Vibrant rudbeckia, shaking off an autumn rain shower

It’s the time of year when annual flowering plants can often start to tail off, die off & give up, just when late season orders pick up and autumn weddings loom on the horizon. It’s at this point in the year when half hardy annuals are really invaluable. Half hardy annuals generally have to be sown in late April/May to prevent losses to late frosts and they come into bloom later too.

Here’s our top 5 Half Hardy annuals, the ones that are still filling our buckets in September:

Cosmos - the ultimate autumn cut and come again bloom. The more you pick, the more it flowers. There are some great varieties in a bigger range of colours to keep you going all autumn. Try Apricotta or Tango for unusual colours and Cupcakes or Bonbon ranges for different shapes.
Aster - we’re talking about the China aster (Callistephus chinensis) here, not the perennial aster. Good sized heads in a huge range of colours make this bloom a star of September bouquets. It gives 4-6 blooms per plant so doesn’t have the longevity of cosmos, but the colours and forms are brilliant! Try the chrysanth flowered varieties and peachy apricot colours, they’re always a winner for us.
Rudbeckia - in rich colours that fit right into autumn colour schemes, rudbeckia is another cut and come again star. Sturdy and unbothered by rain, rudbeckia just keeps on going. Sahara is a double variety with a softer colour range and Gloriosa Daisy has tall blooms with lots of burgundy markings.
Tagetes - African Marigold bring scent as well as drama in the autumn. Not to be confused with French Marigolds, which are too short to be useful for most flower farmers, African Marigolds (Tagetes erecta) grow on long slim stems. They’re available as focal blooms and also with smaller, more delicate heads. Fantastic Mix is as it says, a fantastic mix of large headed tagetes, Kilimanjaro has creamy flowers, Burning Embers is a gorgeous, rich red and Starfire has sprays of delicate smaller heads.
Zinnia - not always the easiest to grow in a UK climate, so they may need some protection, but zinnia can provide a welcome harvest in a broad range of colours and sizes. The whites can be a bit off-white sometimes. Zinderella and Queen Red Lime go with most other colours and there are lots of bright mixes on the market too.