Patio planters need not fade away as summer comes to a close. There are lots of plants that will leap into action as the days shorten, filling your patio with colorful foliage and plenty of flowers.

When to plant: Late summer or autumn.

At their best: Autumn.

Time to complete: 4 hours.

You will need: Planters, broken clay pot or plastic pieces, all-purpose potting soil.

Selection of plants to use: Salvia officinalis ‘Tricolor’, Lamium galeobdolon, Carex conica ‘Snowline’, Sedum ‘Lemon Coral’, Aster dumosus, purple hybrid, Heuchera ‘Amber Waves’.

Prepare the pots

Add clay pieces to the base of each pot. If you are using tall planters such as these, half-fill with clay or plastic pieces, then fill with soil to within 4 in (10 cm) of the rim.

Position the plants

In autumn, plants don’t grow very much, so avoid leaving gaps as you would when planting summer bedding. Pack your plants in closely to make the planters look “finished.”

Aftercare

Densely planted containers can get very dry, even in wet weather, so water them regularly. These plants do not need feeding since they will soon become dormant and growth will halt over winter.

The perfect solution for a plant-lover with a tiny plot, this dramatic show garden features tiered raised beds that are bursting with color to make the most of a small patio.

When to plant: Early spring.

At their best: All year round.

Time to complete: 1 day to plant.

You will need: Soil-based potting mix, well-rotted organic matter, all-purpose granular fertilizer, gravel to aid drainage.

Selection of plants you could use: Rudbeckia hirta ‘Prairie Sun’, Fatsia japonica, Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’, Euphorbia characias Silver Swan, Agapathus – white form, Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’, Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’.

Fill the beds

Unless you have experience in this type of work, a professional should build these beds, made from medium density blocks, because they must be safe and drain freely. Once built, line them with 4 in (10 cm) of gravel and fill with soil.

Plant up

Set out the plants in their pots to check that you are happy with the display. They have been packed tightly here to give an instant effect, but in reality, they will need more space to grow.

Aftercare

Plant them up at the same depth as they were in their original pots, adding some granular fertilizer to the planting holes as you go. Water well, and feed the beds annually in spring. The shrubs here are evergreens, but the flowers will die down in winter.

Containers are not just for summer flowers; displays for autumn and winter often last longer and help brighten up these cold, dark months when viewed from the warmth of your kitchen or living room. Make sure that the pot you buy can withstand low winter temperatures—frost proof clay pots tend to be more expensive but should come with a guarantee and last for many years.

When to plant: Early autumn.

At their best: All year round.

Time to complete: 1½ hours.

You will need: Large frostproof container – at least 18 in (45 cm) deep and wide, broken clay pot or plastic pieces, soil-based potting mix, mulching material, all-purpose granular fertilizer.

Selection of plants you could use: Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’, Juniperus ‘Grey Owl’, Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’, Erica arborea var. alpine, ‘Albert’s Gold’

Prepare the pot

Add some broken clay pot or plastic pieces to the bottom of the container, and cover them with a layer of soil-based potting mix. Set the plants, still in their original pots, on the potting mix and check that they will sit about 2 in (5 cm) below the rim when planted. Keep them in the container, and start to fill in around them with potting mix.

Slide the plants out

Pack damp potting mix around all the pots up to their rims—only one is shown here, but the method works equally well with a few plants. Carefully slide out the plants in their pots, to leave spaces for planting.

Tip plants out of their pots

Water all the plants well before tipping them out of their plastic pots. If the roots are congested, gently

tease them out. Carefully replace them in their positions in the container, and then firm more compost into any remaining gaps.

Add a mulch

Add a layer of gravel, slate chips, or other decorative mulch over the soil. Water the container well and set it on “feet” to allow the winter rains to drain through easily. Place it where you can see it easily from the house, and continue to water it during the autumn and winter if the soil under the mulch feels dry.

Tips: annual care

The container will need watering frequently in the spring and summer. Each year in early spring, remove the mulch and top few inches of potting mix and replace it with fresh compost mixed with some all-purpose granular fertilizer. Water immediately after this, and then renew the mulch. When the plants become congested, plant them out in the garden or move to larger containers.

Seasonal hanging baskets add a splash of color to the garden throughout the coldest months. This one includes a few cyclamens, winter-flowering violas, and a range of evergreens. In colder climates, evergreen boughs and branches with berries can be combined for winter color.

When to plant: Early autumn.

At their best: Autumn to early spring.

Time to complete: 1½ hours.

You will need: Hanging basket, liner, plastic bag, wide low pot, scissors, container potting soil, newspaper, small plastic pot, watering can.

Selection of plants you could use: Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’, Heathers – Erica, Cyclamen, winter-flowering violas, Small ivies – Hedera helix.

Before you plant

Stand the basket on a wide pot to keep it stable during preparation. Then add a specially made basket liner.

Cut out planting holes

Lay a circle of plastic bag over the bottom of the liner to act as a reservoir. Cut out a few evenly spaced crosses around the sides of the liner.

Add ivy around the edge

Add a layer of potting soil to the bottom. Wrap paper around the root ball of each ivy and push them through the holes in the sides.

Plant the top and water

Add the plants and fill in around them with more soil. Firm them in. Place a small plastic pot near the center to act as a watering reservoir. Water into this pot to make sure it reaches the plants’ roots.

When to plant: Early autumn.

At their best: Autumn to early spring.

Time to complete: 1 hour.

You will need: Woven hanging basket, scissors, wide low pot, container potting soil, watering can.

Selection of plants you could use: Choisya ternata Sundance, Deadnettle – Lamium maculatum ‘Aureum’, small ivies – Hedera helix, winter-flowering violas, haultheria procumbens.

Prepare the basket

Place the basket on a low pot to stabilize it and punch a few drainage holes in the plastic liner. Half fill the basket with potting soil, then arrange your plants on top.

Finishing touches

Remove the plants from their pots, place them in the basket and then firm them in with soil, as described in step 4 here LINK How to Plant a Winter Hanging Basket, and water well. Water baskets during dry spells.

Tip: Organic basket liner

For a natural, organic alternative to a plastic liner, use conifer clippings from a hedge or tree. These also help insulate the plants and will decompose over time and create an acidic soil environment, ideal for Gaultheria to thrive.

With their bold foliage and wide color range, hostas are the darlings of the designer world. Grow a few in pots on a shady patio for a lush, sophisticated display that will last from early summer until the autumn.

When to start: Spring.

At their best: Early summer to early autumn.

Time to complete: 2 hours.

You will need: 4 pots of different sizes, soil-based potting mix, broken clay pot pieces, slow-release fertilizer, horticultural grit.

Selection of plants you could use: Hosta ‘Francee’, Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’, Hosta fortunei var. albopicta f. aurea, Hosta ‘August Moon’.

Choosing pots

First choose suitable containers. Hosta ‘Francee’ and H. ‘August Moon’ have spreading habits and suit wide pots, while H. ‘Krossa Regal’ is more upright and looks best in a taller container. H. fortune f. aurea is small in stature, so select a little pot for this diminutive plant. Buy frostproof containers for your hostas; they are perennial plants and will pop up year after year.

Planting up

Prepare your pots according to the instructions here, and water the hostas well before planting. Add slow-release fertilizer to the compost and plant the hostas slightly deeper than they were in their original pots. Water them and apply a gritty mulch to deter slugs and snails (see Tips, below).

Aftercare

Hostas like damp conditions and need frequent watering, especially in summer. Use about half a full watering can on each plant, so that the moisture reaches the bottom of the pot. Take precautions against slugs and snails, and feed annually.

Tips: Slug and snail repellents

To keep your hostas free from slug and snail damage, sprinkle a few slug pellets sparingly around young plants after planting. Organic controls include pouring used coffee grounds around the plants, applying a mulch of eggshells or grit, or fixing a copper strip around each pot.

When your summer flowers are spent, and window displays are looking bedraggled and dull, give them a quick makeover with colorful evergreens that will last the course through the coldest winter. This combination of conifers, shrubs, grasses, and herbs is guaranteed to perform for many months.

When to start: Early autumn.

At their best: Early autumn to spring.

Time to complete: 1½ hours.

You will need: Large windowbox, ericaceous potting mix, broken plastic pieces, bucket.

Selection of plants you could use: Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’, Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest’, Golden thyme – Thymus pulegioides, ‘Archer’s Gold’, Leucothoe Scarletta.

Before planting

Buy a frost-resistant windowbox—this one is made from terracotta, but a plastic imitation would be best if you live in a cold, exposed area that is prone to frosts. Check that your plants fit comfortably in the container.

Soak the plants

Water each plant well, either with a watering can without a rose, or by dunking the plants in a bucket of water. Allow the bubbles to dissipate, then remove the pots and allow them to drain.

Provide good drainage

Break up a plastic plant tray and add the pieces to the bottom of the windowbox. Then add a layer of ericaceous potting mix—the Leucothoe and Gaultheria are both acid-loving plants and do best in this type of soil.

Place plants in position

Place the plants in their original pots in the windowbox and make sure that they will sit about 1 in (2 cm) below the rim when planted to allow sufficient space for watering.

Plant up and firm in

Plant up and fill in around each plant with soil, firming it in with your fingers as you go. Water well. Water your box once or twice a week in winter, and more frequently in spring.