A blaze of glory

And with the signs of autumn all around us, an Indian Summer is what many gardeners hope for, but whether the weather lives up to expectations, you can still use the foliage of plants to create the atmosphere of an Indian Summer. Using different plants, you can create a mosaic of warm colours and textures for autumn.

Two plants that are particularly useful because of their wonderful autumnal foliage are Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus) and Winged spindle (Euonymus alatus).

Virginia Creeper is especially useful where ground space is limited. In smaller gardens, its habit of growing up walls and fences can be utilised to bring beauty and interest (in spring and summer as well as autumn) to otherwise uninteresting fences and walls.

In more spacious gardens, grow it through a large tree, adding interest to the leafless trunk and inner branches of a mature specimen, (though do make sure it receives sufficient water and nutrition).

The leaves are the dominant feature. The flowers which form in summer are inconspicuous. Parthenocissus henryana and Parthenocissus quinquefolia both turn bright red in autumn. The leaves of Parthenocissus thomsonii are reddish purple when young, but turn purple-green in summer and bright red in autumn.

Virginia Creepers are fully hardy, though Parthenocissus henryana is vulnerable to some frost damage if not grown against a wall. Any fertile, well-drained soil is suitable. Trim to fit the space available in early winter and, if necessary, after flowering.

The Winged spindle (Euonymus alatus) exhibits even more striking colour in autumn.

A dense, bushy, deciduous shrub, the leaves turn brilliant dark red.

As well as beautiful foliage, the Winged spindle also produces decorative (inedible) fruits in autumn and winter.The plant reaches six or seven feet in height and can spread as wide as 10 feet, but there is a compact variety available, Euonymus alatus 'Compactus', which reaches a height of about a yard.

Like Virginia Creeper, it will thrive in most garden soils.

Another plant which goes out in a blaze of autumn glory is Acer palmatum, a small Japanese ornamental ideal for semi-shade or even a large container, so it's quite at home in a small garden.

YP MAG 16/10/10