A visit to Hidcote Manor Garden had me drooling over the Red Borders again this month. The entire garden is quite lovely but in September the Red Borders are the stars for me. My garden design training usually kicks in whenever I visit a garden. I find myself trying to work out what appeals to me and why. At Hidcote I lingered at both ends of the Red Borders taking it all in. Obviously colour is a big factor in their appeal to me. We all respond emotionally to colour whether we are aware of it or not. I already know that I love the warm shades of orange and vibrant red. But in this case there’s more to it.
The Red Borders at Hidcote
A patch of purple in autumn is always welcome, especially if you can cut the flowers for the house. Salvia viridis commonly known as Clary Sage is easily grown from seed. In my garden they are usually over by the first really hard frosts which luckily haven’t arrived yet.
Late flowering perennials are valuable for any garden, particularly woodland gardens or gardens in shade for part of the day. A beautiful plant from Japan known as the Toad Lily, Tricyrtis formosana is a star plant at this time of year.
