or raised planters on sleepers or pedestals so surface water is dealt with by the patio fall, and add a layer of coarse stone at the base of large pots to help drainage. For terraces with glass balustrades, keep planting low in front of the glass, or set pots behind the balustrade to shelter them from the wind while keeping the view open. Our ultimate guide to glass balustrades for decking explains the heights and fixings in more detail.
If you are planning new decking with built-in planters, a resin-bound patio with planting beds or a terrace with glass balustrades, it makes sense to arrange a site visit. We can advise on levels, drainage and the species best suited to your exact spot, and handle the structure and planting as one tidy project. You can see how we approach a full garden in our multi-zone garden transformation in Exeter, or how planting sits alongside hard landscaping in our resin bound patio for a new build in Devon.
There is plenty more on our case studies page, and if you are weighing up timings, our guide to the best time of year to landscape your garden is a good place to start.
If you would like a hand with planting, or a quote for decking, planters or a resin patio, get in touch with Outdoor Home Improvements. We are a family-run team with over 25 years of experience transforming gardens across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. We will specify plants suited to your garden and the local soil, and through our gardening services we can plant them for you too.
To book a free, no-obligation site visit, email us at info@outdoorhomeimprovements.co.uk or send your details through our contact form and we will help you turn a late-June planting into a memorable autumn display.
