Cut flower corner - what to pick in late October

There’s something very beautiful about the warm, faded colours of autumn, moving us slowly into the colder months.  

There are fewer flowers in the garden, but you might still find the last of the cosmos and dahlias to pick before the frost comes.  Other flowers that are sill going into November include bright pink Nerine bowdenii and colourful Schizostylis coccinea, also known as Hesperantha coccinea.  Sedums with their deepening colours and large flower heads are great for filling gaps and giving bulk. 

Cheerful chrysanthemums add some fresh colour for flower arrangements in autumn, lasting two weeks or more in a vase.  Combine hot pinks and deep burgundies with lovely burnt oranges and peaches such as C. ’Allouise Orange’ (or the softer salmon variety).  They like a sunny spot and free draining soil in the garden and are not fully hardy so need to be lifted in the winter or heavily mulched.

Grasses such as miscanthus add structure to floral arrangements as does evergreen foliage such as pittosporum or eucalyptus as well as autumn leaves such as beech adding natural beauty with their brown tones.  Branches of hawthorn, rose hips or other plants with berries add a gorgeous autumnal feel.  Or just a few branches of Euonymus europaeus in a vase with its orange pink fruits will give you a lift.