As the summer bedding plants start to lose their vigour, the garden can start to lose its summer colour and be in of some brightening up. Autumn bedding plants are ideal for this, all you need to do is swap the summer bedding plants for Autumn ones.

Many Autumn bedding plants are cold tolerant and as long as there is some warmth in the air will continue to grow over the winter and into the spring, pansies and violas are both very good at this, their cheerful face-like flowers will hopefully bring a smile to the dark winter days.

If you can get your autumn bedding plants in the ground in September or early October, they will use the lingering warmth of summer to grow strong roots making the plants more likely to tolerate the worst of the winter weather.

To extend the flowering period of your autumn bedding, you can underplant your autumn bedding plants with bulbs, which will provide a show in the spring months, if you select crocus depending on the variety they can add colour as early as February and daffodils can start in February and carry on into March and April.

Top tips for growing autumn bedding plants

You can grow autumn bedding plants more than just the ground they are great in hanging baskets, pots, and containers, they are a lot more than just garden plants.

If you plant in containers, make sure you empty all the old compost and replace it with new before you plant your autumn bedding plants, most if not all of the plant food will have been used up by the summer bedding plants.

Do not forget to water your autumn bedding plants, they won’t need as much as the summer bedding plants did, but they will still need watering, especially in pots and containers.

To ensure you get lots and lots of flowers from your autumn bedding plants always remove or deadhead any that have started to fade.

Best Autumn bedding plants

Our buying team at Primrose we have picked the best varieties available for you, these are just a few of our favourite winter bedding plants.

Popular varieties of winter bedding plants include Primulas, Pansies, Violas and more.

White Primrose

In the spring, this pretty little plant will produce fragrant white blooms featuring a delightful yellow centre. The bright green leaves of this semi-evergreen perennial are tooth-veined and rosette-forming.

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Primrose ‘Scentsation Red Cream’

Aside from offering valued winter interest, Primroses are highly versatile; they will offer a dazzling display when planted en masse, or amongst spring flowering bulbs, and can even be grown in boggy areas.

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Primula ‘Woodland Rose’ (4x)

These readily-flowering Primroses will arrive in a charcoal grey, pallet-style planter, that will add instant style to any setting. Admired by gardeners for their bubblegum pink flowers and sumptuous green foliage, ‘Woodland Rose’ will also add a romantic touch to patio spaces or front doors.

Shop this Primula ‘Woodland Rose’

https://www.primrose.co.uk/pansy-pink-blotch-shades-10-5cm-pot

Pansy ‘Pink Blotch Shades’

A cultivated version of the much loved ViolaPansies are a favourite for establishing floral interest in an autumn garden. Their vibrant colouring and easy-to-grow nature also makes them ideal for the novice gardener.

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Pansy ‘Red Blotch’

Fragrant, and often sporting blue and yellow shades (or in this case, a deep and luscious red), pansies will make a great addition to a sensory garden, and pair particularly well with Dianthus varieties.

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Pansy ‘White Blotch’

Pansies are great with their almost face-like colour placement, and this white-and-purple variety will go great in a pastel-shaded border. Use a hanging basket to really show them off!

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Viola ‘White Petite’

With a hanging basket included, these violas are good to go on arrival. Lovingly grown by our trusted nursery, this basket is filled with graceful white Violas that will look beautiful against any outdoor theme. Flowering through the colder months, this variety’s dainty petals will add elegant interest to patio spaces even on the dullest of days,

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Viola ‘Lavender Petite’

Lovingly grown by our trusted nursery, this basket is filled with Violas that sport graceful lilac petals with a subtle pink undertone. This dusky shade harmonizes beautifully with their white and yellow centres, so will make a fitting choice for anyone seeking to create a pastel theme in their garden. This variety will arrive in a sophisticated rattan basket

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Viola ‘Petite Mixed’

An included hanging basket, a mix of colours and lovely miniature flowers. What’s not to love?

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