Choosing 6 orange flowers for the Autumn Equinox celebrates the gold of summer that’s gone and the bronze of autumn to come.
There’s a different ‘feel’ to orange; it can be neon, richly luxuriant, even subtle. It’s one of the secondary colours, made from the primaries red and yellow. And whilst oranges are orange, the range of shades in flower colours is more varied, depending on the proportion of red and yellow. The surrounding foliage may be green – many shades to choose from there too! – or the leaves may be a softer grey.
All the flowering plants below will be in bloom for the Equinox across most of the UK. As ever, there are subtle variations depending on the summer season and the microclimate of your own garden. But you should be able to grow these flowers in your garden or in a sheltered porch.
There is a mixture of annuals, hardy herbaceous perennials and tender perennials. I’ve chosen plants which will grow in flower borders and also in containers. So if you only have a balcony you’ll still be able to grow one or two of these cheerful plants.
California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica, California poppy is confusingly not a member of the poppy or Papaver family. But it is a colourful annual that easily self-seeds and has edible flowers. They love the heat of a south facing position, but seem to happily seed themselves in spots that catch the morning sun. Just be aware that the cup-shaped blooms close when it is rainy or overcast, so deadhead on sunny days!
Photo by James Gibson on Unsplash
Zinnia
Zinnias are related to sunflowers and are native to Mexico in particular, but much of South America and the southern United States. Often sold as annual bedding plants, they are actually tender perennials. In sheltered spots they may overwinter in the ground, but otherwise find a frost free place for them. Or compost and buy fresh seed and plants next year. Taller varieties make good cut flowers you can grow and pick for yourself.
Chrysanthemum
Regular pinching out and dead heading keeps Chrysanthemums flowering right through into October.
Orange Chrysanthemums in a grey pot are a stylish addition to grace your front door. If you already have lollipop bay trees in pots on each side of your doorway, you could add a couple of pots of ‘Mums’ in front of each tree. Using the same style of pot gives it a cohesive look.
Helenium
Another member of the sunflower and daisy tribe, Heleniums are hardy in the UK. Native to North and Central America, it does prefer to have a bit of dampness around its roots. One of its common names is sneezewort as the Cherokee Indians used the dried flower heads as cold cure.
Plant taller varieties in drifts in the border for an impressive display of colour. Smaller varieties will grow in containers but will need watering.
Dahlia
Dahlias have definitely made a comeback over the last few years and rightly so. If you have neither the time nor inclination to lift and store tubers then treat them as annuals. You can even wait to buy them as a small plant rather than a tuber you have to grow on. This is particularly useful for those gardeners short on space. For more on this fascinating and colourful flower, read Understanding Dahlias
Canna
Because of their tropical origins, Cannas require lots of sunshine and fertile, moist soil. This means they can be a disappointment for many gardeners, especially when we have damp, dismal summers. If you love them, persevere, planting them in a sunny border and watering well.
Do remember that whilst we’re considering orange flowers,
Cannas are frequently used as a foliage plant. If you buy as a plant rather than a tuber, avoid those with mottled leaves as they may have canna leaf virus. However, some Canna have variegated leaves, as below, which are not virus-marked, but do add extra interest to your display.
Orange Flowers for the Autumn Equinox
Orange flowers in your borders and in pots by your front door will cheer you up regardless of the weather. And if you’re not currently growing these ones, there’s still time to rush out and buy as most will be available in garden centres and nurseries. Possibly at a bargain price. Which, if you’re buying one of the perennials is a win-win situation, as then you’ll also have orange flowers for the Autumn Equinox in 2020!
For more help with colourful planting schemes why not ask about our Planting Design services? For practical tasks, we offer one to one bespoke Gardening Lessons, where your classroom is actually your own garden. We can help you learn gardening basics, and also show you how to plan an ornamental border or kitchen garden.where your garden is your classroom.
And for sitting back and reading a bit more, there are suggested gardening articles below, a selection of the many in Plews Potting Shed, plus our monthly Tipsheet – You could come and find us on Instagram Pinterest and Facebook too.
Related Gardening articles you may enjoy from our Award Winning Blog
Harvest Festivals, Autumn Equinox and Your Garden
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Autumn Gardening Tasks – Lifting Perennial Tubers
Why do leaves fall? And other Autumn Gardening Questions
How to have a Mini Orchard in Your Garden
